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The King James Bible: Its History and Influence

In the Galleries: John Speed’s Postdeluvian Genealogy from the First Edition of the King James Bible

July 12, 2012 - Io Paulo Montecillo

Antiquarian John Speed created a thirty-six page genealogy that was inserted into the first edition of the King James Bible (1611).

Historian John Speed (1542–1629) worked with Hebrew scholar Hugh Broughton to create a 36-page genealogy to accompany the first printing of the King James Bible. The genealogy traced “euery family and tribe with the line of Our Sauior Jesus Christ obserued from Adam to the Blessed Virgin Mary.” Speed’s genealogy (1611) portrays the then-popular view that Noah’s sons went on to populate specific regions of the world: Shem to Asia, Japheth to Europe, and Ham to Africa. In the Americas, pro-slavery advocates used the “curse of Ham” to justify the enslavement of Africans and their descendants.

Speed’s genealogy and other manuscripts related to the King James Bible are on view in the exhibition The King James Bible: Its History and Influence through July 29.

Please click on the thumbnails below to view full-size images.

 

Antiquarian John Speed created a thirty-six page genealogy that was inserted into the first edition of the King James Bible (1611).
Antiquarian John Speed created a thirty-six page genealogy that was inserted into the first edition of the King James Bible (1611).
John Speed's genealogy from the first edition of the King James Bible (1611) portrays the then-popular view that Noah's sons went on to populate specific regions of the world: Shem to Asia, Japheth to Europe, and Ham to Africa. In the Americas, pro-slavery advocates used the "curse of Ham" to justify the enslavement of Africans and their descendents.
John Speed’s genealogy from the first edition of the King James Bible (1611) portrays the then-popular view that Noah’s sons went on to populate specific regions of the world: Shem to Asia, Japheth to Europe, and Ham to Africa. In the Americas, pro-slavery advocates used the “curse of Ham” to justify the enslavement of Africans and their descendents.

Filed Under: Books + Manuscripts Tagged With: curse of Ham, Exhibitions, genealogy, John Speed, slavery, The King James Bible: Its History and Influence

Helen Moore shares insight about Oxford and the making of the King James Bible

July 11, 2012 - Jennifer Tisdale

In April, Helen Moore, Fellow and Tutor in English at Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford, spoke about the history of the King James translation at the Harry Ransom Center. The talk is now online on YouTube.

Moore was lead curator of Manifold Greatness: Oxford and the Making of the King James Bible, an exhibition held at the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford in 2011. Her illustrated talk addressed the role played by Oxford in the translation of the King James Bible, the methods used by the translators, and some of the items displayed at the Oxford exhibition.

The event was co-sponsored by Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford and The Wall Street Journal.

The Ransom Center’s related exhibition The King James Bible: Its History and Influence is on view through July 29.

Filed Under: Books + Manuscripts, Exhibitions + Events Tagged With: Bodleian Library, Corpus Christi College, Helen Moore, King James Bible, Manifold Greatness: Oxford and the Making of the King James Bible, The King James Bible: Its History and Influence, University of Oxford, Wall Street Journal

In the Galleries: Robert De Niro’s King James Version-inspired tattoos in "Cape Fear"

June 27, 2012 - Io Paulo Montecillo

A production still of Robert De Niro as Max Cady, the bible verse-tattoo sporting convict from "Cape Fear."

The 1991 Martin Scorsese–directed thriller Cape Fear may seem an unlikely candidate for documenting the use and influence of the King James Bible, but its central character, Max Cady, as played by Robert De Niro, wielded biblical verses like weapons.

This aspect of Cady was absent in both the original 1962 film starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum and in The Executioners (1957), the novel by John D. MacDonald on which the film was based.

Cape Fear follows Cady, a convicted felon, as he seeks vengeance against his attorney, Sam Bowden. While in prison, Cady learned that Bowden suppressed information that might have resulted in a lighter sentence or acquittal. The biblical story of Job’s suffering looms large as a model for Cady’s punishment of Bowden.

The research materials from the Robert De Niro collection reveal the extent to which De Niro was involved in the development of the Pentecostal past of and biblical influence on Cady. To prepare for the role, De Niro consulted multiple Bibles, a concordance, Bible study guides, Stephen Mitchell’s translation of the Book of Job, and books and articles about Pentecostalism and Pentecostal worship.

Screenwriter Wesley Strick recalled, “Every scene of Bob’s, he would call me and say, ‘Can Max say something else here about vengeance, from the Bible?’” De Niro also worked closely with Scorcese and artist Ilona Herman to identify Bible verses and designs for Cady’s extensive tattoos.

Cape Fear did not offer viewers a traditional Bible story. Indeed, Cady’s use of the Bible was troubling for many audiences, and it contributed to the tension of the film. One critic observed, “The dissonance between the cultural expectations we associate with the Bible and our immediate perception of this character [as evil] contributes to the sustained horror of the film.”

