Abecedarium

A unique Smithsonian coloring book featuring the letters of the alphabet from rare illuminated books and manuscripts

Abecedarium offers artists of all ages the chance to color the pages of history: it includes two black and white versions of each alphabetical letter for readers to personalize. These letters are drawn from rare illuminated books and manuscripts of science and art of the fifteenth through the twentieth centuries. Accompanying each letter is the story of its rare book source, its artist, and its historical context. Part history, part coloring book, and part guide to selected historic books, Abecedarium is a contemplative and inspiring way to experience art, science, and culture from the Renaissance through early modern times.LILLA VEKERDY is head of the special collections department at the Smithsonian's Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology. She oversees eight rare book collections and has written numerous publications on the history of medicine and rare book studies. MORGAN ARONSON is a library technician with the Dibner Library.