Office of the Dead from BL YT 3, f. 201v

Detail of a miniature of a corpse lying in an open grave in a churchyard, with a scroll above reading 'Circumdederunt me dolores mortis et pericla inferni inuenerunt me. Sperantem in domino misericordia circumdabit.' To the right, a demon emerges from the earth and snatches at the nude soul which rises from the corpse, with a scroll reading 'Libricus fuit'. Two angels fly towards the soul, with scrolls reading 'Penituit et elemosinam dedit,' and 'Sinite illam: iustum et impium iudicabit dominus'. Above is God the Father surrounded by red angels, at the beginning of the Office of the Dead. Image taken from f. 201v 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.