description Queen Mary Psalter Overview
The Queen Mary Psalter is an extensively illustrated English manuscript produced in the early fourteenth century, probably in London or East Anglia. It contains the Latin text of the Psalms, a pictorial Old Testament cycle, a calendar, and numerous marginal scenes, including animals and everyday activities. The manuscript takes its modern name from Queen Mary I, who received it in 1553, and it is now held by the British Library as Royal MS 2 B VII.
help Queen Mary Psalter FAQ
Why is it called the Queen Mary Psalter?
The manuscript takes its modern name from Queen Mary I of England, who received it in the sixteenth century. It was created much earlier, in the early fourteenth century, and was not originally commissioned under that title.
What kinds of pictures appear in the Queen Mary Psalter?
It contains an extensive Old Testament picture cycle, scenes connected with the life of Christ, saints, and richly decorated initials. Its margins also include animals, hybrid creatures, hunting, games, and scenes from everyday medieval life.
Was the Queen Mary Psalter made for a queen?
Its original patron is not securely identified, although the manuscript's exceptional scale and workmanship suggest an elite commission. Its later ownership by Mary I supplied the name by which it is now known.
Where can the Queen Mary Psalter be seen?
The manuscript is held by the British Library under the shelfmark Royal MS 2 B VII. Because it is a fragile medieval object, access to the original is controlled, but digitized pages make its illustrations widely viewable.
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