Long known as one of the most beautiful books ever created, the Isabella Breviary was presented to Queen Isabella to commemorate both the double marriage of her children Infante John of Asturias and Infanta Joanna to the children of Emperor Maximilian of Austria and two of the most successful undertakings of her reign: Columbus’s discovery of America and the reconquest of Granada.
Lavishly illustrated by the most renowned Flemish painters, the Isabella Breviary depicts the building, destruction, and reconstruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem, and features celebration scenes with musicians and singers being led by King David. The manuscript’s borders represent the labors of the months and signs of the zodiac, followed by a Book of Hours with prayers, psalms, and various biblical passages in Latin.
Spanish publisher M. Moleiro Editor, which specializes in the reproduction of codices, maps, and works of art, has created an exact replica of the Isabella Breviary that can, promises the publisher, “be considered as a new original.” The limited edition of 987 copies is bound in leather tanned using the methods of years past and reproduced on special handmade paper designed to match the thickness, feel, and smell of the original vellum. Each copy is individually numbered and accompanied by a notary’s statement confirming its authenticity.
Visitors to the Moleiro booth (3704) can view this limited edition and hear more about its extraordinary history.
