Illuminated Manuscripts
that have survived today gives us a glimpse of everyday medieval life.
Why did they die out?
Illumination thrived as an art form from the Middle Ages until the end of the fifteenth century. With the invention of the printing press, it began to be replaced by woodblock printing. Instead of dying out rapidly, it experienced an outpouring of inspired and beautiful work, presumably as the artists sensed an era of competition with the printing press. Then as printing became more industrialized and the demand for books increased, the hand-made quality of the illuminated books made them obsolete.
Certainly books are one of the most valuable assets of a civilization. Illuminated with paintings, they become a unique treasure. Today illumination is being revisited as a distinctive contemporary art form, accompanied by a love of calligraphy and nurtured by an appreciation for hand-created work. Perhaps it will thrive again as an oasis of respite in an increasingly electronic and oftentimes impersonal world.
Special Mention
The above copyright-free illuminated letters are available from the Dover collection of Illuminated Initials in full Color selected and arranged by Carol Belanger Grafton.
Works Consulted
Seligman, Patricia. The art of illuminated letters: a practical guide for calligraphers. London: Quarto, 1994.
Smeyers, Maurits and Jan Van der Stock, eds. Flemish Illuminated Manuscripts 1475-1550. Ghent: Ludion, 1996.
Coulton, G.G. Medieval Panorama: The English Scene from Conquest to Reformation. Norton: New York, 1974.
Dr. Deborah Vess, Director of Interdisciplinary Studies and Associate Professor of History at Georgia College & State University. "Medieval Monasticism," from Dr. Vess's World Civilization Virtual Library, http://www.faculty.de.gcsu.edu/~dvess/mo... .
"Benedictines," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000. http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
"Middle Ages," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000. http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
"Charlemagne." World Book Encyclopedia. World Book, Inc. © 1988.
"Manuscript." World Book Encyclopedia. World Book, Inc. © 1988.
"Illustration." World Book Encyclopedia. World Book, Inc. © 1988.
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