Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Livre des merveilles du monde (Marvels of the World)

Thumbnails

025. MS M.461, fols. 20v–21r
026. MS M.461, fols. 21v–22r
027. MS M.461, fols. 22v–23r
028. MS M.461, fols. 23v–24r
029. MS M.461, fols. 24v–25r
030. MS M.461, fols. 25v-26r
031. MS M.461, fols. 26v–27r
032. MS M.461, fols. 27v–28r
033. MS M.461, fols. 28v–29r
034. MS M.461, fols. 29v–30r
035. MS M.461, fols. 30v–31r
036. MS M.461, fols. 31v–32r

This manuscript contains numerous images of the real and imaginary lands that made up the medieval world. The miniatures are arranged alphabetically and typically focus on the various peoples, exotic costumes, unusual customs, and fantastic creatures of a particular region. Clearly intended to inspire marveling, the depictions are not terrifying or indicative of sin or disaster. Rather, they are designed for and from a Western perspective that considered distant lands and their inhabitants as strange, exotic, and captivating.