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Decretum
(Manuscripts and Rare Books)
Legal books, such as this manuscript detailing canon law (laws governing the Church), had a very specific and recognizable layout. The main text was large and embedded in the center of the page, while a gloss, or commentary on the text, was written around it in a smaller script. Despite its utilitarian purpose, the manuscript is heavily decorated. An initial containing a narrative scene illustrates each legal case. The miniatures helped the reader navigate the book and present a visual summary of the subject treated in the text.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Acquired by Henry Walters, Baltimore; by bequest to Walters Art Museum, 1931.
Exhibitions
| 2014-2015 | From Pen to Press: Experimentation and Innovation in the Age of Print. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
| 2006 | The Art of Law: Legal Documents from the Collection of The Walters. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
Geographies
France (Place of Origin)
Measurements
Closed H: 18 1/8 × W: 12 3/16 × D: 3 15/16 in. (46 × 31 × 10 cm); Open H: 18 1/8 × W: 20 13/16 × D: 9 1/8 in. (46 × 52.8 × 23.2 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
W.135