On our visit to the Bishop’s Palace I particularly enjoyed the temporary exhibition entitled ‘The Ornate & The Beautiful‘. The exhibition displays the extraordinary craftsmanship of the textile industry from the 14th century to the present day and includes some of the most beautiful and rare vestments and ecclesiastical textiles from around the country. The exhibition includes items that have not been on public display since 1930.

Over the next few days I will share some of the items displayed in the exhibition.

The photo in today’s post shows a book dated 1860; Die Kleinodien des Heiligen Romischen Reichs Deutscher Nation by Franz Johann Joseph Bock:

This enormous volume contains 58 chromolithographic plates, which illustrate regalia of the Holy Roman Empire; primarily kept at the Schatzkammer at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. Highlights of the volume include the Crown of Charlemagne, the Imperial Gloves and the Sword of St Maurice, all vividly depicted in colour and gold.

The author was a medieval art and fabric historian, who, upon discovering vestments made of fine and beautiful fabrics during his research, would cut them into fragments and sell them to museums, earning himself the nickname ‘Scissor Bock’. *

*From an information board next to the book

The latest ‘PCS People’ magazine has an article about a new exhibition that is being displayed in the ‘British Library’:

The propaganda of the state is placed under the microscope in a major new exhibition running at the British Library.

From the Little Red Book to the Green Cross Code visitors can expect an eclectic mix in Propaganda: Power and Persuasion running until 17 September.

More that 200 exhibits will be on display making this the first exhibition to gather such a significant range of international state propaganda in one room.

The aim is to explore the many, varied ways in which the state has used propaganda to influence the thoughts and feelings of a nation – whether the message it carries creates an enemy, generates feelings of national pride, or promotes a healthy lifestyle.

“We want visitors to  consider the role of propaganda in their own lives today, as well as looking at the state’s use of propaganda throughout history,” said a spokeswoman at the library.  ”That’s why, as well as displaying iconic pieces of propaganda from the library’s collections – such as the posters from both World Wars, the Cold War and Vietnam – we’ll also be focusing on more surprising examples, such as 2012 Olympics and even Twitter.  These are things you wouldn’t necessarily associate with a word like propaganda”.

The exhibition includes many examples of propaganda in films including the humorous ‘cough and sneezes’ public health adverts starring Richard Massingham and the chilling AIDS campaign narrated by John Hurt – hailed as one of the most controversial health campaigns in history.

The exhibition sounds interesting… I think I am going to have to try and schedule another visit to London before the exhibition closes