CAROLINGIAN ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT (C. 850)1

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Image 6.2 CAROLINGIAN ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT (c. 850)1 Codices, or bound books, were less expensive than papyrus rolls, could contain longer texts, and were far easier to use for reference purposes. The early Christians constantly dis- puted with pagans and Jews on the basis of philosophical and religious texts, in particular the Old Testa- ment. The shift to codices doubtless simplified these efforts enormously. Codices could also be made much smaller than scrolls, to the ad- vantage of itinerant missionaries. The success of the codex followed— and perhaps helped—that of Chris- tianity. By the time Emperor Theo- dosius I proclaimed Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire in 380, the codex had be- come the predominant form for books in the Roman world. Medieval European artists (for the most part monks) “illuminated” thousands of ancient and revered texts with lovely illustrations and ornamentation. A small number of illuminated manuscripts descend from antiquity, but the vast majority has been handed down from the medieval period when monks lovingly copied and recopied cherished texts. They probably saved many books from destruction by illiterate warlords who presumably attributed more value to illustrated volumes than to ones filled on- ly with text. (Alas, monks also condemned to slow obliteration those texts they failed to copy, like most works by Marcus Varro, a celebrated Roman author). The image reproduced above comes from a Carolingian manuscript dubbed the Drogo Sacramentary, a prayer book. It is named after an illegitimate son of Charlemagne, Drogo of Metz (801–855), a bishop of the French city of Metz and a great patron of the arts. Master artists of his workshop invented the decorated initial letter, which became a standard feature of medieval illuminated manuscripts. In the above image, the initial letter C is decorated with a depiction of the Ascension of Christ. For the image’s original Internet location, click here. 1 Image provided courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. .

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Investigating Illuminated Manuscripts
Art A Day CHALLENGE: You are a Bright Light! Investigating Illuminated Manuscripts Washington County Museum of Fine Arts Stuff you’ll need: Materials are up to you! Read through the challenge and make your decision based on your idea! If it is a nice day, draw it in chalk on your driveway! Words to know: Illuminated Manuscript are hand-written books with painted decoration and can include gold or silver. The pages were made from animal skin and were made between 1100 and 1600. Monasteries were the first to create these books and pages. Historiated initials is an initial, an enlarged letter at the beginning of a paragraph or other section of text and can contain a picture. LOOK at this hand-made page from Book of Hours (1440s). Before the invention of the printing press, books were created by hand! Books that held great importance to people were often created with great details. These details often included gold and had detailed initial decorations, miniature illustrations, and extravagantly detailed borders. Sometimes the gold made the page look like it was glowing. People started calling them Illuminated Manuscripts. Illuminated means lit up and manuscript means writing. Usually, these books were made by monks that were educated, could read and write. People who could afford the books paid a lot of money to have the pages made just for them, this included: psalms, prayers, calendars of feast days, and prayers for the dead. The first letter on the page usually was the most decorated. We call this the historiated initial. It is usually larger than the other Unknown (French, ca.
[Show full text]
Contemporary Islamic Graffiti: the New Illuminated Manuscript
Contemporary Islamic Graffiti: The New Illuminated Manuscript Click the following video link on contemporary Graffiti artist Mohammed Ali. Mohammed was invited to be a part of the Eid Festival at the Riksatern Theatre in Gothenburg Sweden, by the British Council in Seden. He painted a unique cube over a 2 day period outside of the museum, where he engages with the people around him while he paints. http://www.aerosolarabic.com/portfolio/mohammed-ali-in- sweden/ Overview The following lesson is part of a Visual Arts instructional unit exploring Graffiti as a visual art form expressing contemporary ideas of Islamic culture. Historically, Illuminated manuscripts (especially Illuminated Qur’ans) were instrumental in spreading ideas of Islam. The function, form and style development of Illuminated manuscripts correlated with the need to not only record and spread the revelations bestowed upon the prophet Muhammad, but also to signify the importance and reverence of the word of Allah. Contemporary Islamic Graffiti developed in response to a need to illuminate contemporary ideas of Islam in a visual platform that is not only visually captivating, but in the public sphere. Graffiti tends to challenge perceptions and hold a visual mirror up for society to reflect upon cultural practices and structures. Contemporary Islamic Graffiti artists Muhammed Ali and eL Seed are creating a platform for spreading contemporary ideas of Islam and challenging stereotypes and perceptions of Muslims and Islam as a monolithic religion. In this unit, students will first explore the visual art form of historic Illuminated Manuscripts and engage in critical analysis of at least one historic work.
