There have been many books in my life, beginning with The Wind in the Willows, read aloud often by my father when I was growing up. Later I haunted the Philadelphia public library, reading my way through historic novels, and even starting to write and illustrate my own, since I went on to take art classes. I've always felt comfortable living among books; growing up with them; having an office full as an English professor, and finally, as a librarian, surrounded by all I could possibly want.
The book I've chosen to write about now combines my interests in history, art and women's work. I found it in the vault of the Folger Shakespeare Library, probably soon after coming to work there as Reference Librarian, because I had to acquaint myself with the "treasures" of the collection. It is a tiny volume, hand-made by Esther Inglis (c.1569–1624). The Folger has several of these, but the most gorgeous is bound in red velvet, embroidered with silver gilt thread and seed pearls. Who could not love it? [Figure 1]
Figure 1. Folger Shakespeare Library, V.a.94, binding.
Esther was the daughter of a French Huguenot family who fled to Scotland where her father opened a French School in Edinburgh. She learned calligraphy or the art of fine writing from her mother, Marie Presot. Around 1595, Esther married a clergyman, Bernard Kello, and she worked with him as he took charge of King James VI's foreign correspondence, providing copies in a good hand and little manuscript books like this one, which were used as part of the diplomatic exchange with the Protestant elite.
Esther copied out religious texts - biblical verses, Psalms, or French religious poetry - in many styles of handwriting, to which she added decorative borders, coats-of-arms, dedications, and often even a self-portrait. The title page of this volume with its flowers on a gold background shows that she was influenced by the Flemish style of illumination. [Figure 2]
Figure 2. Folger Shakespeare Library, V.a.94, title page.
She wanted this book to be especially lovely, because she offered it to Prince Henry who, at fourteen was preparing to be King of England one day. She gave him several other books as well, and we know from his household accounts, that she was well paid. [Figure 3]
Figure 3. Folger Shakespeare Library, V.a.94, coat-of-arms and dedication to Prince Henry.
We are pretty sure that Esther made the binding because in a contemporary poem she is praised for double art of the needle and the pen.
This little book which fits in the palm of a hand opened a new world to me. I had to find out more about Esther Inglis, who she knew, where she got her inspiration, what the backgrounds were of some of her recipients. I made trips to libraries in this country and Britain to examine many more of her manuscripts; I've given talks about her, published essays and blog posts, and am still working on her. She leads me off into all the by-ways I love to explore.
by Georgianna Ziegler
Comments