When the text was completed, the manuscript was decorated or illuminated in the blank spaces the scribe had intentionally left for the illuminator. Rather than write original works spontaneously onto the page, medieval scribes, more often than not, copied their work from model texts, called exemplars. Rubrics served as instructional guides to the reader, providing descriptive headings and marking divisions in the text. While the main body to the text was usually written in black or brown ink, colored lines of writing, called rubrics (from the Latin rubrica meaning red), were most often, but not always, written in red. In the other, gall nuts, the swollen nodules produced by certain insects living in oak trees, was mixed with iron salts, making an ink which eventually turned brown from exposure to the atmosphere. In one method, carbon soot from beeswax candles or linseed oil lamps was combined with gum arabic to produce an indelible black ink. The scribe used an ink derived either from carbon soot or gall nuts. In the early Middle Ages, the best quills came from several varieties of geese found off the coast or England. Using these holes as a guide, lines were then inscribed or drawn on the page to establish the layout for the scribes and decorators.įollowing this, a calligrapher or scribe would write on the parchment with a reed or feather quill pen. Once the necessary number of vellum skins were prepared and cut to size for pages, they were then marked along both margins with small pinholes. The finest quality parchment, noted for its thin and supple character, was called vellum. Most parchment came from cow skins which were prepared through an elaborate process that involved soaking, scraping, drying and treating the skins. Manuscripts which were decorated with gold, silver or bright paint are called illuminated, from the Latin illuminare meaning to lighten or brighten up.ĭuring the medieval period, books were written and decorated on parchment, a type of animal skin. Its name is derived from the Latin manus meaning hand and scriptus meaning writing. 1100's to 1600's) What is an illuminated manuscript?Īn illuminated manuscript is a book written and decorated by hand. For further information please refer to our main website: selection of one-of-a-kind original illuminated manuscript leaves from the Medieval and Renaissance periods (c. If you wish to buy an illuminated manuscript, or if you would like to put up a medieval manuscript for sale, do not hesitate to contact us. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, and alongside private collectors on a quest to create and develop their own collections. He has been instrumental in the composition of some of the best collections worldwide, and has worked with leading international museums and institutions, such as New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art or the J. Jörn Günther has earned a reputation as one of the world’s foremost specialists and voices of authority in his field. Jörn Günther Rare Books is a true treasure trove where, for instance, one can find a stunningly beautiful Book of Hours for sale, along with the world’s first substantial printed book, the Gutenberg Bible, or fascinating miniatures painted by Simon Bening.Īfter a lifetime of bibliophilia and 40 years of scholarly pursuit, Dr. Other popular artworks to collect include miniatures, or illuminated manuscript pages for sale individually.ĭr. Jörn Günther Rare Books provides scholarly services, expert advice, and long-term support for those who wish to collect, sell or buy illuminated manuscripts and early printed books from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

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Even in the 21st century, one can find an illuminated manuscript for sale, and private collectors still enjoy the thrill of the chase when they track down extremely rare books.ĭue to the limited number of medieval books on the market, one does not find medieval manuscripts for sale in most antiquarian bookshops. However, these stunningly beautiful medieval books are real artworks that can still be collected – rather than film props or museum objects. Illuminated manuscripts, meticulously crafted by medieval scribes, feature in numerous medieval-themed contemporary novels and their popular film adaptations.

Illuminated manuscripts for sale