CHAPTER XXX

NOTES ON BOOKS

In this the closing chapter of this book it may be as well to suggest a few books that might be useful for further study. It is not intended, by any means, to give anything like a complete bibliography on this subject, but merely to refer to a few of the books that the writer has found to be of service to him. Some of the books mentioned may possibly be out of print, but copies may be seen in most of the larger public libraries.

The following books treat the subject of illumination broadly from the historical standpoint: _English Illuminated MSS._, by Sir E. M. Thompson, _Illuminated MSS. in Classical and Mediæval Times_, by J. H. Middleton, and _Illuminated Manuscripts_, by J. A. Herbert. Another most useful book for the student is the _Historical Introduction to the Collection of Illuminated Letters and Borders in the National Art Library_, by John W. Bradley.

Reproductions of some of the illuminated MSS. in the British Museum have been published by the Museum authorities. _Illuminated Manuscripts in the British Museum_, by G. F. Warner, contains a series of plates beautifully reproduced in gold and colours. These give as nearly as possible in a reproduction some idea of what the originals are like. Three sets of fifty collotype plates, _Reproductions of Illuminated Manuscripts_, are also published of the illuminated MSS. in the British Museum. _A Guide to the Manuscripts_ in the British Museum also contains a number of half-tone reproductions, and _The Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts, Part 2, Miniatures, Leaves, and Cuttings_, published by the authorities of the Victoria and Albert Museum, has a good number of illustrations. The series of excellent photographic facsimiles published by the Palæographical Society are also most useful for reference.

For students who wish to give special attention to the work of any particular schools of illumination, such as the Byzantine, Celtic, or Winchester Schools, the following books are recommended:

BYZANTINE SCHOOL.--For a general history of Byzantine art, _Byzantine Art_, by O. M. Dalton, and _Manuel d’Art Byzantine_, by Ch. Diehl. Both of these writers deal with illuminated manuscripts as well as other branches of Byzantine art. For a work dealing exclusively with Byzantine MSS. the _Histoire de l’Art Byzantin considere ... dans le Miniatures_, by M. Kondakoff, may be recommended.

CELTIC SCHOOL.--_Early Christian Art in Ireland_, by Margaret M. Stokes, is a very useful book. Other helpful books are _The Fine Arts and Civilization of Ancient Ireland_, by Henry O’Niell, and _Celtic Art in Pagan and Christian Times_, by J. Romilly Allen. _An Enquiry into the Art of the Illuminated Manuscripts of the Middle Ages. I. Celtic Illuminated Manuscripts_, by Johann Adolf Bruun, deals with the Celtic MSS. in a fairly comprehensive manner. This book is illustrated with reproductions from some of the manuscripts referred to. _Facsimiles of the Miniatures and Ornaments of Anglo-Saxon and Irish Manuscripts_, by J. O. Westwood, contains a number of chromo-lithographic reproductions of these manuscripts. _The Book of Kells_, recently published by the publishers of _The Studio_, contains a large number of the pages and initials from this well-known manuscript which have been reproduced by means of the three-colour process. The Introduction to this volume has been written by Sir Edward Sullivan.

WINCHESTER SCHOOL.--An account of one of the most important manuscripts of this school, _viz._, the famous Benedictional of Æthelwold, is given in Vol. I. of the _Bibliographical Decameron_, by Dr. Dibdin; also Dr. Waagen gives a description of it in Vol. III. of _Treasures of Art in Great Britain_. In Vol. XXIV. of the _Archælogia_, pages 1-117, there is also _A Dissertation on St. Æthelwold’s Benedictional_, by John Gage Rokewood. This is illustrated with thirty-two plates of reproductions of the pages of this manuscript. The same writer gives, in pages 118-136, _A Description of a Benedictional or Pontifical, called Benedictionarius Roberti Archiepiscopi_. Thus two of the most famous of all the Winchester MSS. are here described in a most careful and painstaking fashion.

Lettering, especially in its application to illumination, is dealt with very thoroughly in _Writing and Illuminating and Lettering_, by Edward Johnston. This book is well illustrated with diagrams, and the instructions given on how to cut and use the reed and quill pen are very clear. It is a very useful book for the student. Other books on the subject of lettering that will be found to be of service are _Lettering in Ornament_, and _Alphabets, Old and New_, by Lewis F. Day, also _Alphabets_, by Edward F. Strange. For those who wish to study lettering from the standpoint of palæography, _Greek and Latin Palæography_, by Sir Edward Maunde Thompson, is a good introductory work on this subject.

