Strahov Abbey, Book of Gospels, Postcards

Book of Gospels

The original manuscript is one of the masterpieces of medieval book painting. It is also one of the most valuable specimens in the library’s collection. You can see a copy of the book if you visit the library. The printed material we are presenting is a set of postcards for which we have created a special cover, which features gold embossing evoking medieval metalwork.

Postcards

The Royal Canonry publishes postcards not only of its largest and most famous monuments, which are the Strahov Picture Gallery and the Strahov Library — Philosophical and Theological Hall, but also of other Premonstratensian monasteries and other places of pilgrimage. These include the Church of St. James the Greater in Jihlava, the Milevsko Monastery, Svatý Kopeček near Olomouc, and the village of Doksany. As a special edition, a series of postcards Catalogus Stellarum Fixarum was created by the graphic artist AL-Sulfi. It has a rare style which is originally from Italy (Veneto) and is dating back to the second half of the 14th century. There are very few similar styles archived in the whole world and only one in the Czech Republic. The set of postcards deals with the depiction of 31 constellations, which are beautifully illustrated. As a new motive, the stars have been borrowed for a redraw, which comes into interesting contrast with the old world.