January from BL YT 29, f. 1 - Public domain medieval manuscript

Calendar page for January, with a miniature of John the Evangelist holding a chalice with a serpent. Image taken from f. 1 of Book of Hours, Use of Rome (the 'Hours of Bonaparte Ghislieri', formerly known as 'The Albani Hours'). Written in Latin.

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.