Ascension from BL YT 34, f. 99v

Historiated initial 'P'(rimum) of the Ascension, at the reading for Ascension Day, with partial bar borders. Image taken from f. 99v of Epistolary of the Sainte-Chapelle, Use of Paris. Written in Latin.

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.