Virgin and Child from BL YT 30, f. 30v

Detail of a miniature of a man and woman, Francesco Salviati and Laudomia de' Medici, adoring the Virgin and Child, at the end of Lauds in the Hours of the Virgin. Image taken from f. 30v of Book of Hours ('The Hours of Laudomia de' Medici'). 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.