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f all the manuscripts on astronomy from the Carolingian Renaissance, The ARATEA of Leyden is the most famous. During the reign of Louis the Pious (814-840) in the second quarter of the 9th century, an artists whose name is unknown to us was commissioned to create a new, illuminated manuscript along late classical lines.

For this purpose, the author used extracts from the "Phainomena" by Aratos (around 310-245 BC) in the translation by Claudius Caesar Germanicus. He wrote the script in a fine, balanced script, known as "capitalis rustica".

With its acquisition by the University of Leyden in 1690, the manuscript came to its present resting place, where it is preserved in the library as the most important manuscript in the Netherlands. The artist painted 39 full page pictures which are almost square in shape, in accordance with ancient tradition. Inspired by the sky at night, he selected a mysterious blue as a background framed by a fiery red edging. The stars themselves are inlaid with gold. Dependent on the light conditions, they sparkle like the firmament on a fine, cloudless night. There are close similarities with Pompeian painting.

The 200 page work, approximately 200 x 225 mm in size, contains 39 wonderful and wondrous full page miniatures. The binding of napped, natural leather, matches the current binding of the original.

The commentary volume (in German) offers the result of years of research triggered off by this Fine Art Facsimile Edition, providing access to this splendid and mysterious manuscript.

The Fine Art Facsimile Edition and its matching commentary volume are supplied in a decorative slipcase for protection and is limited to 980 copies world-wide.

A documentation kit containing 2 sample pages, in the original size, from the ARATEA Fine Art Facsimile Volume, plus an illustrated, 12 page information brochure, is available for $US40.