Illuminated manuscript

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Byzantium,_Constantinople,_11th_century_-_Gospel_Book_with_Commentaries_-_1942.152_-_Cleveland_Museum_of_Art

Malnazar_-_Decorated_Incipit_Page_-_Google_Art_Project

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BL_Royal_Vincent_of_Beauvais

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Folio_86v_-_The_Funeral_of_Raymond_Diocrès_(cropped)

Bartolommeo_Caporali_-_Missale-_Fol._186-_Decorated_Initial_Te_igitur_(full_page)_-_2006.154.186.a_-_Cleveland_Museum_of_Art

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Unknown,_Iran,_16th_Century_-_Page_from_the_Shahnama_-_Google_Art_Project

Master_of_the_Boston_City_of_God_-_Book_of_Hours_(Use_of_Utrecht)-_fol._63r,_Initial_with_Holy_Trinity_-_1998.124.63.a_-_Cleveland_Museum_of_Art

Handwritten book decorated with gold or silver

Illuminated manuscript
Author	Various
Language	Various

An illuminated manuscript is a manuscript in which the text is supplemented with such decoration as initials, borders (marginalia), and miniature illustrations. In the strictest definition, an illuminated manuscript only refers to manuscripts decorated with gold or silver, but the term is now used to refer to any decorated or illustrated manuscript from the Western world and the Islamic world.

History

Illuminated manuscripts were produced between 500 and 1600 CE, with the majority of them created during the Middle Ages. The earliest surviving examples date from the late Antique period. The production of illuminated manuscripts was a labor-intensive process that required the collaboration of several skilled artisans, including scribes, illuminators, and bookbinders.

Materials and Techniques

The materials used in illuminated manuscripts included parchment or vellum for the pages, and a variety of pigments for the illustrations. Gold leaf was often applied to create a shimmering effect. The process of creating an illuminated manuscript involved several stages, including the preparation of the parchment, the writing of the text, the application of the gold leaf, and the painting of the illustrations.

Types of Illuminated Manuscripts

Illuminated manuscripts can be categorized into several types based on their content and purpose:

• Liturgical books: These include psalters, breviaries, and missals used in religious services.
• Book of hours: A type of devotional book that was popular in the Middle Ages.
• Bibles: Complete or partial copies of the Bible, often richly decorated.
• Bestiaries: Books that describe various animals, often with moral lessons.

Notable Examples

Some of the most famous illuminated manuscripts include:

• The Book of Kells
• The Lindisfarne Gospels
• The Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
• The Vienna Dioscurides

Decline and Legacy

The production of illuminated manuscripts began to decline with the advent of the printing press in the mid-15th century. However, the art form has left a lasting legacy and continues to be studied and admired for its beauty and craftsmanship.

Related Pages

• Manuscript
• Scribe
• Illuminator
• Book of hours
• Parchment
• Vellum
• Gold leaf
• Middle Ages
• Printing press