Biblia pauperum

The Biblia pauperum ("Paupers' Bible") was a tradition of picture Bibles beginning in the later Middle Ages. They sought to portray the historical books of the Bible visually. Unlike a simple "illustrated Bible", where the pictures are subordinated to the text, these Bibles placed the illustration in the centre, with only a brief text or sometimes no text at all. Words spoken by the figures in the miniatures could be written on scrolls coming out of their mouths. To this extent one might see parallels with modern cartoon strips.

Originally these took the form of colourful hand-painted vellum manuscripts, though in early modern times printed examples with line-drawn woodcuts also appeared. Despite the name, Bibliae pauperum were clearly not intended for the poor - these manuscripts were typically opulent and often phenomenally expensive. The name Biblia Pauperum was applied by German scholars in the 1930s.

A 15th century hand-painted example known as the "Golden Bible" is displayed in the British Library. It contains fifty pages and on each the central pictures of an event from the Gospels is accompanied by two slightly smaller picture of Old Testament events which prefigure the central one. For example, the scene of Longinus spearing Jesus as he hangs on the Cross is accompanied by God bringing forth Eve from the side of Adam, and Moses striking the rock so that water flowed forth.

Many stained glass windows and carvings of biblical subjects appear to have their origins in illuminated Bibles of this nature, and some subjects, such as the Announcement to the Shepherds, can be seen in a very similar form at different dates, in different media and different countries.

References

• Golden Bible "Biblia Pauperum" 15th century – British Library, London, Kings MS 5 [1]

See also

• Poor Man's Bible