As a part of the Manifold Greatness exhibit and programming for the month of March, Dr. Anne Heath Wiersma gave a lecture entitled “To See with a Vision Surpassing all Other Visions: the Medieval Tradition and Influence of Biblical Illustration on the King James Bible.” at Herrick Main Library on Monday, March 12th.
She began by analyzing the religious symbolism contained in the frontispieces of the first editions of the King James Bible. The majority of the lecture focused on the broader history of bible illustration and how it led up to the printing of the King James Bible, which has no substantial illustrations but drew from many traditions of imagery, layout and script in bible production. This fit in with the role of the image, not so much as a replacement for text, but as an aid to be “read” and meditated upon for better understanding of the text.
Interested in learning more about the King James Bible? Join us for Dr. Curtis Gruenler’s lecture on 1 Corinthians 13:12 on Thursday, March 15th at 3:00 in the Rare Book Room.
— Jessica Hronchek, Research Librarian