Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Illuminating Faith: The Eucharist in Medieval Life and Art

May 17 through September 15, 2013

When Christ changed bread and wine into his body and blood at the Last Supper, he instituted the Eucharist and established the central act of Christian worship. For medieval Christians, the Eucharist (the sacrament of Communion) was not only at the heart of the Mass, but its presence and symbolism also wielded enormous influence over cultural and civic life. Featuring more than sixty-five exquisitely illuminated manuscripts, Illuminating Faith offers glimpses into medieval culture and explores the ways in which artists of the period depicted the celebration of the sacrament and its powerful hold on society.

The exhibition presents some of the Morgan's finest works, including the Hours of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, considered to be one of the greatest of all Books of Hours; the Preparation for Mass of Pope Leo X, which remained at the Vatican until it was looted by Napoleon's troops in 1798; a private prayer book created for Anne de Bretagne, queen of France; and a number of rarely-exhibited Missals. Also on display are objects used in medieval Eucharistic rituals, such as a chalice, ciborium, pax, altar card, and monstrances.

Curator Roger Wieck discusses the Sacred Bleeding Host of Dijon, the cult of which thrived for over 350 years.

This exhibition is made possible by an anonymous gift with additional generous support from the Janine Luke and Melvin R. Seiden Fund for Exhibitions and Publications and by James Marrow and Emily Rose.

Elevation of the Eucharist, detail from the Della Rovere Missal
Italy, Rome, ca. 1485–90
Illuminated by the Master of the della Rovere
Missals (Jacopo Ravaldi?) for Cardinal Domenico della Rovere
The Morgan Library & Museum, New York
MS M.306, fol. 119r
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan in 1907
Photography: Graham S. Haber

Selected Images

St. Bridget's Eucharistic Vision, from St. Bridget of Sweden, Revelations and other texts, in Latin , Late 14th century, Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1912 , MS M.498, fol. 4v
Priest and Acolyte before an Altar, from a Book of Hours, Rome use, in Latin and French , ca. 1445, Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1907 , MS M.287, fol. 29
Altar Prepared for the Feast of Corpus Christi, detail from an Antiphonary (one of the six "Lodi Choir Books"), in Latin , ca. 1470–95, Purchased, before 1921 , MS M.682, fol. 19v
Priest Carrying the Host in a Monstrance, detail from a Missal, Franciscan use, in Latin , ca. 1427, Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, year unknown , MS M.146, fol. 141v
Papal Procession at Old St. Peter's, from the "Farnese Hours," Rome use, in Latin , 1546, Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1903 , MS M.69, fol. 72v–73r
The Sacred Bleeding Host of Dijon Enshrined in a Monstrance, from a Historiated initial from a Gradual, in Latin , ca. 1536–37, Purchased on the Edwin H. Herzog Fund and the Fellows Endowment Fund, 2005 , MS M.1144
The Sacred Bleeding Host of Dijon Adored by a Couple, from the Heures à l'usaige de Romme , Purchased on the Harper Fund and the Acquisitions Fund, 2003 , PML 129355, MS fol. 3v
St. Anthony and the Miracle of the Mule , ca. 1500, Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1902 , MS M.52, fol. 411v
Judas Revealed as Christ's Betrayer, from a Leaf from a Gradual, in Latin , 1392–99, Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1909 , MS M.653.4
Angels Collecting Christ's Blood in Chalices, from a Missal, Augustinian use, in Latin , After 1472, Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1911 , MS M.472, fol. 131v
Pope Leo Prepares for Mass, from "Preparatio ad missam of Pope Leo X," in Latin , 1520, Gift of the Heineman Foundation, 1977 , MS H.6, fol. 1v
Priest Bowing before an Altar, from the "Stefaneschi Missal," in Latin , Late 1320s, Purchased, 1927 , MS M.713, fol. 58
Christ Awaiting Crucifixion, from the "Lallemant Missal," Tours use, in Latin , ca. 1500, Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1912 , MS M.495, fol. 85v
Priest Elevating the Host, detail from the "Tiptoft Missal," Sarum use, in Latin , ca. 1320, Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1902 , MS M.107, fol. 142
Christ Instituting the Eucharist at the Last Supper, and Manna Feeding the Israelites, from a Speculum humanae salvationis, in Latin and Dutch , ca. 1450, Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1909 , MS M.385, fol. 18v
Synagoga (Judaism) and Ecclesia (Church) Flank the Last Supper , ca. 1465, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Landon K. Thorne, Jr., 1979 , MS M.1003, fol. 13
Angels Displaying the Eucharist in a Tabernacle, from a Book of Hours, Windesheim use, in Latin , 1415–20, Purchased with the assistance of the Fellows, 1953 , MS M.866, fol. 105v
Elevation of the Eucharist, from the "Della Rovere Missal," Rome use, in Latin , ca. 1485–90, Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1907 , MS M.306, fol. 119r