God the Father from BL YT 37, f. 103

Detail of a miniature of God the Father, at the beginning of the Penitential Psalms. Image taken from f. 103 of Book of Hours, Use of Bourges, with a Parisian calendar. Written in Latin, with a calendar 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.