Adoration of the True Cross from BL YT 3, f. 184
Summary
Detail of a miniature of the Adoration of the True Cross: a richly jewelled cross within a hexagonal building, surrounded by figures representing different communions of Christianity, at the beginning of the Hours of the Cross. Image taken from f. 184 of Book of Hours, Use of Rome ('The Dunois Hours'). Written in Latin, with a French calendar.
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.