Maximilian of Austria from BL YT 32, f. 15

Miniature of Maximilian of Austria giving a knight's sword to his son, Philip, who stands with Mary of Burgundy, the daughter of Charles the Bold. With a scatter border of flowers and acanthus, and a man taking aim at a bird with a bow and arrow. Image taken from f. 15 of Chroniques abrégées des Anciens Rois et Ducs de Bourgogne. Written in French.

Henry Yates Thompson (1838-1928) was a British collector and philanthropist who assembled this remarkable collection over his lifetime. The collection is now housed at the British Library in London.

Henry Yates Thompson was born into a wealthy family in 1838. Thompson began collecting manuscripts and other items in the 1870s. His collection quickly gained recognition for its exceptional quality and breadth. He had a keen eye for illuminated manuscripts, which are manuscripts decorated with intricate illustrations and calligraphy. The collection has a particular emphasis on medieval manuscripts.