Illuminated Manuscripts of the Early Medieval Period

A detailed Summary of Illuminated Manuscripts of the Early Medieval Period

Perhaps no other art form captures the spirit of the Early Medieval period better than the illuminated

manuscripts the were created by the monks and religious scholars. Illuminated manuscripts are very

important to us today because they can express the ideas and values of the Medieval society.

The manuscript I chose was created in Normandy in the city of Vellum. This manuscript was

Until the advent of the Book of Hours in the fourteenth century the Psalter, a book with the texts of

the hundred and fifty psalms, was the most important prayer book for ordinary people. This manuscript was

elaborately decorated as it was commissioned by wealthy patrons. The amount of gold used in this particular

illumination suggests that the patrons were willing to spend their money for religious purposes.

The manuscript contains twenty-six full-page drawings. The first twelve miniatures come from the

Calendar. The next fourteen paintings describe the life of Christ. In the actual text all the psalms are

separated by fancy initial letters. Very often, in these initials you can find the scenes that describe the life of

David. The most beautiful paintings in this m

this painting a knight on horseback rides out to go hawking. The hawker is covered with an expensive white

Surprisingly, this illumination has a very simple border. The style with its bright colors and simple outlines,

The fact that a knight is portrayed in the book that contains holy texts shows that the knights played

of other social classes. For example, the peasants might have seen life as a kind of suffering rather than

religious scholars created them, they were useful to all classed of people in medieval society. Since the

particular manuscript the amount of gold that is used in the paintings reveals that the work of the artist was

a big role in Medieval society. Perhaps, they were even considered holy.

Approximate Word count = 799
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History

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