From The Book of Kells to Boccaccio’s Decameron , from the Vienna Genesis to Dante’s Divine Comedy : to open Codices illustres is to open the door into a precious, private world. Now in a revised format, this radiant book brings you face-to-face with 167 of the most exquisite and important manuscripts of the medieval age . Presented in brilliant large-format reproductions , these paradigms of miniature painting and illumination from the 4th century to 1600 were once the property of some of the greatest power players in history. Now art-historical treasures, they are worth many millions and typically tucked away in private collections or closely guarded archives —until now. Although the focus of this collection is on European manuscripts , examples from Mexican, Persian , and Indian tradition illustrate the refinement and intricacy of manuscript illumination in non-European cultures. An informative synopsis for each manuscript orients the reader at a glance, while a 36-page appendix contains biographies of the artists, as well as an extensive bibliography, an index, and a glossary for technical terms.