ILLUMINATING THE WORD

An exhibition of the illuminated Bible
now through Easter Sunday, April 16
at the Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha


Since March 2000, scribes and artists in Wales have been meticulously handcrafting The Saint John’s Bible, the first illuminated Bible commissioned since the advent of the printing press more than 500 years ago. Commissioned by Saint John’s University and Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota, and under the artistic direction of Donald Jackson, one of the world’s foremost calligraphers, the Saint John’s Bible and this exhibition offer a glimpse at the process of incorporating ancient art forms with modern techniques in a celebration of the traditional arts
of bookmaking and modern science and sensibility.

While the manuscript is still in progress, this exhibition gives a revealing glimpse of the tremendous undertaking and celebrates book, art, and scripture. Illuminating the Word features nearly 100 pages from the first three finished volumes (Gospels and Acts, Pentateuch, and Psalms) of The Saint John’s Bible. The pages selected for the exhibition display the exquisite contemporary renderings and medieval craftsmanship of this project, scheduled for completion in 2007. Additional items in the exhibition are Jackson’s process sketches, tools from his scriptorium in Wales, as well as other manuscripts, Bibles, and art from special collections at Saint John’s University.

Admission to Illuminating the Word: The Saint John’s Bible is included in general Joslyn Museum admission. Groups of 10 or more with reservations receive a discount of more than 20%. All school groups with reservations are free. Call (402) 342-3300 ext. 206 or e-mail groupsales@joslyn.org.

General Museum admission: $7 Adults, $5 Senior citizens (62+) and college students (with ID),
$4 Youth (5-17), Free children four and younger and Joslyn members.
Free admission on Saturdays from 10 am to noon

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am-4 pm; Sunday, noon- 4 pm;

closed Mondays.

Guided tours: Docent-led public tours of the exhibition, free with admission, are offered on the following dates:
Wednesdays (Jan. 25; Feb. 1, 15; Mar. 1, 15, 29; Apr. 12) and Saturdays (Jan. 28; Feb. 11, 25; Mar. 11, 25; Apr. 8).
Tours meet in the atrium just prior to 1:00 PM.

Extensive resource materials are available for congregations, catechists, schools, groups:

Teacher packets: Contact the Joslyn Museum: 402/342-3300, extension 250
DVDs and videotapes: available through IRMS, 515/277-2920 or www.irms.org
Materials online: www.saintjohnsbible.org or www.joslyn.org/index.html