Bijbel afkomstig van de kathedraal van Le Puy-en-Velay before 1857

This is an image of the Bible from the cathedral of Le Puy-en-Velay, reproduced by Hippolyte Malègue. The book is made with handmade paper, inks, and bound with thread and board. The making of such an artifact involved several artisans and considerable time. The paper would have been made by hand, sheet by sheet, from pulped rags. Then, a scribe would have painstakingly transcribed the biblical text, letter by letter. An illuminator would have added the decorative initials, a true craft specialty. Finally, the binder assembled the book, sewing the pages together and covering them in leather or parchment. The value of such a book was not only in its content, but also the immense labor involved in its production. It was both a sacred object and a display of wealth and power. By focusing on its materiality and the skilled work that went into it, we can appreciate this Bible not just as a text, but as a testament to the art of making.