"The Borso d'Este Bible, which is adorned with miniature paintings in gold, can be seen in the Italian Senate as part of the Vatican's Holy Year celebrations until 16 January 2026. The work represents one of the finest expressions of the art of miniature painting, bringing together ornamental refinement, artistic expertise, and religious inspiration, say the organisers of the Jubilee artistic programme."
"The text [in Latin and Italian] was written in a fine Renaissance hand by the Bolognese scribe Pietro Paolo Marone. In 1598, following the transfer of Ferrara to papal control, the Estense family abandoned Ferrara for its new seat of ducal power in Modena, taking with them their paintings, sculptures, and books. "The Bible remained in Modena until 1859, when the city became part of the new Kingdom of Italy.""
"Alessandra Necci, the director of Gallerie Estensi in Modena, northern Italy, where the Bible is usually kept in a safe, describes it as the "Mona Lisa of illuminated manuscripts". The Bible, which was transported from Modena under heavy security, is on display in a humidity-controlled case to help conserve the fragile parchment pages. Visitors can "read" parts of the manuscript digitally via touch screen displays showing high-resolution images."
The Borso d'Este Bible, adorned with gold miniature paintings, is on display in the Italian Senate as part of Vatican Holy Year celebrations until 16 January 2026. The two folio volumes (1455–61) contain more than 1,000 individual illuminations created by a team led by Taddeo Crivelli and Franco dei Russi, including Girolamo da Cremona, Marco dell'Avogadro, and Giorgio d'Alemagna. The Latin and Italian text was written by the Bolognese scribe Pietro Paolo Marone. The Estense family moved the Bible from Ferrara to Modena in 1598, and it remained there until 1859. The manuscript is exhibited in a humidity-controlled case with digital high-resolution displays for visitors.
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Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events
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