Adoration of the Shepherds from BL YT 29, f. 15v

Detail of a miniature of the Adoration of the Shepherds, at the beginning of Terce in the Hours of the Virgin. Image taken from f. 15v of Book of Hours, Use of Rome (the 'Hours of Bonaparte Ghislieri', formerly known as 'The Albani Hours'). Written in Latin.

Henry Yates Thompson (1838-1928) was a British collector and philanthropist who assembled this remarkable collection over his lifetime. The collection is now housed at the British Library in London.

Henry Yates Thompson was born into a wealthy family in 1838. Thompson began collecting manuscripts and other items in the 1870s. His collection quickly gained recognition for its exceptional quality and breadth. He had a keen eye for illuminated manuscripts, which are manuscripts decorated with intricate illustrations and calligraphy. The collection has a particular emphasis on medieval manuscripts.