Back from Tyler Texas

Saw the calligraphy/illumination exhibit at the Tyler Museum of Art.

Tyler Museum of Art

Saint John's Bible at Tyler Museum of Art

Saint John's Bible Project

The illuminated Saint John's Bible is perhaps the most incredible calligraphy project I've ever seen. It's thought to be the first monk commissioned hand calligraphied/illuminated project since the invention of the printing press.

All of the text is on calf skin vellum. The ink used is over 100 years old.

The lead calligrapher, Donald Jackson, is one of the most respected in the world and raises the fowl from which he takes feathers to make the quills. And he cures the feathers in a sand filled cast iron skillet on the stove top.

Books and other products from the Saint John's Bible Project

I picked up the "Illuminating the Word" book that tells the story of the project. Also, we watched the DVD at the museum.

I had seen the reproduction books that have been released already. And I've seen a lot of things on the internet about it. But to see these things in person was mild boggling. The art along with the calligraphy is impressive on its own. It is a project that was projected to cost $1 million dollars for a single bible and has turned into a $10 million project that isn't
completed yet.

The word "illumination" comes from the concept of using gold leaf to highlight texts. The texture of the pages, the shine from the gold leaf --- it all really impresses in person. Some of the illustrations were based on things like voice prints of people singing the Psalms in Hebrew, pictures of the Earth from the Hubbell telescope, pictures of insects based on actual
specimens caught by the project entomologist ... all very impressive.

There were also some historical things to illustrate how much of this was done in Medieval times. There was an illuminated Liturgy of the Hours that hit home for me considering I had one of my volumes in my truck.

I also got to see a Hebrew scroll of the Book of Esther. Of course, any of the scrolls from the first 5 books wouldn't be allowed out in a museum exhibit. There were covers for Qurans as well.

The Psalms were probably the least illuminated but my guess is that the flowery language was enough for the people working on this project. It was moving to see and read.

Highly recommended if you get the opportunity to see this exhibit in your part of the country.