[Show full text]
The Story of Abraham (Page from Heiligenleben)
TITLE: The Story of Abraham (page from Heiligenleben) ARTIST: Unknown DATE: 1496 SIZE: 10 x 6 ½ inches MEDIUM: Woodcut and Moveable Type ACQUISITION #: 2001.1.102 ADDITIONAL WORK IN COLLECTION BY ARTIST: No. VOCABULARY Illuminated Manuscript: a manuscript in which the text is supplemented with decoration such as initials, borders, and miniature illustrations. Woodblock print: technique for printing text, images, or patterns used. It is a block of wood engraved in relief which is used to print. Hagiography: The writing of the lives of saints. The word comes from the Greek “hagios” which means “holy” and “graphia” which means “writing.” The word literally means “holy writing.” CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION Just like books of gospels and biblical illuminated manuscripts, this page contains the detail and precision of other religious works. The literal meaning for “Heiligenleben” is “holy life.” This page, which tells the story of Abraham is an example of hagiography. This page is possibly a part of a hagiographic illuminated manuscript, such as Der SOURCES Heiligen Leben or The Lives of Saints, produced by a Dominican monastery in Nuremberg, Germany during the 1400s.This manuscript https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movable_type was as large as a bible and provided readings over the course of a year http://education.asianart.org/explore-resources/background- information/ukiyo-e-woodblock-printing-process and included saints’ feast days as well. Many such illuminated https://www.inksaver.co.za/en/blog/History‐of‐printing‐part‐1‐ manuscripts were created simply to teach people about saints and/or woodblock‐printing.php https://www.degruyter.com/view/product/24901 martyrs.
[Show full text]
Illuminated Manuscripts Lisa Hudgins University of South Carolina - Columbia, [email protected]
University of South Carolina Scholar Commons Archaeology and Anthropology, South Carolina Faculty & Staff ubP lications Institute of 2007 Illuminated Manuscripts Lisa Hudgins University of South Carolina - Columbia, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/sciaa_staffpub Part of the Anthropology Commons Publication Info Published in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Maritime History, ed. John B. Hattendorf, Volume 2, 2007, pages 177-179. http://www.oup-usa.org © 2007 by Oxford University Press This Article is brought to you by the Archaeology and Anthropology, South Carolina Institute of at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty & Staff ubP lications by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Illuminated Manuscripts 177 Illuminated Manuscripts The word "manuscript" can be literally translated as "written by hand." Books that were written or transcribed by hand were produced between the fifth and fifteenth centuries (dates determined by the limits of bibliographic tech nology). The earliest manuscripts developed with the THE OXFORD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MARITIME HISTORY 178 Illuminated Manuscripts transition from the scroll to the rectangular book form around the fifth century C.E. The decline of handwritten books occurred with the development of movable type and. the subsequent growth of pri.nting, around. the 1450s, which coincided historically with the end of the medieval period. The phrase "illuminated manuscript" originally referred to a manuscript decorated with initial letters, borders, or miniature illustration in gold or silver. In modern usage, the term has come to mean any illustrated manuscript. Maritime subjects and images existed throughout the span of manuscript production, though the specific topics were dependent upon the nature of the illuminated work in which the images were found.
