Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar's feast from BL YT 16, f. 258v

A 'U' shaped hook in the margin of the folio, containing a miniature of Nebuchadnezzar as a hairy man living in the wild, and an illuminated initial 'B'(althasar) with a 'U' shaped hook containing a miniature of the writing on the wall at king Belshazzar's feast, from the Book of Daniel. Image taken from f. 258v of Bible. 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.