Ripley Scroll: Wellcome MS 693, Whole

The Latin Ripley roll whose border says it was drawn in colours at Lübeck in 1588.

Work: Rotulum hieroglyphicum (Ripley Scroll, Wellcome MS 693)
Artist / creator: Unknown illuminator, after the scroll attributed to George Ripley (c. 1415-1490)
Origin & date: Inscribed as drawn at Lübeck in 1588; catalogued as early 17th century; Latin verse
Held by: Wellcome Collection, London (MS 693)

Format

The full-resolution color-managed file — yours to print, study, and keep.

Size

Sized to protect print quality — this scan’s resolution supports sizes up to 8x10 cleanly.

$24.00

The story

Laid out whole, the second Wellcome Ripley roll runs through the same sequence as its sister, MS 692, from the alchemist with his alembic down past the fountain, the eagle and the green dragon to the philosopher at the foot. Its verses are in Latin, two of the poems are left out, and there is no title at the top. Written in its margin is an owner's note: "This longe Rolle w[as] drawne in Colours for me at Lubecke in Germanye 1588." The back of the canvas carries the names of William Paston, second Earl of Yarmouth, and John Ives of Yarmouth, and the roll passed through the Earl of Ashburnham's library before a Sotheby's sale in 1899. It is a scroll with a paper trail.

About this reproduction

Faithful reproduction of a public-domain work, sourced from Wellcome Collection, London (MS 693)’s open-access release.
Printed to order on archival cotton-rag stock, pigment inks rated 100+ years.
Color-managed to the source scan.
Ships in 5–8 business days; satisfaction guaranteed.

Image courtesy of the Wellcome Collection, London, licensed CC BY 4.0.

In situ