ABSTRACT
A proposed new reconstruction of the original Holkham Bible begins with an unusual picture of the Divine Creator. The frontispiece rewards the beholder with a combination of artistic techniques: color washes, ink and lead-point drawing, and the use of feather strokes set in wet or dry color washes. Remarkable details (Wheel of Fortune, arbor scientiae, a composite creature resembling an ape, and a self-portrait of the artist enumerating the ensuing contents) show that the manuscript is a compelling case that emerged from a learned, even intellectual environment – a kind of visual reflection. Entering this constellation, we have the opportunity to reconstruct the impact of scholarly debates on art and artistic processes.
