The Bible of the Poor = Biblia Pauperum: A Facsimile Edition of the British Library Blockbook C.9.D.2

'The Bible of the Poor', with translation and commentary by Labriola and Smeltz, reprints a 15th-century illustrated blockbook. The 40-leaf blockbook presents 120 illustrations of significant episodes in Scripture, each page contains three illustrations. These depict related scenes, and the biblical passages and interpretation on each page highlight the relationship between Old and New Testaments. The original text (now housed in the British Library) is written in Latin, and in this present volume transcriptions of the Latin text are included, as well as complete English translations. In the extensive commentary section Labriola and Smeltz identify important visual details in the illustrations, and discuss the typological significance of elements in the drawings. In addition, the two scholars point out the important connections made between the Old and New Testaments by the anonymous medieval compiler. This volume is the key to understanding how the Bible was taught in the Middle Ages, and illustrates how friars taught the fundamentals of the Christian faith to the ordinary people. It may also be seen as a handbook for meditation and spirituality, enabling the reader to develop a much deeper insight into the meaning of the Bible.