The mirror of salvation = Speculum humanae salvationis : an edition of British Library blockbook G.11784

"This blockbook is the key to understanding the "religious climate" of the Middle Ages. It is the first and only edition of its kind of the Mirror of Salvation, among the most significant and influential blockbooks of the fifteenth century. This edition reprints all 58 woodcuts, each with two illustrations, translates into modern English the text of the entire blockbook, and provides detailed explanations of the woodcuts and the text. No other edition approaches the magnitude of this achievement, which is intended to make the blockbook accessible to the present-day reader." "The detailed explanations highlight the biblical passages, both canonical and apocryphal, and mythological legends that develop the theme of the blockbook. As the title Mirror of Salvation suggests, the blockbook's theme focuses on the roles of Christ and of the Virgin Mary in the salvation of humankind." "Because the blockbook was intended as a resource and reference work for sermons and religious instruction in the late Middle Ages, it exemplifies the level of understanding of Scripture and mythology imparted to the common folk."--Jacket This first inexpensive edition of The Bible of the Poor reprints a copy of a blockbook in the British Library. Popular from the twelfth to the fifteenth century, The Bible of the Poor was a manual used by friars to instruct the common folk in the fundamentals of the faith. The 40-leaf book presents 120 pictures interrelating the Old and New Testaments, pertinent verses from Scripture, and interpretations by the anonymous compiler. The text is in Latin, but transcriptions and translations into English are provided; a detailed commentary highlights the medieval method of interpreting Scripture. As a handbook of biblical illustration and interpretation, The Bible of the Poor is an invaluable resource in studying the various forms of religious art and literature, including illuminated manuscripts, painting, sculptures, stained glass, medieval drama and devotional poetry. It is also a handbook for meditation and spirituality. The version reproduced in this handsome volume of the Mirror of Salvation , a work of popular religion that relates Old Testament stories to the story of Jesus, was produced around 1470 in Holland. The woodcuts are reproduced in half-page plates with the English translation of the text below. The translators, Labriola and Smeltz (both teach English at Duquesne U.), also provide an interpretation of each verse of the book. These provide a religious exegesis of the text, without any reference to the historical or social contexts, either of the text or the woodcuts. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) This blockbook is the key to understanding the "religious climate" of the Middle Ages. It is the first and only edition of its kind of the Speculum Humanae Salvationis, among the most significant blockbooks of the fifteenth century. This edition reprints all 58 woodcuts, each with two illustrations, translates into modern English the text of the entire blockbook, and provides detailed explanations of the woodcuts and text.