Angel calling birds from BL YT 10, f. 33v

Detail of a miniature of an angel standing on the sun and calling all birds to eat the flesh of men (the birds include a peacock, a hawk, a raven, a dove, a cockerel, a pelican, and an owl), from Revelation 19:17-18. Image taken from f. 33v of Apocalypse (Revelation). Written in French.

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.