The Sherborne Missal

British Library, London, edition, 1999. Cloth, large 4to, 31 cm,. 64 pp, numerous ills (several in colour). From the blurb: "The Sherborne Missal, a major acquisition of The British library in 1998, is one of the most spectacular examples of book painting of any time or place. It was commissioned for the Benedictine Abbey of Sherborne in Dorset and four contemporary figures concerned with the manuscript's production are frequently portrayed in its pages. Most prominent is Robert Brunyng, Abbot of Sherborne 1385-1415, sometimes accompanied by Richard Mitford, Bishop of Salisbury 1396-1407. The Benedictine scribe John Whas and the Dominican illuminator John Siferwas are also represented. On the strength of this manuscript, Siferwas ranks among the leading artists of the 'International Gothic' period, excelling in portraiture and naturalistic representation. In this superbly illustrated study, the first since the manuscript came into the public domain, Janet Backhouse explores the Missal's creation and history and importance as a masterpiece in the history of English art.