[Show full text]
Illuminated Manuscripts in an Illuminated Manuscript Text Is
Illuminated Manuscripts In an illuminated manuscript text is supplemented by the addition of decorated initials, borders (marginalia), and miniature illustrations. Page from the Book of Hours, ca. 1400 The book of hours, a devotional book popular in the later Middle Ages, is the most common type of surviving medieval illuminated manuscript. The major varieties and historic periods of illuminated manuscripts include Late Antique, Insular, Carolingian manuscripts, Ottonian manuscripts, Romanesque manuscripts, Gothic manuscripts, and Renaissance manuscripts. The earliest surviving illuminated manuscripts were produced in Italy and the Eastern Roman Empire ca. 400 - 600. Illuminated manuscripts increased during the Gothic Period, including many secular works of literature and educational texts. Early illuminated manuscripts were produced by masterful monks working in solitude; as demand increased, secular scribes were increasingly employed for this task. Illuminated Manuscripts became obsolete with the advent of printing. Illuminated Manuscript An illuminated manuscript is a manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration, such as decorated initials, borders (marginalia), and miniature illustrations. In the most strict definition of the term, an illuminated manuscript only refers to manuscripts decorated with gold or silver, but in both common usage and Source URL: https://www.boundless.com/art-history/gothic-art/english-gothic-art/illuminated-manuscripts/ Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/courses/arth401#3.1.2 Attributed to: Boundless www.saylor.org Page 1 of 2 modern scholarship, the term is now used to refer to any decorated or illustrated manuscript from the Western traditions. Vellum A type of parchment paper made from the skin of a lamb, baby goat, or calf.
[Show full text]
Decorative Style
mc NO 11 2018 mc NO 11 2018 manuscript cultures manuscript Hamburg | Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures ISSN 1867–9617 cultures Natural Sciences and Technology in Manuscript Analysis Technology Sciences and Natural ISSN 1867–9617 © SFB 950 ‘Manuskriptkulturen in Asien, Afrika und Europa’ Universität Hamburg Warburgstraße 26 www.manuscript-cultures.uni-hamburg.de D-20354 Hamburg N O 11 PUBLISHING INFORMATION | MANUSCRIPT CULTURES Publishing Information Editors Editorial Office Studies in Manuscript Cultures (SMC) Prof Dr Michael Friedrich Dr Irina Wandrey Universität Hamburg Universität Hamburg Ed. by Michael Friedrich, Harunaga Isaacson, and Jörg B. Quenzer Asien-Afrika-Institut Sonderforschungsbereich 950 Writing is one of the most important cultural techniques, Western) book, thus not only denying manuscripts their Edmund-Siemers-Allee 1/ Flügel Ost ‘Manuskriptkulturen in Asien, Afrika und Europa’ and writing has been handwriting throughout the greater part distinct status as carrier medium, but also neglecting the D-20146 Hamburg Warburgstraße 26 of human history, in some places even until very recently. rich heritage of Asian and African manuscript cultures from Tel. No.: +49 (0)40 42838 7127 D-20354 Hamburg Manuscripts are usually studied primarily for their contents, which, according to conservative estimates, more than ten Fax No.: +49 (0)40 42838 4899 Tel. No.: +49 (0)40 42838 9420 that is, for the texts, images and notation they carry, but they million specimens survive until today. [email protected] Fax No.: +49 (0)40 42838 4899 are also unique artefacts, the study of which can reveal how The series Studies in Manuscript Cultures (SMC) is they were produced and used.
[Show full text]
View PDF Transcript
VELLUM THROUGH THE AGES – TRANSCRIPTION. This segment, I think, could be entitled Vellum through the Ages. It ought to begin with what may seem like a startling statement that there were books long before there was printing. Most people think about books as printed objects, but we have always dealt with and been fascinated with illuminated and decorated manuscripts, the earlier the better. The more splendid the better in terms of their decoration. The earliest book that we have in inventory right now is a 13th century lectionary. It was produced in Lombardy. It's got 220 leaves, and it is a monster. It's 445 – Well, you can see how tall it is. 445 millimeters tall, 221 leaves. It's got lots of decorative initials. It's a liturgical book, a book that would have been used in an Ecclesiastical context. Finding single leaves from a book like this in today's marketplace happens from time to time, but to find a book this grand, basically intact – There are eight leaves missing, but 221 that are there – is a special kind of experience. The book later belonged to a 16th century humanist named Paolo Giovio, whose name is important, especially if you're interested in history and illustration. The oldest item in inventory now is leaf from the ninth century. We think it was probably done about 850. A time not far removed from a special moment in the Carolingian Renaissance. Charlemagne, in 1796, appointed Alcuin of York to be the supervisor of the scriptoria at Tours. In the scriptoria at Tours, he supervised what was basically the evolution of the Carolingian Minuscule.