Materials from Cape Fear and other films influenced by the King James Bible are on view in the exhibition The King James Bible: Its History and Influence through July 29.

Please click on the thumbnails below to view full-size images.

Highlighted passages from the King James Bible Robert De Niro used while preparing for his role as Max Cady in "Cape Fear."
Highlighted passages from the King James Bible Robert De Niro used while preparing for his role as Max Cady in “Cape Fear.”
A production still of Robert De Niro as Max Cady, the bible verse-tattoo sporting convict from "Cape Fear."
A production still of Robert De Niro as Max Cady, the bible verse-tattoo sporting convict from “Cape Fear.”
Bible verse-tattoos sported by Robert De Niro's chararcter Max Cady in "Cape Fear."
Bible verse-tattoos sported by Robert De Niro’s chararcter Max Cady in “Cape Fear.”
A production still of Robert De Niro as Max Cady, the bible verse-tattoo sporting convict from "Cape Fear."
A production still of Robert De Niro as Max Cady, the bible verse-tattoo sporting convict from “Cape Fear.”
Bible verse-tattoos sported by Robert De Niro's chararcter Max Cady in "Cape Fear."
Bible verse-tattoos sported by Robert De Niro’s character Max Cady in “Cape Fear.”
Highlighted passages from the King James Bible Robert De Niro used while preparing for his role as Max Cady in "Cape Fear."
Highlighted passages from the King James Bible Robert De Niro used while preparing for his role as Max Cady in “Cape Fear.”

Filed Under: Exhibitions + Events, Film Tagged With: Cape Fear, cultural influence, Exhibitions, Film, Ilona Herman, Martin Scorsese, Max Cady, movies, Robert De Niro, Robert De Niro collection, tattoos, The King James Bible: Its History and Influence, vengeance is mine, Wesley Strick

In the Galleries: Anatomy of the King James Bible title page

June 5, 2012 - Io Paulo Montecillo

Anatomy of the title page in the King James Version.

The title page of the 1611 King James Bible is the first title page of an English Bible to feature a depiction of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Though this Bible is traditionally called the “King James,” the title page does not announce the king’s patronage by featuring his image.

The imposing architectural frame, suggestive of a church edifice, is full of human figures, including Moses and Aaron, the Evangelists, and the Apostles. Traditionally, Jesus had twelve Apostles, but the thirteen depicted here include Matthias, who replaced Judas after his betrayal (Acts 1:26), and Paul, who described himself as an Apostle in Romans 1. Each apostle is represented by a symbolic attribute, though not all are easily identifiable.

The first edition’s title page and other materials pertaining to the King James Bible are on view in the exhibition The King James Bible: Its History and Influence through July 29.

Filed Under: Books + Manuscripts, Exhibitions + Events Tagged With: bible, Exhibitions, King James Bible, literature, The King James Bible: Its History and Influence

Before and After: Mark Twain’s Bible

May 22, 2012 - Io Paulo Montecillo

This copy of the Bible belonged to Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), who carried the book with him during a trip to Constantinople in 1867 while he was writing "Innocents Abroad."
This copy of the Bible belonged to Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), who carried the book with him during a trip to Constantinople in 1867 while he was writing "Innocents Abroad."

While writing Innocents Abroad, Samuel Clemens (known more familiarly as Mark Twain) carried a Bible during a trip to Constantinople in 1867. The book is now part of the Ransom Center’s collections and can be seen in the exhibition The King James Bible: Its History and Influence, which runs through July 29.

The Bible recently underwent some work in the Ransom Center’s conservation lab.

Filed Under: Books + Manuscripts, Conservation, Exhibitions + Events Tagged With: Before and After, bible, Conservation, Innocents Abroad, Mark Twain, Samuel Clemens, The King James Bible: Its History and Influence

Making It New: The Bible and Modernist Book Arts

May 8, 2012 - Io Paulo Montecillo

"The Song of Song Which Is Solomon's" (1902).
"The Song of Song Which Is Solomon's" (1902).

Although the focus of The King James Bible: Its History and Influence is on the 400th anniversary of the Bible, the occasion presented an ideal opportunity to display early English Bibles from the Ransom Center’s collections and some of the finest examples of modern book design featuring Biblical texts.

Co-curators Richard Oram and Ryan Hildebrand write about the different ways printers, book designers, and artists have approached the artistic presentation of the King James Bible in “Making it New: The Bible and Modernist Book Arts.”

The King James Bible: Its History and Influence runs through July 29.

Filed Under: Books + Manuscripts, Exhibitions + Events Tagged With: book art, fine books, modern book design, modernism, Richard Oram, Ryan Hildebrand, The King James Bible: Its History and Influence

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