Medieval illuminated manuscripts, an enlightment for the Middle Ages

Abstract

From the exhibition “Bibliographic Jewels of the Middle Ages: Facsimile Works of the unam Central Li- brary”, held at the premises of the Library, between May and August 2015, and designed to publicize 16 facsimiles of medieval illuminated manuscripts, selected and purchased for the special collections of the Library: In this article, a general framework is provided on the importance and significance of these outstanding documents that, according to unesco, are part of the World Medieval Documentary Heritage.
In the following lines some historical and spiritual aspects of medieval manuscripts are addressed which, incidentally, a good number of facsimile editions are produced by major publishing houses located in coun- tries possessing these unique works in order to study them with renewed interest. The issues raised in these documents are an inseparable reference to the ascetic life of Christianity. But, above all, the illustrations and ornamental motifs that accompany them are a mirror through which we can learn about the spiritual landscape of those times. These works, together, constitute an invaluable source of information on the wide variety of political, economic and social issues.