Talk: The Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts with Dr Sarah James

Wednesday 22 October 6:30 pm

Illuminated manuscripts are among the most fascinating artefacts produced in the European Middle Ages. Their dazzling gold and painted illustrations have an enduring appeal, and the finest examples command eye-watering prices at auction and grace the world's most important libraries and museums.

But these manuscripts are far more than expensive objets d'art. Close examination reveals unique insights into the lives of people who made them, paid for them and read them. We will explore some of the most famous medieval manuscripts to find out more about the vibrant, contradictory and sometimes surprising world for which they were created.

Sarah James is a Teaching Fellow in the Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication at Imperial College, London. Previously a Senior Lecturer and Head of School at the University of Kent, she has published widely on medieval saints and theology. She has given numerous papers and keynote lectures at academic conferences and public events. In 2023 she appeared with Aled Jones on Songs of Praise, discussing the murder of Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.