Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination (11 Nov-13 March) is the British Library’s first major exhibition to bring together the Library’s Royal collection, a treasure trove of illuminated manuscripts collected by the kings and queens of England between the 9th and 16th centuries. To coincide with the exhibition an app has been created by the British Library (in collaboration with Toura) for use on iPhone, Android, and iPad devices.
The Royal Manuscripts application features:
- 58 manuscripts from the exhibition, each with interpretive text
- 500 high-resolution manuscript images of some of the best surviving examples of medieval painting in England, including many pages not on display in the exhibition
- 6 expert curator videos exploring the history and details of the manuscripts
- Functionality to star your favourite items and view them together in one place
Selected manuscripts include colourful histories and genealogies, Bibles and Psalters, scientific works and accounts of coronations.
Highlights include:
- Book of Hours made for Margaret Beauchamp (great-grandmother of Henry VIII)
- Henry VIII’s Psalter, commissioned and annotated by the king himself
- Maps of an itinerary from London to Apulia and to the Holy Land
- Shrewsbury book, presented to Margaret of Anjou on her marriage to Henry VI in 1445
Royal Manuscripts is available for download world-wide for iPhone, iPad and Android devices. Costs are outlined below:
Royal Manuscripts – Standard edition
- From the iTunes App Store for iPhone (and iPod Touch): UK £2.99 (US $4.99)
- From the Android Marketplace: UK £2.99 (US $4.99)
Royal Manuscripts – HD
- From the iTunes App Store for iPad: UK £3.99 (US $5.99)
- From the Android Marketplace: UK £3.99 (US $5.99)
For more information and to download the App visit the Royal Manuscripts App website: http://www.bl.uk/app/royal.html