Idolatry from BL YT 28, f. 50v - Public domain medieval manuscript

Miniature of a group of men praying before an idol on a column. Image taken from f. 50v of Secreta secretorum (ff. 1-43); Il Tesoro (translation of Li Livres dou Tresor) (ff. 43v-130); miscellaneous texts (ff. 130v-143v). Written in Italian.

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.