Velislai biblia picta

It is in effect a picture-book of the Bible, as the text is limited to brief titles or descriptions of the 747 pictures from the Old Testament and the New Testament, from the writings about the Antichrist and from the legends of the saints, especially St Wenceslas.

It is therefore an example of a Biblia pauperum, though not in the typical form, having many more images.

The manuscript is of 188 folios on parchment, with a page size of 307 x 245 mm.

It currently sits in the Czech National Library (Národní knihovna Ceské republiky), Prague.

The codex was created by several artists probably for Velislav the Canon (d. 1367), the notary of John I of Bohemia and his son Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, who were both based in Prague.

Abraham learns of Lot's captivity, as depicted in the Velislai biblia picta