Royal couple in prayer from BL YT 13, f. 18

Miniature of a crowned woman and a bearded man (Eleanor of Woodstock and Reinald II of Guelders) kneeling in prayer, with the dove of the Holy Spirit above, at the beginning of the Matins of the Holy Ghost. Below is a bas-de-page scene of God creating the animals, including a crowned lion, two stags, an ass, a pig, a unicorn, an elephant and castle, a horse and an ox. Image taken from f. 18 of Book of Hours, Use of Sarum ('The Taymouth Hours'). Written in Latin and 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.