Hasselt Library Digitizes 1,363 Indulgence Letter and 1540 Graduale: 21,000 Images Now Online

Hasselt (Eurotoday): The Hasselt library is digitizing two important works: a 1363 indulgence letter from Herkenrode abbey, and a 1540 Graduale from Sint-Truiden abbey. Photographer Cedric Verhelst captures high-quality images, and there are 21,000 images of Flemish art availableblank” rel=”noopener”> online for everyone to see.

The Library of Hasselt is digitizing two important masterpieces recognized by the Flemish government. One of these is an indulgence letter from the abbey of Herkenrode, dated 1363, which is significant in Limburg’s history. Written in Avignon at the court of Pope Urban V, the letter features artwork made in Herkenrode that shows an annual religious procession. It allowed visitors who made donations or visited the abbey on special days. 

What makes the 1540 Graduale from Sint-Truiden Abbey important?

The second masterpiece is the blank” rel=”noopener”>Graduale from the Sint-Truiden abbey, made in 1540. This large choir book has all the songs for church services and is beautifully illustrated. It was last digitized in 2012, and now new technology will make the copies clearer. Digitizing helps check the condition of these important books over time.

Photographer Cedric Verhelst specializes in capturing art and heritage pieces for the Art in Flanders project. He uses high-quality lighting and equipment to ensure the best results. Verhelst often works with tall tripods for hard-to-reach artworks and stores them in a climate-controlled area at the Hasselt Limburg library. People can see the original pieces during an art night in Hasselt, and 21,000 high-quality images of Flemish masterpieces are available blank” rel=”noopener”>online for everyone to explore.


Comments

4 responses to “Hasselt Library Digitizes 1,363 Indulgence Letter and 1540 Graduale: 21,000 Images Now Online”

  1. Marshmallow Treat Avatar
    Marshmallow Treat

    Ah, because nothing screams “modern convenience” quite like diving into the 21,000 digitized images of 16th-century indulgence letters and a 1540 Graduale! Who needs Netflix when you can scroll through a treasure trove of medieval guilt trips? It’s just the sort of riveting pastime to make your average Belgian pint feel a tad less indulgent!

  2. killer grenade Avatar
    killer grenade

    Ah, nothing screams “cutting-edge technology” quite like the Hasselt Library digitizing 1,363 indulgence letters—because who wouldn’t want to scroll through centuries-old tickets for heavenly loopholes? And let’s not forget the 1540 Graduale; I mean, surely the world has been waiting with bated breath to see what our medieval ancestors had on their playlist! Honestly, if only IKEA would take a page from this, we could finally see all those assembly instructions from 1940 in stunning detail as well!

  3. RoarSweetie Avatar
    RoarSweetie

    Ah, the Hasselt Library—because nothing says “modern progress” quite like digitizing 21,000 images of indulgences from the 14th century and church choir sheets from the 16th; if only they’d throw in a few selfies for good measure, we might just keep up with the times, eh?

  4. gothic slacker Avatar
    gothic slacker

    Ah, the Hasselt Library’s grand leap into the digital age—because nothing screams “modern enlightenment” quite like 21,000 images of medieval indulgences; I suppose we should all take a moment to celebrate the true marvel of technology: giving us the ability to browse guilt-free while we sip our cappuccinos!

  5. Ah, the Hasselt Library has truly outdone itself by digitizing 21,000 images of indulgence letters and choir books—because nothing screams “cultural progress” quite like giving everyone online access to the medieval equivalent of a “get out of hell free” card!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

En Allemagne, les élections remettent en question le célèbre “frein à la dette”

En Allemagne, les élections remettent en question le célèbre “frein à la dette”

The title and structure of the article suggest a discussion about Germany’s fiscal policy, particularly the “debt brake” (Schuldenbremse) introduced during Angela Merkel’s leadership. Here’s a revised breakdown of its likely contents based on the headline and metadata:

Germany's “Debt Brake” Faces New Scrutiny Amid Elections
Germany’s ha

Read More

Fico: SR Supports Belgrade’s EU Negotiations and Remains Committed to Serbia’s Stance on Kosovo

Fico: SR Supports Belgrade’s EU Negotiations and Remains Committed to Serbia’s Stance on Kosovo

