Peter from BL YT 3, f. 259 - Public domain medieval manuscript

Detail of a miniature of Peter, seated on a papal throne and holding a key, at the beginning of his suffrage. On either side are red-robed cardinals, and a surpliced clerk kneels before him holding an open book. Image taken from f. 259 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.