The Morgan Library & Museum has unveiled an extraordinary exhibition, The Book of Marvels: Imagining the Medieval World, running from January 24 through May 25, 2025. This exhibit provides a glimpse into how medieval Europeans imagined distant lands and cultures through richly illustrated manuscripts.
At the heart of the exhibition lies the Book of the Marvels of the World, a 15th-century French manuscript brimming with both fantastical tales and vivid depictions of foreign lands. The Morgan’s copy of the text, regarded as the most complete surviving version, is joined by another rare copy from the J. Paul Getty Museum. Together, they invite viewers to explore how medieval Europeans perceived the broader world through a mix of reality and myth.
Highlights of the Exhibition
Associate of the Boethius Master, Illustration for Book 8 (On the World), in Bartholomew of England, On the Properties of Things. France, Paris, ca. 1410. Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.537, fol. 238r (detail). Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1912 Photography by Carmen González Fraile
Among the manuscripts on display are some of the most evocative depictions of medieval imagination. From descriptions of massive snails in Sri Lanka—so large that people purportedly lived inside their shells—to accounts of Arabia’s precious gems harvested from dragons, the Book of Marvels showcases how medieval minds stretched the limits of belief. These tales often reinforced European cultural and religious superiority, shaping attitudes that persisted into the colonial era.
The exhibition also includes:
Illustrated manuscripts by Marco Polo and John Mandeville.
An Ottoman Book of Wonders, created for a sultan’s daughter.
A medieval map of the Holy Land based on pilgrimage accounts.
One of Europe’s earliest depictions of Native Americans.
Exploring Medieval Biases and Perspectives
Worksop Bestiary England, Lincoln (?), ca. 1185. Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.81, fols. 51v-52r. Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1902 Photography by Janny Chiu
“This exhibition is an opportunity to exhibit and study the Morgan’s copy of the Book of the Marvels of the World—the most complete extant copy—while also examining its perspective on the global medieval world,” said Colin B. Bailey, Katharine J. Rayner Director of the Morgan Library & Museum.
“From legendary peoples and unusual customs to mythical creatures and other spectacular phenomena, the depictions in this exhibition show how people thought about difference in the Middle Ages. Ultimately, guides like the Book of Marvels tell us much more about the people doing the marveling than about the wondrous things themselves,” said Joshua O’Driscoll, curator of the exhibition.
A Rich Tradition of Scholarship
Master of the Geneva Boccaccio, Arabia, in the Book of Marvels of the World, France, Angers, ca. 1460 Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.461, fol. 10r (detail). Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1911 Photography by Janny Chiu
Accompanying the exhibition is a publication from Getty Publications, which delves into the Book of Marvels as a historical text while drawing connections to the present day. The summer 2024 companion exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum further explored these themes, positioning the Morgan’s copy alongside complementary artifacts from the Getty’s collection.
About the Morgan Library & Museum
Map of the World, in the Las Huelgas Beatus. Spain, Burgos, 1220. Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.429, fols. 31v-32r Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1910 Photography by Carmen González Fraile
Founded by financier and collector Pierpont Morgan, the Morgan Library & Museum houses a world-renowned collection of manuscripts, rare books, and artworks. Its intimate setting offers visitors a unique opportunity to engage with history and human creativity, from ancient civilizations to modern times.
Top Image: Master of the Geneva Boccaccio, Traponee (Sri Lanka), in the Book of the Marvels of the World. France, Angers, ca. 1460-65, Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum, MS 124, fol. 32r (detail).
The Morgan Library & Museum has unveiled an extraordinary exhibition, The Book of Marvels: Imagining the Medieval World, running from January 24 through May 25, 2025. This exhibit provides a glimpse into how medieval Europeans imagined distant lands and cultures through richly illustrated manuscripts.
At the heart of the exhibition lies the Book of the Marvels of the World, a 15th-century French manuscript brimming with both fantastical tales and vivid depictions of foreign lands. The Morgan’s copy of the text, regarded as the most complete surviving version, is joined by another rare copy from the J. Paul Getty Museum. Together, they invite viewers to explore how medieval Europeans perceived the broader world through a mix of reality and myth.
Highlights of the Exhibition
France, Paris, ca. 1410.
Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.537, fol. 238r (detail).
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1912
Photography by Carmen González Fraile
Among the manuscripts on display are some of the most evocative depictions of medieval imagination. From descriptions of massive snails in Sri Lanka—so large that people purportedly lived inside their shells—to accounts of Arabia’s precious gems harvested from dragons, the Book of Marvels showcases how medieval minds stretched the limits of belief. These tales often reinforced European cultural and religious superiority, shaping attitudes that persisted into the colonial era.
The exhibition also includes:
Exploring Medieval Biases and Perspectives
England, Lincoln (?), ca. 1185.
Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.81, fols. 51v-52r.
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1902
Photography by Janny Chiu
“This exhibition is an opportunity to exhibit and study the Morgan’s copy of the Book of the Marvels of the World—the most complete extant copy—while also examining its perspective on the global medieval world,” said Colin B. Bailey, Katharine J. Rayner Director of the Morgan Library & Museum.
“From legendary peoples and unusual customs to mythical creatures and other spectacular phenomena, the depictions in this exhibition show how people thought about difference in the Middle Ages. Ultimately, guides like the Book of Marvels tell us much more about the people doing the marveling than about the wondrous things themselves,” said Joshua O’Driscoll, curator of the exhibition.
A Rich Tradition of Scholarship
Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.461, fol. 10r (detail).
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1911
Photography by Janny Chiu
Accompanying the exhibition is a publication from Getty Publications, which delves into the Book of Marvels as a historical text while drawing connections to the present day. The summer 2024 companion exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum further explored these themes, positioning the Morgan’s copy alongside complementary artifacts from the Getty’s collection.
About the Morgan Library & Museum
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1910
Photography by Carmen González Fraile
Founded by financier and collector Pierpont Morgan, the Morgan Library & Museum houses a world-renowned collection of manuscripts, rare books, and artworks. Its intimate setting offers visitors a unique opportunity to engage with history and human creativity, from ancient civilizations to modern times.
For more information, visit themorgan.org.
Top Image: Master of the Geneva Boccaccio, Traponee (Sri Lanka), in the Book of the Marvels of the World. France, Angers, ca. 1460-65, Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum, MS 124, fol. 32r (detail).
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