[Show full text]
ELEGANT REMAINS of an ILLUMINATED BREVIARY from PARIS Portable Breviary (Augustinian Use) in Latin, Manuscript on Parchment Northern France, Paris?, C
BOOK OF HOURS 1. BY ONE OF THE MOST SKILLFUL PAINTERS OF HIS GENERATION Book of Hours (Use of Paris) In Latin and French, illuminated manuscript on parchment France, Paris, c. 1460-1470 15 large miniatures and 6 historiated initials by an artist in the circle of the Coëtivy Master This is an undoubtedly Parisian Book of Hours, and it is attributed to an artist in the circle of the Coëtivy Master, deemed “the most important artist practicing in Paris in the third quarter of the century.” The inclusion of French prayers (or poems) and historiated initials for the virgin Saints Genevieve and Avia before the Hours of the Virgin and the richness of the bor- ders hint that it could have been made to order as a commission. The borders are richly decorated with sprays and knots of acanthus and abundant flowers, fruits, and birds, with clusters of strawberries throughout. BOH 168 • $100,000 2. EVERYDAY PIETY PRACTICED IN A FLEMISH HOUSEHOLD Book of Hours (Use of Rome?) In Latin, illuminated manuscript on parchment Southern Netherlands, Ghent or Bruges, c. 1480 4 full-page miniatures; 8 historiated initials Homespun realism characterizes this Book of Hours from the southern Netherlands. Painted by three artists, the manu- script is in fine condition with full-page pictures with generous margins and full-page pictures introducing the main textual sections. A Dutch-influenced artist painted one miniature and a historiated initial. A Flemish artist contributed the other full- page pictures. And, the animated and charming historiated initials are by a third hand. BOH 159 • $80,000 3.
[Show full text]
Establishing a Connection to Illuminated Manuscripts Made at Echternach in the Eighth and Eleventh Centuries and Issues of Patronage, Monastic Reform and Splendor
Peregrinations: Journal of Medieval Art and Architecture Volume 3 Issue 1 Special Ottonian Issue 49-82 2011 Establishing a Connection to Illuminated Manuscripts made at Echternach in the Eighth and Eleventh Centuries and Issues of Patronage, Monastic Reform and Splendor Stephen Wagner Savannah College of Art and Design Follow this and additional works at: https://digital.kenyon.edu/perejournal Part of the Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture Commons Recommended Citation Wagner, Stephen. "Establishing a Connection to Illuminated Manuscripts made at Echternach in the Eighth and Eleventh Centuries and Issues of Patronage, Monastic Reform and Splendor." Peregrinations: Journal of Medieval Art and Architecture 3, 1 (2010): 49-82. https://digital.kenyon.edu/perejournal/vol3/iss1/3 This Feature Article is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Kenyon: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Peregrinations: Journal of Medieval Art and Architecture by an authorized editor of Digital Kenyon: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Wagner Establishing a Connection to Illuminated Manuscripts made at Echternach in the Eighth and Eleventh Centuries and Issues of Patronage, Monastic Reform and Splendor By Stephen Wagner, Savannah College of Art and Design Introduction The monastery of Echternach made great contributions to the art of luxury manuscript production at two distinctive points in its long history.1 The first works appeared shortly after St. Willibrord established the foundation at the end of the seventh century, while the second wave of illustrated books, some of which were written in gold, occurred in the eleventh century.2 Scholarship on these manuscripts from both periods has contributed greatly to our understanding of this important art form in the Early Middle Ages, but it has treated the early examples separately from the later ones.
