Leonardo · 1987 · 278 citations · 0 references
HumanitiesArt HistoryMedieval StudiesBiblical StudiesBook HistoryMedieval ArtManuscript CultureManuscript DecorationManuscript IconographyManuscript IlluminationManuscript ProductionMedieval Manuscript CultureBook IlluminationClassical Manuscript IlluminationIconography In Manuscript IlluminationIlluminated Gospel BooksIlluminated Manuscript ImageryIllumination HistoryMedieval IlluminationPainted Decoration
Medieval illuminated manuscripts, celebrated for their gold, painted decoration, and miniatures, have long been prized masterpieces that span monastic gospel books to secular romances and have influenced modern design. The book aims to give a comprehensive introduction to the creation of books from the Dark Ages to the advent of printing, addressing who produced them, what texts they contained, who read them, how they were made, and their purposes. It achieves this through a lively narrative and abundant illustrations that reveal the variety of manuscripts and illuminate their historical contexts. The new edition, praised for its engaging storytelling and superb illustrations, offers a perfect introduction to this vast and fascinating subject.
Medieval manuscripts are counted among the greatest glories of Western civilization. With their gold and painted decoration and their charming miniatures, they have always had immense appeal, and images from them can be seen everywhere - from greeting cards and wrapping paper to expensive facsimiles. This entertaining and authoritative book is the first to provide a general introduction to the whole subject of the making of books from the Dark Ages to the invention of printing and beyond. Christopher de Hamel vividly describes the widely different circumstances in which manuscripts were created, from the earliest monastic Gospel Books to university textbooks, secular romances, Books of Hours and classical texts for humanist bibliophiles. As the story unfolds the wonderful variety of manuscripts and their illumination is revealed, and many fundamental questions are answered - who wrote the books, what texts they contained, who read them, how they were made and what purposes they served. Illuminated manuscripts have alway been highly valued, and among them are some of the world's great masterpieces of art. With its lively narrative and many new and superb illustrations, this new edition of a much-praised book provides the perfect introduction to a large and fascinating subject.