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Jesse Hurlbut

@jessehurlbut.bsky.social

1.1K followers 710 following 86 posts

Medievalist. Manuscript studies, 15th-century Burgundy, French literature, art, culture, Digital Humanities. Retired. https://jessehurlbut.net

jessehurlbut.net

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · 13d

Comics theory, medieval art, Celtic coins and contemporary stained glass come together in a single talk next week.

Poster announcing a talk by Jesse Hurlbut on October 23, 2025 at the Fulton Library at UVU at 1 PM. The title of the talk is "Comic Book Literacy for Monumental Art."

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Feb 17

Hey, that's me!

Research Group on Manuscript Evidence @rgmemss.bsky.social · Feb 16

What do illuminated manuscripts and "the funnies" have in common? Come find out with us on March 1st and hear @jessehurlbut.bsky.social talk about "Comic Book Theory for Medievalists"! manuscriptevidence.org/wpme/episode...

Episode 20. "Comic Book Theory for Medievalists" -

For Episode 20 of "The Research Group Speaks," Jesse Hurlbut returns to talk about his current project on comic books and medieval manuscripts.

manuscriptevidence.org

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Jan 13

Pale Rider

British Library, Add ms 17399, f.17r
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

A man rides a white horse out of a gaping hellmouth filled with flames and the souls of the damned. An eagle hovers over the scene waving a flowing banderole.

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Jan 6

Please add me to your list. Thanks!

Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Jan 6

Big flourish for a small capital

British Library
Add ms 15603, f.55v.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

A capital C (one-line height) in brown ink with an elaborate red pen flourish (extending over 11 lines in height)

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Jan 2

Two "terrobolem" stones, male and female, when brought close together, spontaneously ignite and create a raging fire.

Bestiary
British Library, Add ms 11283, f.41r.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Jan 2

Pinpricks allow the transfer of a drawing from one sheet of vellum to another.

Bestiary
British Library, Add ms 11283, f.6r.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

A line drawing of a deer. Pinpricks in the vellum trace the outline. Additional pinpricks are visible corresponding to another drawing on the verso.

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 30

Temptation

The ‘Moutier-Grandval Bible’
British Library, Add MS 10546, f. 5v.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

A serpent wrapped around the trunk of a fruit-bearing tree offers a piece of round fruit in its mouth. A hand reaches into the frame to take the fruit.

Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 29

Canon Table Arcade

The ‘Moutier-Grandval Bible’
British Library, Add MS 10546, f. 351r.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

A series of colorful arches spanning between columns adorn the canon tables of a nineth-century Bible.

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 28

Hare Line Filler

The ‘Moutier-Grandval Bible’
British Library, Add MS 10546, f. 7r.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

The blank space at the end of a verse is filled with the silhouette of a running hare.

Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 27

Spring Blossoms

Majmu’a / مجموعه
British Library, Add ms 7914, f. 70r.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 24

Shepherds abiding in the field

British Library, Arundel ms 157, f.3v.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 24

Crossing Borders

[Muntakhab-i] Dīvān-i Navā’ī / منتخب ديوان نوائي
British Library, Or 3493, f. 3r.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 24

Orion's Belt

Universiteitsbibliotheek Gent, HS. 92, fol. 90v.

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 21

Cursus Solis Solsticialis

How does this work again?

Universiteitsbibliotheek Gent
Liber Floridus, HS. 92, fol. 25r.

A 12th-century diagram illustrating the movement of the Sun from solstice to equinox with a series of orbs arrayed within a set of concentric circles.

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 21

Verba is the Word

I'm not sure what astonishes me more, the color palette, the unusual blend of motifs, or perhaps the casual stylistic insouciance in the midst of rigorous structure and symmetry?

Montpellier Bible
British Library, Harley ms 4772, f.209v.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

The beginning of the book of Jeremiah. The word 'Verba' is ornately decorated.

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 21

Refined Lines

This manuscript has many extremely large capitals richly decorated with blue and red line art, but I find the smaller inter-columnar ones like this one just as arresting!

Lancelot du Lac
British Library, Harley ms 4419, f.30r.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 17

St. Denys from the nicely illustrated "Vie de saint Denys et ses compaignons."

British Library, Harley ms 4409, f.10r.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

St. Denys gazes over an elaborate diapered background.

Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 16

I'd like to be included in this list. Thanks!

Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 16

In Capable Hands

British Library, Harley ms 4399, f.59v.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social
#Digulleville

Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 16

May I Have Your Undivided Attention?

British Library, Harley ms 4372, f.140r
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

A group of men with hands clasped, kneel and gaze intently upward.

Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 14

Bearded Scribe with Knot

British Library, Cotton MS Claudius A III, f.30r.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 14

Just Around the Corner

Lindisfarne Gospels
British Library, Cotton MS Nero D IV, fols. 3r, 5v, 6r, 6v.
@britishlibrary.bsky.social

Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 12

Can you please add me to your Starter Pack? Thanks!

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Jesse Hurlbut @jessehurlbut.bsky.social · Dec 12

Please add me to your medievalists pack. thanks!

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