New BnL Exhibition Explores 16th to 19th-Century Luxembourg Libraries

The National Library of Luxembourg (BnL) has announced the recent opening of a "double" exhibition dedicated to Luxembourg libraries from the 16th to 19th century.

On Saturday 7 December 2024, the exhibition "'Cloistered, connoisseurs and Collectors' - Libraries between the 16th and 19th centuries", which also includes the display of the recently acquired giant Bible of Saint-Maximin, opened at the BnL in Luxembourg-Kirchberg.

Luxembourg's Minister of Culture, Eric Thill, and the Director of BnL, Claude D. Conter, opened the exhibition which is described as offering a detailed overview of Luxembourg libraries from the 16th to the 19th century as well as exploring documentary history from a new angle, through key objects provided by BnL.

The exhibition is reported to highlight the diversity of historical libraries, ranging from monastic and ecclesiastical collections to the private libraries of figures such as Pierre Roberti (circa 1566-1636) or Pierre-Ernest de Mansfeld (1517-1604). The tour also covers the influence of people such as Jean-Baptiste Halle (1748-1824) and Dominique-Constantin Munchen (1763-1818) on the country's history. Particular attention is paid to printed books, reported to be often relegated to the background by manuscripts, which are perceived as more spectacular.

In his welcoming speech, BnL Director Claude Conter stated: "For the BnL, which initiated a project last year to trace the provenance of books from looted libraries of residents and our own, books, especially old books from before 1800, are of great importance. Books have different lives. When a library is closed, as the exhibition also tells, books are transferred to other libraries. The exhibition shows how books are constantly given a new life and how they bear signs of a previous life."

Curator Max Schmitz, professor of history and collaborator of the collection of rare prints at the BnL, presented the key subjects of the exhibition and invited participants  on a guided tour.

During his closing speech, Minister Thill said: "The exhibition also illustrates that throughout history, libraries have always been essential. And that remains also true today. Whatever the evolution of our society in the future, libraries and access to documents will remain essential pillars."

The giant Bible of Saint-Maximin is an exceptional document recently repatriated to Luxembourg. This medieval manuscript is the last example of giant Bibles written in the 11th century and unique in its close connection with the scriptorium of Echternach, described as one of the greatest intellectual and artistic centres of its time.

A call for donations is underway to guarantee the preservation of this medieval manuscript. For information, visit: https://patrimoine.bnl.lu/

The "Cloîtrés, connaisseurs et collectionneurs. Les bibliothèques luxembourgeoises entre le 16e et le 19e siècle" exhibition (in French) will continue until Saturday 8 March 2025. It is open to the public during library opening hours and admission is free.