Elzbieta Temple

Elzbieta Temple (born 1907, née Maltz, sometimes styled Elżbieta or Elźbieta), was a scholar and author specialising in the field of illuminated manuscripts, produced two books, the second co-authored with J. J. G. Alexander.[1]

Elzbieta Temple
Academic background
Academic work
DisciplineMedieval Studies, Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts
Notable worksAnglo-Saxon Manuscripts, 900-1066 (1976), Illuminated Manuscripts in the Oxford College Libraries, the University Archives and the Taylor Institution, (with J. J. G. Alexander, 1985)

Early life and education

Temple was born in Poland in 1907.[2] After studying at the Cracow College of Art, Temple moved to Sweden and then England, where she married Dick Temple.[2]

Her legacy

Temple’s book, Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts, 900-1066, Volume 2 of the 6 part series ‘Survey of Manuscripts Illuminated in the British Isles’[3] was lauded when it was first published. Nicolas Barker in The Book Collector, (Summer 1979) said of it, and the first volume in the series written by J. J. G. Alexander, Insular Manuscripts 6th to the 9th century,[4] "The admirably comprehensive and thoughtfully arranged plates combine with the text to provide the best survey of this great period of British art yet produced"[5] whilst John Beckwith in his review of her book in Apollo magazine, (vol. 104, 1976, p. 515), says "Mrs Temple’s scholarship is exemplary and her book will become a standard source of reference…".[6]

It continues to be used as a reference book and cited extensively, for example, in Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts and their Heritage,[7] p.2, Gernot R. Weiland, University of British Columbia, when examining what is known about Anglo-Saxon illustrated manuscripts generally, states "Temple’s catalogue of illustrated Anglo-Saxon manuscripts between 900 and 1066 is the best place to start. Of the more than 100 manuscripts listed by her, several can be considered teaching texts."

Her other book, Illuminated Manuscripts in the Oxford College Libraries, with J. J. G. Alexander, is also considered influential and is said to be the inspiration for the cataloguing of the manuscripts[8] in the University of Cambridge colleges and Fitzwilliam Museum collections which resulted in the publication of the first of a series of books, Illuminated Manuscripts in Cambridge.[9]

Websites

The British Library, in the article ‘Medieval England and France, 700-1200’ on their website, lists Temple’s book as recommended reading on English Manuscript Illumination,[10] and her work forms the basis for the section ‘Illuminated Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts 900-1066 AD’[11] on the site ‘The Viking Age Compendium’.[12]

Other

As well as her contribution to the history of illuminated manuscripts, Elzbieta Temple also contributed photographs to the Conway Library that are currently being digitised by the Courtauld Institute of Art, as part of the Courtauld Connects project.[13]

Publications
  • Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts, 900-1066, London : Harvey Miller, 1976, ISBN 0856020168
  • Illuminated Manuscripts in the Oxford College Libraries, the University Archives and the Taylor Institution, (with J.J.G. Alexander), Oxford : Clarendon, 1985, ISBN 0198173814

References
  1. Hamel, Christopher de (2009-12-31). "Tributes to Jonathan J. G. Alexander: The Making and Meaning of Illuminated Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts, Art & Architecture (review)". The Library: The Transactions of the Bibliographical Society. 10 (4): 416–417. doi:10.1093/library/10.4.416. ISSN 1744-8581.
  2. The Bodleian Library Record. 13. Bodleian Library. 1989. pp. 185–186.
  3. www.bibliopolis.com. "Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts, 900-1066 A Survey of Manuscripts Illuminated in the British Isles, 2 by Elzbieta Temple on Mullen Books". Mullen Books. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
  4. Alexander, Jonathan James Graham (1978). Insular Manuscripts, 6th to the 9th Century. H. Miller. ISBN 978-0-905203-01-0.
  5. "The Codex in Britain. [Offprint from The Book Collector, Summer 1979] by Nicolas BARKER: Fine Soft cover (1979) Signed by Author(s) | James Fergusson Books & Manuscripts". www.abebooks.com. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
  6. Rosenblum, Joseph (1995). A Bibliographic History of the Book: An Annotated Guide to the Literature. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-3009-7.
  7. Pulsiano, Phillip; Treharne, Elaine M. (eds.). Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts and their Heritage. ASIN 1138607797.
  8. "Collaboration in Special Collections, Parker Library" (PDF).
  9. "Illuminated Manuscripts in Cambridge. Part 1, vol. 1: The Frankish Kingdoms, Northern Netherlands, Germany, Bohemia, Hungary and Austria (256 pp, 358 color illus.). Part 1, vol. 2: The Meuse Region, Southern Netherlands (296 pp, 389 color illus.)". Historians of Netherlandish Art Reviews. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
  10. "English Manuscript Illumination". The British Library. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
  11. "Illuminated Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts 900-1066AD - The Viking Age Compendium". www.vikingage.org. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
  12. "The Viking Age Compendium". www.vikingage.org. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
  13. "Who made the Conway Library?". Digital Media. 2020-06-30. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
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