IMG: Codex Eyckensis B, folio 5R 1.

by Clarissa Colangelo (KU Leuven).

In close collaboration with Prof. Lieve Watteeuw (Illuminare – Centre for the Study of Medieval Art), the KU Leuven Digital Lab has digitized the Codex Eyckensis under the expert lead of Photoconsortium member Bruno Vandermeulen. This early Carolingian Gospel Book, produced around the year 760, comes from the treasury of Saint Catherine’s Church in Maaseik (Belgium) and is the oldest preserved “book” manufactured in the Low Countries, therefore representing an exceptional testimonial of the early artistic creations in manuscript forms of the area.

A mobile lab for the digitization of the manuscript was built in the treasury of Saint Catherine’s church in Maaseik so that it could be examined and digitized in situ, using state-of-the art capture techniques – the same ones that were adopted during the EuropeanaPhotography project.

The manuscript was digitized not only for the people of Maaseik, but also for an international public of researchers. To this end, the team chose first of all to work with Mirador Viewer, a platform that allows visitors to explore high-resolution images and let them zoom, display, compare and annotate the images of the codex. Mirador Viewer is implemented by LIBIS (KU Leuven), who also contributes to the Photography pilot of Europeana Space project.

Secondly, the Codex is not only accessible online through the web-based platform, but it will also be made available on Europeana, Erfgoedplus and Musea Maaseik.

Similar projects have been carried out for the digitization of the Mayer van den Bergh Breviary and the Besloten Hofjes.