When you walk into the ART+CAYCE gallery in Cayce, you might be confused. At first glance, it’s not a gallery at all. People sit behind desks, working on computers, making calls and looking over files. But don’t worry; you’re in the right place.

Above the desks at Compass 5 Partners Architects hang rows of framed art, but these are not the typical, innocuous landscapes you find in most workplaces. Take a closer look and you will find that this office’s walls are lined with extravagantly decorated pages from “illuminated” medieval manuscripts.

The pages on display at ART+CAYCE’s current exhibit Medieval Book Arts: A Private Collection” date back to the 13th-15th century, when books were handmade luxury items and status symbols. The wealthy would hire professional scribes to decorate the pages of their books with vibrant paintings and “illuminate” them with real gold leaf.

The exhibit gives the public a chance to peek at a Columbia resident’s private collection. The display includes a mass book from southern France that dates back to 1300, a list of holy relics in the church of St. Thiébault in Alscace, a rendition of the last supper and more. Medieval art is rich in symbolism and meaning that would have been apparent to a viewer in the year 1400, but is somewhat lost on us today. Luckily, these fantastic works of art are accompanied by knowledgeable and witty explanations that help you understand what you are seeing.

So, why are these remarkable works of art hanging in an architectural studio in Cayce? Architect Maryellyn Cannizzaro founded the ART+CAYCE gallery in 2009. She wanted to provide a space to display art that often eludes a more formal museum space. The gallery plans on four to six shows a year, with gallery talks and opening night parties.

Medieval Book Arts will be on display now through Jan. 4. The gallery is open Monday-Thursday and Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. When you go, make sure to scour the pages for my favorite part of the exhibit - a funny little owl with a Groucho Marx moustache!