![]() ![]() ![]() For example, swirling linear designs, called “penwork flourishing,” encompass this D and this E from the 15th-century Italian Book of Hours. Slightly more elaborate letters than the I and the O are surrounded by linear borders. These differences help to divide the page into recognizable segments and thereby increase the legibility of a page that has no lowercase letters and no punctuation. The I and the O are not only slightly larger than the single-line, colored letters on the page they also include decorations inside the letters. Size variation indicated hierarchical variation: the larger the letter, the more important the moment in the text.įor example, the two pages seen here, an initial O and an initial I, from Alberti’s De Pictura, depict colored letters that are only a little larger than one line or two lines of the regular text. Some are the same size as the surrounding black text, whereas others occupy an entire page. The illuminated letters in medieval manuscripts vary in size. In these four texts, the two most frequently used colors for script are red and blue scribes more commonly wrote in red ink, which may be because the composition of red ink allowed it to flow more easily than blue. Colored initials appear in all four of the manuscripts described here. Illumination in these four texts can be divided into three categories: colored initials, ornately designed initials and miniature paintings. Although these texts span more than a hundred years and several countries, they demonstrate striking similarities that indicate artistic patterns in the Middle Ages. Four notable examples include an early-14th-century French breviary fragment two Books of Hours, one the Italian Office of the Virgin from the 15th century, and one a 15th-century text from the Netherlands and a 1485 copy of De Pictura (“On Painting”) written by Leon Battista Alberti between 14. ![]() Farber University Archives and Special Collections Department at Brandeis houses several medieval manuscripts that depict beautiful examples of illumination. Graduate Professional Studies (Online Programs)Ī Few Illuminated Medieval Manuscripts at Brandeisĭescription by Leah Lefkowitz, undergraduate student in history and English Rabb School: Graduate Professional Studies © 1997 - 2023 Museum Store Company.Heller School for Social Policy and Management All Rights ReservedĪll prices are in USD. All brand related trademarks are licensed trademarks of Museum Store Company and Arden Technologies, Inc. Adult supervision is recommended for all of our WARNING: Toys, games, and other items mayĬontain small parts which pose a choking hazard and are not forĬhildren under 3. None of our products are Indian made or an Indian product under U.S.C.q. History.Give a Piece of History(tm) - Established 1997Īll purchases subject to the notices, policies, terms and conditions listedĭescriptions are entirely informational without any claim to The Premier and Trusted Museum Store Company for Ancient Art,Īrtifacts of Antiquity, Historic Museum Jewelry Reproductions, Museum Reproductions, Art History Replicas, Terms of Use, About Us, Our Products, Policies, Terms & The symbolisms incorporated within gives the design strength and meaning, similar to that of a coat of arms.Īpprox 9.5" Tall : Cast Stone, Celtic Art Collection, Made in the U.S.A. The highly decorated initial is a unique entity, complete within itself. Nearly all are surrounded by rows of tiny dots to give more emphasis and color. There are animals galore dogs, birds, lions all in a tangle of intricate knotwork. ![]() Beginnings were usually noted with a spot of color. No capital letters were used in the text. There seemed to be no standard for upper and lower case letters as we know them today. Even more ambitious in design are the large, intricately executed letters that are found on introductory pages to each gospel or important sections of the book The initials are full of surprises and symbols sometimes illustrating what is about to be disclosed in the text that follows. The initials were used to start a paragraph or to draw attention to an important passage in the text. Page after page is full of brilliant color, clever imagination, and even subtle humor. They were great treasures of the monasteries they were created for. The books, and others similar to them, were made to be alter books and for ceremonial use. These two are superb examples of the art and craft of that time. These books were created by hand in the seventh and eighth centuries. The initial letters presented here were taken from or inspired by the ancient manuscripts The Book of Kells and the Lindisfarne Gospels. Hats, Glasses, Belts, Buckles, Clothing. ![]()
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