Edinburgh University's Main Library yesterday opened its doors for the inaugural exhibition, Masterpieces I, of rare objects including the earliest surviving book in Scotland, the Celtic Psalter.
It is speculated that the 11th century, pocket-sized copy of the Psalms of King David was handwritten in Latin by the monks of Iona Abbey (they also wrote the famous Book of Kells).
However, although the psalter is in excellent condition, with its Celtic, Pictish and mythical illustrations preserved in vivid, unfaded colours, its background remains something of a mystery.
Joseph Marshall, the university’s rare book librarian, speculates that the expense of creating such a work, would mean the psalter was originally commissioned by Scottish nobility, possibly even St Margaret, Queen of Scotland.
Annotations in the book suggest the psalter remained in the hands of scottish aristocracy until the 17th century when it came into the university collection. It has remained in archive, only accessible by scholars, until now.
More masterpieces
Masterpieces I is the first in a series of three similar exhibitions to be held within the Library until 2011.
Works by well known authors and illustrators, such as Phoebe Anna Traquair, William Shakespeare, John James Audubon and George Mackay Brown, sit alongside treasures exclusive to the Collections of the University, such as the Jāmi' al-tawārīkh (The Collection of Histories) by Rashid-al Din, the Charter granting royal patronage to the Infirmary of Edinburgh, and the Celtic Psalter.
This opening exhibition will also feature the Aberdeen Breviary which is the finest surviving copy of the first substantial Scottish book; and the only copy in Scotland of the first book to be printed in Gaelic, a Gaelic Liturgy which came to us from the Clement Littil collection.
Other themes will include Edinburgh and its University, Around the World, Great Books of the Renaissance, and The Book Beautiful.
The sixteenth-century sculpture, Giambologna’s Anatomical Figure of a Horse, previously on long-term display within the Torrie Collection at the University’s Talbot Rice Gallery, will also be on display in the .
Bespoke cases
The exhibition has been made possible by the acquisition of two very large, bespoke display cases, designed by Goppian S.p.A. of Italy (the first to be installed in Scotland). These cases, made of steel and glass, and measuring 4.5m x 2.3m x 1.1m, were installed last month in the library's exhibition room.
Masterpieces I has been designed by Studio SP of Edinburgh, with the curatorial support of several members of staff from the University’s Centre for Research Collections. Funding for the cases and exhibition programme was achieved with the support of the Friends of Edinburgh University Library, who launched a challenge-fund appeal in 2008.
Masterpieces I runs from 11 December 2009 – 14 March 2010 (Monday – Saturday 10am - 5pm; Sunday 12 noon – 5pm, closed for Christmas & New Year) at the University of Edinburgh Main Library, George Square.