Early Medieval Book Illumination

Looks at the history of illuminated manuscripts, and shows examples of late Roman, pre-Carolingian, Carolingian, and Ottonian illumination.

Based on lectures given at the University of Vienna, this book examines all types of book decoration and illumination between late Antiquity and the Renaissance from the point of view of format and style. Pacht explains the basic vocabulary and concepts by which this art-form is to be understood, and offers insights into the philosophy, theology, technology and culture underlying its history. His subjects include pictorial decoration in the organic structure of the book; the initial; bible illustration; didactic miniatures; illustration of the apocalypse; illustration of the psalter; the conflict of surface and space. Now available in paperback.

15 papers on medieval manuscript illumination, from the origins of the art in late antiquity to late medieval French illumination

The Ashburnham Pentateuch is an early medieval illuminated manuscript of the Old Testament whose pictures are among the oldest surviving and most extensive biblical illustrations. Dorothy Verkerk reveals how its colorful and complex illustrations of Genesis and Exodus explained important church teachings. She provides a key to understanding the relationship between the text and pictures. Arguing that the manuscript was created in Italy, Verkerk also solves a mystery that has baffled scholars over the last century.

The seminal work, originally published in two seperate clothbound volumes, is now made available in a revised one-volume edition, both in hardback and in paperback. It brings to light an aesthic passage of European history which has never before received full-scale treatment in English. It explains, historically and with a rich body of illustrations, the origins and momentum of a magnificent movement of German art, and shows, through this powerful and expressive art, how religion and political ideaology were interwined in Ottonian culture from about 950 to 1050. Besides dealing with the great imperials books such as the Gospels of Otto III and the Pericopes Book of Henry II, as well as other splendid liturgical manuscripts, the author also writes with penetrating insight about the great art-loving bishops such as Egbert of Trier and Bernard of Hildesheim, whose aims ans personalitites are express in the books they commissioned. In addition, the most important art centres of the Ottonian Empire - Reichenau, Cologne, Fulda and Corvey - are discussed in detail.

A celebration of the visual contributions of the bestiary--one of the most popular types of illuminated books during the Middle Ages--and an exploration of its lasting legacy. Brimming with lively animals both real and fantastic, the bestiary was one of the great illuminated manuscript traditions of the Middle Ages. Encompassing imaginary creatures such as the unicorn, siren, and griffin; exotic beasts including the tiger, elephant, and ape; as well as animals native to Europe like the beaver, dog, and hedgehog, the bestiary is a vibrant testimony to the medieval understanding of animals and their role in the world. So iconic were the stories and images of the bestiary that its beasts essentially escaped from the pages, appearing in a wide variety of manuscripts and other objects, including tapestries, ivories, metalwork, and sculpture. With over 270 color illustrations and contributions by twenty-five leading scholars, this gorgeous volume explores the bestiary and its widespread influence on medieval art and culture as well as on modern and contemporary artists like Pablo Picasso and Damien Hirst. Published to accompany an exhibition on view at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center May 14 to August 18, 2019.