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There are some really old books on display at Lewis & Clark College right now. Whatever you’re picturing, they’re probably older.
The liberal arts college is hosting the exhibition of medieval manuscripts, Shaping the Soul: Books in Medieval Life, now through March 6. The books on display are from the 13th through 16th centuries; the oldest are 800 years old.
“For our students, it’s an amazing opportunity to work with material objects that have witnessed history,” says Hannah Crummé, Lewis & Clark’s head of special collections.
Several of the 30-plus manuscripts are from Lewis & Clark’s own collection. Others are here through international book dealer Les Enluminures’ program Manuscripts in the Curriculum. The books borrowed from dealers are on their way to be sold to private collections, so this will likely be one of the last times they will be on public view.
It’s a rare opportunity to see these kinds of texts up close in Portland— Crummé can’t remember any time in the past 30 years that an exhibition of medieval manuscripts of this scale has been open to the public.
“It’s pretty exciting for us,” she says.
The exhibit contains both sacred and secular books. The religious texts include a 13th century Bible, a nun’s private devotional handbook, and a grand choir book. They are heavily illuminated, some with actual gold and silver. The secular books include a lawyer’s manual (with little doodles for memory aids) and a scroll that follows the court case of a woman in France’s effort to leave her estate to her daughters instead of her husband and sons.
The exhibit’s opening reception will feature music by local early-music ensemble Musica Universalis.
GO: Shaping the Soul: Books in Medieval Life at Lewis & Clark College’s Watzek Library, 615 S Palatine Hill Road, 503-768-7270, library.lclark.edu, storymaps.arcgis.com/stories. Through March 6. Opening reception 3-5 pm Saturday, Jan. 24. Free.
