Letters were delicate, similar to exquisite lace-work or embroidery, the bole threads at the ends of the patterns being twisted into graceful spiral terminations.ĭuring the 15th century, the ornaments and letters were based more on the study of Nature, grotesque monsters being replaced with flowers, fruits, birds, and insects, delicately coloured upon gold backgrounds, in a perfect execution. These extended along the upper and lower margins of the page, often supporting small groups of animals or images of the pastimes of the period. In England and France the large initial letters were purple, red, and gold, containing figures of men and animals, and terminating in spiral scrolls. This motif was extensively used during the 12th century.ĭuring the 14th century, the illuminated lettering and the paintings had a similar character. It looks like the favourite animal introduced in ornamental design during the Middle Ages was the lizard, its form made to harmonize with various design curves. 980.Ĭopies of the Bible were frequently of a great size, and the letters at the beginning of books and chapters were on a corresponding scale, with highly accurate and intricate scroll work. 973, and the Benedictional of Archbishop Robert at Rouen, c. Magnificent examples are the The Benedictional of St. Towards the close of the 10th century, the Hiberno-Saxon illuminated manuscripts were remarkable for correctness of design, and a richness superior to any work executed on the Continent. Dotted red lines were used round the edge of large letters. These patterns were sometimes interwoven with animals, and terminations in heads of serpents, or birds. The Irish school of Illumination has a distinct lettering style, with a particular design and execution, marked by extreme intricacy of pattern, and interlacings of knots in a diagonal or square form. They could be composed of human figures, animals, birds, fish, or flowers. The initial letters of early manuscripts were not distinguished in size from the rest of the text, which was written in capitals, and the color scheme was simpler than the one used at the end of the 7th century.įrom the 7th to the 11th century, at the beginning of books and chapters, the initial letters are of a larger size. In the Byzantine Empire, the usage of writing whole pages in gold continued to its latest period. This time, however, a different technique was used, the gilding being applied in leaves, not in a liquid state. Writing in gold was less used in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries, but came again into favour in the 14th, particularly in devotional books of high rank persons. Illuminated lettering of gold on white vellum is chiefly confined to the 8th, 9th, and 10th centuries. Manuscripts illuminated throughout are hard to find, the artist decorating mostly the title, preface, or canon of the mass. In the 8th and 9th centuries, the colour, be it purple, violet, or rose, is no longer as bright and beautiful as in the preceding centuries.
The taste for gold and purple illuminated letters reached England at the close of the 7th century, when Wilfred, Archbishop of York, enriched his church with a copy of the Gospels. The process of laying and burnishing gold and silver is old, and was enhanced in the Byzantine Empire by writing with such letters on vellum, stained in purple or rose color.
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