King James Bible of 1611

[English Bible]. The Holy Bible, Conteyning the Old Testament, and the New: Newly Translated out of the Originall Tongues: & with the Former Translations Diligently Compared and Revised by his Majesties Speciall Comandement. Appointed to be Read in Churches.
London: Robert Barker, 1611. (10601/A)

As a concession to Puritan tastes, the first edition of the King James Bible has no illustrations aside from its title page, a second title page for the New Testament, a woodcut of Adam and Eve at the beginning of the genealogical tables, and a map of the Holy Land. The magnificent first title page was engraved by Cornelius Boel (1576–c. 1621), a well-known artist from Antwerp who had engraved portraits at the English royal court for many years. The upper register of the architectural framework surrounding the title contains symbols of the Trinity accompanied by the apostles of Christ. Each corner of the page contains an image of one of the four evangelists with his traditional attribute. The Old Testament figures Moses and Aaron each stand within a niche on either side of the middle register, and an emblem at the bottom of the page shows a pelican feeding her young from the flesh of her own breast—an ancient symbol of Christ’s self-sacrifice.

PRESENTED TO BRIDWELL LIBRARY BY LUCIA AND CARR P. COLLINS, JR.