25.06.1983 – 25.09.1983
This exhibition gave an overview of manuscripts that originated in the area of Diest. The local aristocracy sometimes spent fortunes on the artistic production of manuscripts. Churches and monasteries were responsible for the emergence of many examples of fine writing, intended for worship or study and meeting the taste of their clients. The underlying ambition of this exhibition was to introduce relevant examples of manuscript production in all churches and monasteries of Diest and its immediate environment, as well as reflecting on their production process. In this context, also the broad variety of medieval manuscript “genres” was showcased – ranging from richly illuminated folios of graduals, Heiligenlegenden, Les grandes chroniques de France, the tale of Cléomadès, the Roman de Godefroi de Bouillon, the Roman de Fauvel, and a Bible historiale. Non- or partly illuminated pieces exhibited contained folios a sacramentarium, an obituarium, an oath book, the regula ad servos Dei or a copy of Vitruvs De acrhitectura libri decem. So the motto “claustrum sine armario quasi castrum sine armamentario” most certainly applied to the case of Diest.
Partners: Royal Library of Belgium, State Archives Brussels, KU Leuven, Society of Ruusbroec, State Archives of Hasselt, City Archives of Diest.
Bert Cardon, R. Van de Ven & Maurits Smeyers (eds.), exhib. cat., Handschriften uit Diestse kerken en kloosters, Diestsche Cronycke, 6 (Diest, Stedelijk Museum), Diest: Vrienden van het Stedelijk Museum en Archief Diest, 1983.