Quayle Bible Collection

The Bible – Acted, Sung and Given Ornament

September 2009 through July 2010

The current exhibit focuses on how the arts have been used to express and ornament the Bible through history.

What first springs to mind are illustration and illumination of texts and initial letters, from initial letters beautifully decorated with pen work that spill over into the margins to hand painted miniatures and woodcuts.

Music, too, is important to our understanding of the Bible. Psalters, in particular, were instrumental in making us familiar with some of the most beautify poetry of that era. Examples of the work of Martin Luther, Louis Bourgeois, John & Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts and others are on display.

Beautiful papers are used to make important and cherished books even more beautiful. We discovered over 100 examples of marbled papers in the collection this summer – the exhibit highlights the patterns and techniques of this art form.

The exhibit is open from 1 to 4 p.m., Fridays through Sundays and by appointment. Contact the Quayle at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 785.594.8393.