[Show full text]
Illuminated Manuscript Panel
Illuminated Manuscript Panel An illuminated manuscript is a manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration, such as decorated initials, borders, and miniature illustrations. In the strictest definition of the term, an illuminated manuscript only refers to manuscripts decorated with gold or silver. Target Grade: 11 Goal (Terminal Objective): Students will create an illuminated manuscript panel. Objective: Using the definition of a traditional and historical illuminated manuscript, students will create a panel using a famous quote from literature. National Standards: Visual Arts Grades 9•12 Content Standard 1: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes Visual Arts Grades 9•12 Content Standard 2: Using knowledge of structures and functions Visual Arts Grades 9•12 Content Standard 3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas. Visual Arts Grades 9•12 Content Standard 4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures (World History and Literature Cross Curriculum Connection) Purpose: Students will demonstrate an understanding of embellishment and typography in this lesson. Students will gain an appreciation of the history of illuminated manuscripts and apply traditional designs and symbols in their composition. Students will demonstrate a fondness of a famous quote from literature that they are familiar with. New Vocabulary: illuminated manuscript, Middle Ages, Renaissance Materials: Bristol board, tracing paper, and the following Sargent Art media: #22-7236 Colored Pencils #22-1507 Metallic Fine Point Peggable Carton Markers #66-8081,82 Liquid Metal Watercolor Cakes #22-8426 Art-Time Premium Oval Watercolor Set #22-7244 144 ct. Graphite Pencils #36-1012 36 ct.
[Show full text]
History of Design: Illuminated Manuscript Handout
27th August 2018 History of Design: Illuminated Manuscript Handout The word ‘manuscript’ comes from the Latin ‘handwritten’. Before paper was available, vellum was used to write on. Vellum is made from stretched and treated animal skins. A large manuscript might require one whole cow or sheep-skin to make a folded sheet of two to four pages, and a thick book could require the entire herd. Thus making manuscripts and books costly. Most manuscripts were created for the public or private devotion. This production was continued till the added decoration of ‘illumination’, making the work even more treasured. The word ‘illumination’ comes from the latin origin for ‘light up’ or ‘enlightened’. This attributes to the use of gold to silver embellishments and bright colours to decorate initial letters and page borders to portray scenes. The practice of illumination dates back to the sixth century and continued into the Middle Ages. Illuminations comes in different sizes and ways. They were used to indicate divisions in a text, to narrate stories, emplify beauty and visual representations of texts. Thus making the manuscript even more alluring and memorable. It is also usually used for religion purposes. For example, most illuminated bibles share four similar characteristics: Initials, incipit pages, carpet pages and portraits of the gospel Evangelists. The art of illumination slowed down after the invention of printing press in mid-fifteenth century, however many ancient manuscripts have survived the intervening centuries and are displayed in libraries and museums worldwide. Who? Illuminated manuscripts were first produced by monks in abbeys. The production was commercialized when it became more popular.
[Show full text]
Illuminated Letters
Illuminated Letters 4th Grade E-Learning (estimated time: 3+ hours) Finish as much as you can, you can leave the coloring for when we return! Materials: Paper, pencil, eraser, ruler (or the edge of something straight) coloring supplies (crayons, markers, or colored pencils) Directions: 1. Read the Article about Illuminated Letters and answer the questions. Email me your responses: [email protected] 2. Follow the directions to make your own Illuminated Letter! 3. Take a picture of your product after 1 hour of work (the length of our class) and email it to me with your responses from the article! Project Steps: 1. Draw about a 1 inch border around 2. Draw a block letter the paper. (See the steps below) If you don’t have a ruler, trace with the edge of a book. 3. Add details to your letter and make 4. Design a border it Fancy. How to Draw a Block Letter: Draw a regular letter: Trace around every edge.- Do not touch the real letter! Don’t forget the HOLE if a letter has an inside- like an A, B, D, R, P… Erase the real letter. Make it FANCY! Project Examples: ILLUMINATED LETTERS What is an illuminated manuscript? Before the printing press, which was invented in 1455, all books were written by hand. Any pictures had to be drawn by an artist. This is where the word “manuscript” comes from. The word manuscript comes from the Latin words manus (meaning hand) and scriptus, from scribere (meaning - to write). Illuminated is another word from Latin meaning (to light up).
[Show full text]