Download Download

Proc Soc Antiq Scot 147 (2017), 219–241 SCOTTISH LETTERING OF THE 16TH CENTURY | 219 DOI: https://doi.org/10.9750/PSAS.147.1247 Scottish Lettering of the 16th century Aidan Harrison1 and Charles J Burnett2 ABSTRACT Surviving visual culture from the early modern period that can be described as particularly Scottish in style is scarce. As a result, any evidence of such artistry is of national significance. The purpose of this article is to draw attention to a form of lettering which was used for the display of short inscriptions and initials in Scotland throughout the 16th century. Surviving examples are almost exclusively carved in relief in durable wood and stone. This distinctive letterform is drawn from the transitional styles which briefly appeared at the end of the 15th century as French artists and scribes transferred their allegiance from their traditional ornate Gothic capitals to the bold, simple Roman forms of the Renaissance. While a number of experimental letterforms fleetingly appeared elsewhere across northern Europe, Scottish scholars absorbed these new influences in France and developed them into a distinctive form which persisted in Scotland for over a century. After its first known appearance at the marriage of King James IV to Margaret Tudor in Edinburgh in 1503, the evidence suggests that the use of Scottish Lettering became confined to Aberdeen and the north-east, primarily in pre-Reformation ecclesiastical applications. Following the Reformation, it became largely restricted to secular and funerary inscriptions. INTRODUCTION original grave-slab of 1577 at Dundee and a 20th- century reproduction at King’s College Chapel, The objective of this study is to draw the Old Aberdeen. The letterform is described as attention of scholars of Scottish history and its ‘archaic Roman capitals’ (Thomson 2009: 73). art to an element of the nation’s sparse cultural Five centuries after its first usage, the few material remaining from the 16th century which survivals of this letterform are today confined to has largely been overlooked: its lettering. The initials and brief inscriptions carved in oak and predominant physical evidence of the era lies stone, with some of the latter severely eroded. It in the ruins of Scotland’s castles, churches and is almost invariably carved in the skilled, costly abbeys whose destruction has not only left the and relatively rare ‘raised’ or ‘relief’ form in nation without the original tombs of its kings which the background is cut back to leave the and queens, but many of the more subtle cultural letters prominent. For the sake of clarity it will symbols which help to define a nation’s identity. be referred to here as ‘Scottish Lettering’. This exploration of the lettering of the period This letterform appeared in Scotland argues that, despite its grand beginnings at the amidst wider cultural influences introduced by court of King James IV, the letterform discussed Aberdeen’s Catholic scholars around the end of here has received surprisingly little attention in the 15th century. It adds to the evidence of an the existing literature and as a result has been early Scottish Renaissance which later English forgotten as a significant emblem of Scottish and Protestant Scottish historians sought to deny identity. Thomson’s study of Scottish tombstone because it did not match their preferred image inscriptions features two examples, one on an of pre-Reformation Scotland as superstitious, 1 [email protected] 2 [email protected] 220 | SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, 2017 backward and barbaric. The persistence of and was limited to short inscriptions and initials. this lettering in the Catholic stronghold of the In medieval society where literacy was restricted north-east is therefore significant (Stevenson & to a small fraction of the population, manuscripts, Davidson 2009: 3/20; Thomas 2013: 1–11). texts and documents written in Latin were only Amongst the earliest instances of Renaissance- for the eyes of scholars, priests, lawyers and the influenced visual culture in the British Isles, the educated ruling class. As a result, the display origins of this letterform are likely to date back of single initials, words or brief mottoes was to to Scottish scholars who studied and taught a large degree the only lettering accessible to in late 15th-century France. Its distinguishing most citizens, often incorporated with the more features evidently evolved from a range of complex symbolism of, for example, a coat of fleeting stylistic experiments as French scribes arms. Conveying a message, whether of identity, made the transition from their familiar decorated piety or power to the uneducated majority medieval Gothic letterforms to the reintroduction could be aided by providing the letterform of classical Roman letters – which was central with a striking, recognisable shape within its to the rediscovered art and design of the Italian artistic and physical context (Ross 2014: 35). Renaissance as it swept north across Europe. Because