AUTHOR: CONRAD OF HIRSAU

LANGUAGE: LATIN

DATE: EARLY THIRTEENTH CENTURY

PAGE #: 264

REPRODUCTION DIMENSIONS: 11.25 X 8.75 IN

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: THIS MANUSCRIPT WAS WRITTEN AT THE CISTERCIAN ABBEY OF HIMMERODE GERMANY, SOMETIME IN THE EARLY THIRTEENTH CENTURY. IT IS ONE OF TWENTY TWO SURVIVING LATIN COPIES OF THE SPECULUM VIRGINUM, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO THE MIRROR OF VIRGINS. ATTRIBUTED TO CONRAD OF HIRSAU, THE TEXT WAS WRITTEN IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY AS A GUIDE FOR NUNS TO INSPIRE PIETY BY OFFERING THEM THEOLOGICAL LESSONS IN THE FORM OF A HYPOTHETICAL CONVERSATION BETWEEN A TEACHER, PEREGRINUS, AND HIS STUDENT, THEODORA. THE TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE MANUSCRIPT PORTRAY THE PROTAGONISTS, AS WELL AS THE MYSTICAL VISIONS AND DIAGRAMS THEY DISCUSS IN THE TEXT.

REPRODUCTION DETAILS: OUR HARDCOVER BOOKS ARE MADE WITH REAL WOOD FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE FRONT AND BACK COVERS AS WELL AS THE SPINE. THE LEATHER IS A 4 OZ COWHIDE, FROM A SMALL SUPPLIER IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE LEATHER IS ADHERED TO THE COVERS WITH GLUE AND MOLDED INTO THE SHAPE AT THE HAND OF OUR LOCAL ARTISANS. THE SIGNATURES/PAGES ARE HANDSEWN USING A LIBRARY BINDING METHOD. THE SEWN BOOK IS BOUND WITH A STRONG ADHESIVE GLUE THAT MAKES THE BINDINGS LAST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LARGER BOOKS. WE ALSO ADD A THICK MULL CLOTH TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BINDING, DRYING IN BETWEEN EACH LAYER, A TRADITIONAL WAY TO MAKE THE BINDING STIFF, STRONG, AND RESILIENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

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