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A medieval effort to visualize commentary

"It's as much about the power of images as anything I know."
Melanie Holcomb
2 min. watch

"It's as much about the power of images as anything I know."

Curator Melanie Holcomb explains the power of "Curtain of the Tabernacle," one of six illustrated leaves from the Postilla Litteralis (Literal Commentary) of Nicholas of Lyra.

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https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/479483

Throughout 2013, The Metropolitan Museum of Art invited curators from across the Museum to each talk about one artwork that changed the way they see the world.

Photography by Katherine Dahab

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Contributors

Melanie Holcomb
Curator, Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters

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Art Mentioned

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Curtain of the Tabernacle, one of six illustrated leaves from the Postilla Litteralis (Literal Commentary) of Nicholas of Lyra, Opaque watercolor, iron-gall ink and gold on vellum, French
Curtain of the Tabernacle, one of six illustrated leaves from the Postilla Litteralis (Literal Commentary) of Nicholas of Lyra
French
ca. 1360–1380