Lecture: Janka Cabadajová — Treasures Hidden in Books

Books often hide many interesting personal treasures, such as various love notes, personal dedications, drawings, declarations of love, dried flowers, small cut-out and folded works of art, or cards featuring an image created from the real hair of a loved one. However, the main topic of the lecture will be exceptionally rare treasures that were hidden within book bindings for centuries or used as book covers. These are fragments of medieval manuscripts. Today, many of them are far more valuable than the books in which they are bound. Thanks to them, we know of several rare works of medieval literature that have not survived in their complete form and are scattered around the world. Thanks to modern technology, we can piece these fragments together and reconstruct codices that were long ago dismantled and scattered. And finally, let’s share one more story about a unique document of the Slovak Evangelicals—one that everyone thought was lost forever but was found after three centuries, thoroughly hidden from the world, bound within an inconspicuous Hebrew book in the Literary Archive of the Slovak National Library.
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This event is part of the project “Behind the Image” – the VSG 2026 Library’s Accompanying Program, which transforms the gallery library into a vibrant space for education, gatherings, and sharing. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look and discover the “invisible” professions that support exhibitions, research, and the preservation of collections. The program will feature lectures and a long-term bibliotherapy program for children with special needs. The goal is to make art and book culture accessible, inclusive, and for everyone. There’s more to a painting than meets the eye—come discover it.

October 21, 5:00–6:00 p.m., Historical Hall, Hlavná 27, Košice