Belgrade/Bratislava – Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) affirmed Slovakia’s commitment to Serbia’s territorial integrity during his visit to Belgrade on Thursday, following his meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Fico emphasized Slovakia’s support for Serbia’s European Union accession talks and announced plans to reassign Slovak soldiers to NATO’s peacekeeping mission

Read More

Brussels Unveils 22-Meter Christmas Tree: Pierre Demesmaeker Kicks Off the Festive Season

Brussels Unveils 22-Meter Christmas Tree: Pierre Demesmaeker Kicks Off the Festive Season

Brussels (Eurotoday): A 22-meter Nordmann fir Christmas tree was installed at Brussels’ Grand Place on November 16, 2023. It will be decorated on November 26-27 and lit on November 29 for Winter Wonders.
The Christmas tree was brought to the Grand Place in Brussels last night with police help, and the snow didn’t cause any problems. However, putting the tree in place was tricky because the spot

Read More

Elon Musk to British MPs: “I’ll Summon You, Actually”

Elon Musk to British MPs: “I’ll Summon You, Actually”

The committee has announced the launch of an inquiry into “social media, misinformation, and harmful algorithms” following riots in the UK this past August. The unrest was partly fueled by inaccurate posts shared on X (formerly Twitter) regarding the tragic killing of three schoolgirls in the town of Southport.
However, Elon Musk, the owner of X, responded forcefully to the inquiry on

Read More

UK Defense Cuts Won’t Lead to Job Losses, Minister Asserts

UK Defense Cuts Won’t Lead to Job Losses, Minister Asserts

The announcement on Wednesday detailed the Ministry of Defence’s decision to cut several naval assets in a cost-saving effort, including two amphibious assault ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark. Additionally, logistics vessels RFA Wave Knight, RFA Wave Ruler, and the frigate HMS Northumberland, which is currently undergoing a refit due to significant structural damage, will also be decommiss

Read More

Empro’s Renovation Plans: Tackling Odor Issues in Dendermonde by 2025

Empro’s Renovation Plans: Tackling Odor Issues in Dendermonde by 2025

Dendermonde (Eurotoday): Empro, located in Dendermonde’s Hooveld industrial estate, is renovating to address odor complaints. Spokesperson Leen De Jonghe anticipates permit approval for the spring 2025 construction of a new purification building.
Empro, a company in the Hooveld industrial estate in Dendermonde, has faced complaints from residents for years due to unpleasant odors. These smells h

Read More

Šimonák: The EU Should Hold Off on Action Until the Trump Administration Takes Its Initial Steps

Šimonák: The EU Should Hold Off on Action Until the Trump Administration Takes Its Initial Steps

Brussels/Bratislava – The EU will await the initial actions of the new US administration regarding trade policy before taking any steps. This was emphasized by Vladimír Šimoňák, State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, following the EU Foreign Affairs Council’s trade segment meeting on Thursday, as reported by TASR.
Šimoňák pointed out that the EU is engaged in ong

Read More

Argentina’s President Presents Giorgia Meloni with Chainsaw-Wielding Figurine of Himself

Argentina’s President Presents Giorgia Meloni with Chainsaw-Wielding Figurine of Himself

The U.S. has been joined by Italy in officially recognizing Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González as the country’s president-elect. This move comes in response to the widely contested July presidential election in Venezuela, which saw current leader Nicolás Maduro claim victory. The disputed election sparked mass protests and a violent government crackdown. Maduro, however, continues to re

Read More

European Central Bank Urges Swift Action on Digital Euro Initiative

European Central Bank Urges Swift Action on Digital Euro Initiative

Brussels (Eurotoday) – The European Central Bank is demanding urgent action on creating a digital euro, cautioning that the slow progress of a legislative process could leave Europe behind in the race to devise central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
ECB’s digital euro project director, Evelien Witlox, urged faster progress as major players such as the UK and China are actively debating their d

Read More

Public Prosecutor Kocevski Meets with Euroambassador Rokas to Discuss EC Report

Public Prosecutor Kocevski Meets with Euroambassador Rokas to Discuss EC Report

Skopje – Today, Ljupco Kocevski, the Public Prosecutor of North Macedonia, held a meeting with Michalis Rokas, the head of the EU Delegation in Skopje. During their discussion, the Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that Kocevski provided updates on the proactive measures being taken to address the recommendations outlined in the latest European Commission Progress Report and the forthcom

Read More