description Bury Bible Overview
The Bury Bible is a mid-12th-century illuminated manuscript produced at the Benedictine abbey of Bury St Edmunds in England. Its surviving volumes contain biblical text written on parchment and large Romanesque initials and figure scenes attributed to Master Hugo, an artist documented at the abbey. The manuscript is an important example of monastic book production and Romanesque painting in medieval England.
help Bury Bible FAQ
Who was Master Hugo, the artist of the Bury Bible?
Master Hugo was a 12th-century artist documented at Bury St Edmunds Abbey and credited with the Bible's major Romanesque illuminations. He is also associated with sculpture and metalwork, making him an unusually well-documented monastic artist of the period.
Who commissioned the Bury Bible?
Hervey, the sacrist of Bury St Edmunds, commissioned it for his brother Talbot, who was prior of the abbey. The project is generally dated to around 1135 to 1138.
Where is the Bury Bible kept today?
The surviving manuscript is held by the Parker Library at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. It is cataloged as Corpus Christi College MS 2 and is now bound in three volumes.
Does the complete Bury Bible survive?
No, only part of the enormous original Bible remains. Its surviving parchment volumes nevertheless preserve major painted initials and figure scenes, including some of the best-known English Romanesque illumination.
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