their design was therefore so important, The evidence presented here suggests that after considerable effort was expended on creating its initial appearance at the court of King James distinctive styles such as the highly decorated IV, a specific combination of these experimental ‘historiated’ introductory letter of a manuscript elements was united into a consistent form which page, which might help the observer associate it endured in north-east Scotland for a century (see with a familiar religious passage, or the single Illus 1). bold initial on a coat of arms helped to identify The principal characteristics of Scottish it with a noble personage. It is therefore fitting Lettering in its purest form are: that the first recorded appearance of Scottish • Concave sides to the broad verticals, forming Lettering was at one of the most important, yet wide, flat upper and lower serifs uncharacteristically peaceful and optimistic • Plain central indents or ‘bites’ to the wide moments in the nation’s history: the marriage of serifs, as opposed to ‘splits’ or ‘fishtails’ King James IV and Margaret Tudor at Holyrood • Narrow diagonals, with a half-height ‘v’ to Abbey, Edinburgh, on 8 August 1503. the centre of ‘M’ The next known survival of this innovative • A mid-height ‘dot’ to the verticals. letterform is in a further regal commission; on James IV’s coat of arms displayed on the The absence of a corresponding minuscule, or newly completed King’s College Chapel, Old ‘lower case’ alphabet, shows that this letterform Aberdeen, and dated a year later at 1504. The was devised for display rather than as a book-hand remaining evidence suggests that, despite such a ILLUS 1 Gothic, Scottish and Roman capital letter ‘M’ compared. © Aidan HarrisonM SCOTTISH LETTERING OF THE 16TH CENTURY | 221 prestigious initial appearance, Scottish Lettering often wedge-shaped, sometimes with a bite out of then became confined to the north-east, where the base; there may also be a bite or a bulge in the it continued in use until the end of the century. middle of the stem (Gray 1986: 148). In contrast, the rest of Scotland, including the (*emphasis by current authors) west and the Northern Isles, stayed faithful to the traditional Gothic lettering until its direct Printer Thielman Kerver produced a large quantity replacement by the classical Roman style around of Books of Hours in Paris between 1497 and the time of the Scottish Reformation in 1560–70 1520. His choice for setting out the manuscript (Richardson 1927: 390; Higgitt 1988: 10–11). pages in his various editions varied between Explanations for this apparent restriction of Gothic letters for north European markets and Scottish Lettering to the north-east so soon after the Roman form for south European countries. its introduction are therefore also explored. However, one feature which remained consistent The transition from Gothic writing to the fully was his trademark frontispiece. It displays his developed Roman form in France on the cusp name on a banner at the bottom, surmounted by between the 15th and 16th centuries is outlined, a device bearing his initials, which is supported along with some of Scotland’s scholars who by a pair of unicorns. Kerver’s decorated print may have been involved in the emergence of a block demonstrates the contemporary influences specific letterform. Sixteen examples of Scottish from France on the development of Scottish Lettering are then discussed in chronological Lettering (see Illus 2). Illustrations from both order and its persistence throughout an entire Kerver’s 1503 Book of Hours and his earlier century is evaluated. Sarum Hours were adopted for ecclesiastical wood carvings in Scotland, namely the ‘devil with mermaid’ and ‘piping pig’ panels from FRENCH ORIGINS Fetteresso Church, near Aberdeen, of 1510–20 Early in the 15th century, Italian Renaissance and the Annunciation scene on the Beaton panels humanist scholars such as Poggio Bracciolini of c 1530 at the National Museum of Scotland. (1380–1459) began to explore the rediscovered Further examples of similar letterforms from Romanesque letterforms of 600-year-old writings Paris are likely to have also found their way to from the reign of Charlemagne (Pflughaupt Scotland with returning scholars. While these 2007: 22–3). This resulted in experiments with passing styles typically faded from use on the hybrid Gothic/Roman forms of capitals with Continent in the space of a decade or two as the tapering and wedge serifs (Gray 1986: 123– classical Roman form swiftly replaced them, the 5). Later French artists such as Jean Fouquet evidence shows that Scotland’s particular form (1420–81) returned home from Italy to further endured for a century. test their discoveries. They continued to write text in the traditional Gothic minuscule lettering, restricting their new styles to the capitals in short SCOTTISH LETTERING inscriptions on haloes, on banners and in frames within their paintings and miniatures (Gray 1986: The acquisition of religious texts was important 135).

Load more