On January 19th Eberhard König will deliver the annual KB Lecture at the Royal Libarary in The Hague. The German art historian and medievalist will present the results of his research on medieval manuscripts in the KB’s collection, and especially on the impressive collection of Books of Hours.
Books of Hours, prayer books for layman, were popular throughout fifteenth and sixteenth century Europe. The collection of the KB brings together splendid examples of manuscripts from the most diverse regions. König has studied these Books of Hours from an international perspective, focussing on the character and differences of the books, of the art they stand for, and of the mentality and spirituality they served and expressed.
About Eberhard König
Professor Eberhard König, who teaches at the Art History Institute of the Freie Universität Berlin, is an authority in the field of medieval manuscripts. He is especially well-known for his publications on Books of Hours such as the Bedford Hours and the Tres Belles Heures du Duc de Berry. He is the eighth distinguished scholar to be Fellow of NIAS and KB, following in the footsteps of Peter Burke, Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie, Robert Darnton, Jonathan Israel, Lisa Jardine, Robin Kinross and Jo Tollebeek.
Lecture and Exhibition
The lecture is organised in cooperation with the Historisch Nieuwsblad and takes place in the Auditorium of the KB. Before and after the lecture it is possible to visit the exhibition De Verdieping van Nederland, which exhibits, amongst other masterpieces from the KB and the Dutch National Archive, the Zweder getijdenboek, an extraordinary richly decorated medieval Book of Hours the size of a pocket book.