Illuminations

Types of Illuminations

An illumination is a decoration of manuscripts and books with coloured, gilded pictures, decorated initials, and ornamental borders
Done as both ink outlines and colour drawings
Now called Gothic stylings
Illuminating is the art of decorating books with bright colours and precious metals so they seem to glow
An independent painting was called a miniature
Miniatures were always added after the text was finished
An illumination can also be an illustration of folios (Large sheets of paper folded numerous times to create a booklet) and codices
Many illuminations were miniature paintings or drawings
The first letter on many pages was a large illuminationof the letter

Characteristics of Illuminations

In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, people liked to use illustrations of fruit, flowers, and birds in their artwork
Illuminations were often used to frame documents
Jewels were sometimes embedded into the artwork
Drolleries were amusing human or animal figures that were often painted into the margins and borders of illuminations
Many artists worked with natural animal, mineral, and vegetable mediums in their paint
Especially prized to illuminators was a brilliant shade of blue made from lapis-lazulite (a precoius gem)
Illuminators used real gold and silver in their decorations
Illuminations were often written on parchment or vellum (The finest kind of parchment available)
Traditional high colour and gold was often used in illuminations
Illuminations were noted for marginal Celtic designs that consisted of Interlacing patterns, counterpointed by actual animal motifs
One common feature of illuminations were large initial letters
decorated with foliage, human figures, and scenery

History of Illuminations

The earliest illuminations were ideas copied from Ancient Egyptian artwork
Illuminations helped influence later western art
They were often done by monks and nuns
Illuminations also helped contribute to the development of calligraphy and handwriting
They began to be replaced by woodblock printing in the late sixteenth century
In the early middle ages to illuminate meant only the enlargement of the first letter or opening phrases on important documents
Illuminations were at their peak in the late Middle Ages
The most common documents illuminated were bibles, prayer books, chronicles, romance novels, poetry, and important letters
The art of illuminating flourished during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance

Reference List

Bunson, Matthew. Encyclopaedia of the Middle Ages. New York, NY: Facts on File. 1995
World Book, Inc. The World Book Encyclopaedia. USA: World Book, Inc. 1997
Columbia Encyclopaedia. Concise Columbia Electronic Encyclopaedia. USA: Columbia University Press. 1994

By Ashley, Andrea, and Dan