Illuminated Manuscripts
Styles of Illuminated Manuscripts
Insular
The term insular is used to refer to manuscripts produced in monastic centres in the British Isles in the seventh and eighth centuries. Insular manuscripts were written in uncial or half uncial scripts and were the first manuscripts to introduce spaces between words to make it easier to read.They were decorated in abstract linear patterns adapted from Anglo-Saxon and Celtic metalwork and where zoomorphic forms were included these were stylised and either copied from earlier art or drawn from the imagination. Three forms of decoration are commonly found in insular manuscripts: ornamented borders enclosing full page illustrations; ornate initials used for beginning of gospels and important passages; and carpet pages, which are full pages of decorative designs. Well known examples of Insular manuscripts are the Lindisfarne Gospels (c.698AD), the Book of Durrow (c.680AD) and the Book of Kells (c.800AD).
Carolingian
The Carolingian style is associate with the court of Charlemagne who set out to revive book design and production. Manuscripts during this period were made for imperial and aristocratic use as well as for ecclesiastical use and it was at this time that manuscript production expanded from the monasteries to secular workshops. Caroline manuscripts were written in Caroline miniscule text and were more classical in style. They sometimes included sections written in gold or silver ink on purple vellum and often contained lavish quantities of gold. The illuminations were display a combination of two dimensional ornament and increased sense of three dimensions in the depiction of figures. The Old Testament was a popular subject popular because its political themes appealed to a courtly audience. One of the best-known, but not typical, Carolingian mansucripts is the Utrecht Psalter (c.820-830AD)
Ottonian
The Ottonian style is associated with the courts of the Saxon emperors from 960-1060. Gospel books, pericopes (books of Gospel readings) and the Apocolypse were more popular than entire bibles. Ottonian manuscripts were influenced by Byzantium, featuring the use of burnished gold backgrounds and large eyed figures in rigid, hieratic poses.
Romanesque
The Romanesque style, which dates from the year 1000, was an international rather than a national style and examples of Romanesque manuscripts come from a wide geographical area. During this period a wider variety of books was produced, including large Bibles and commentaries, lives of Saints, theological works, missals and Psalters as well as Gospels. An increase in monasticism meant that many books were produced for public use, leading to the production of larger sized books. Romanesque manuscripts feature grotesques (a variety of real and imaginary creatures), textured or gold backgrounds, and historiated initials. These initials, found at the commencement of a chapter, combined the initial of the opening word with foliage, figures or pictures illustrating a portion of the text. These initials, which were more common than full-page illustrations, could sometimes extend the length of the page. One well-known example of a Romanesque manuscript is the Winchester Bible (c.1150-1200AD)
Gothic
The Gothic style dates from around 1150AD and, like the Romanesque, was an international style. The rise of universities and cathedral schools led to an increased demand for books of all kinds. During the Gothic period books became smaller and more delicate, with increased integration between illustrations and text. Generally there was less text on page, with blank spaces in lines of text being filled with decorative bars. Illustrations were sometimes combined with borders, and marginal sketches and grotesques (now known as drolleries) were reintroduced. Historiated initials were reduced in size, but illustrations, known as bas de page, were included at the bottom of text pages. Decorative scrolls of ivy leaves were a feature of many Gothic manuscripts. The mid fourteenth century saw the introduction of original illustrations. Previously text was copied from book to book and so were illustrations (modified of course to suit changing tastes), leading to continuity in iconography. However from mid-fourteenth century some illustrators were making their own images, which became increasingly naturalistic. Famous Gothic manuscripts include the works the Limbourg Brothers produced in the fifteenth century for the Duc de Berry.
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