The following books may be of interest to the student who is desirous of further information concerning the colours and methods of working employed by the mediæval artist: Mrs. Merrifield’s _Ancient Practice of Painting_, the _Schedula Diversarum Artium_ of Theophilus, and _The Book of the Art of Cennino Cennini_. Mrs. Merrifield’s book contains a number of translations of the early manuscripts that describe the technical methods employed by the mediæval artists. The treatise of Theophilus has been translated into English by R. Hendrie, and the best translation of Cennini’s book is that by Mrs. Herringham. _Materials of the Painter’s Craft_, and _Processes, Pigments, and Vehicles_, by Dr. A. P. Laurie, are books that deal with this subject in a very interesting and helpful manner.

As the study of Heraldry is very important to the illuminator, the following books are mentioned: _Complete Guide to Heraldry_, by A. C. Fox-Davies, _English Heraldry_, by Charles Boutell, and _Heraldry_, by W. H. St. John Hope. _The Stall Plates of the Garter, 1348-1485_, also by W. H. St. John Hope.

_Didron’s Iconography of Christian Art_, and _Emblems of the Saints_, by F. C. Husenbeth, are books that are most useful to the illuminator when doing work that is ecclesiastical in character.

* * * * *

The list of books that is detailed here is necessarily incomplete, but the student will find that by studying these he will be referred to others, and so will be able to continue the study.

INDEX

Address, illuminated, 171-7

Advertisement, design for, 192

Advertisements, lettering for, 72, 192, 196-9

Air bubbles in raising preparation, 158

_Alcuin Bibles_, 89

Alfred the Great, 90

Alizarin crimson, 127

Alphabet, its development, 32 the Roman, 32, 70-83 from the _Book of Kells_, 66

Alphabets for study, 60-9

Altar tablets, 169

Aluminium leaf, 147 paint, 147

_Ambrosian Iliad_, 85

Anglo-Celtic illumination, 87, 102

Armenian Bole, 143-4

Arsenic, sulphide of, 115

Art paper, 232

_Arzica_, 120, 121

_Athelstan’s Psalter_, 90

_Æthelwold, Benedictional of_, 91

Aureolin, 124

_Azurite_, 115

_Azzuro della magna_, 121 _oltre marino_, 121

Babylonian characters, 25

Backgrounds, diaper, 95

Barium sulphate, 130

Beauty, 222

_Bedford Book of Hours_, 98

_Benedictional of Æthelwold_, 91

_Biacca_, 121, 142

_Bianco Sangiovanni_, 121

_Bible of Robert de Bello_, 95

_Bible History, moralised_, 95

Bichromate of potash, 208

Binding MSS., a simple method of, 225-231

Black pigments, 129

Blocks, line, 178-9 half-tone, 180 three-colour, 180-1

Blood, dragon’s, 116, 120

Blue pigments, 127

Body-colours, 135

Bole, Armenian, 143, 144

Book, the illuminated MS., 216-24 printed, illumination of, 232-37 printed, decoration of, 238-47

Book-hands, the study of, 60-9

Bookplate, 201

Borders, 245

Bridget, St., 87

British Museum publications, 106

Bronze gilding, 185-6 powder, 146

Brown pigments, 129

Brushes, 154, 155

Brush-formed lettering, 73, 110, 111, 208-12

Bubbles in raising preparation, 158

Building up letters, 71, 109-11

Burnisher, agate, 148, 151

Burnt sienna, 127

Burnt umber, 129

Byzantine illumination, 85-6

Cadmium yellows, 124

Calligraphy, its development, 23

Cambrensis, Giraldus, 87

Camel-hair mop, 148, 151

Capitals, square, 33 rustic, 33

Capital letters, 65, 66, 67, 110

Carbolic acid, 133

Carlovingian illumination, 89 writing, 40

Carmine, 127

Celtic and Anglo-Celtic illumination, 87, 102

Cennino Cennini, 120, 142

Cerulean Blue, 127

Ceruse, 118

Chalk, 115, 121

Chapter headings, 245

Charlemagne, 39, 89

_Charta Pergamena_, 30

_Charter, Golden_, 91

China slab, 132

Chinese vermilion, 126

Christmas cards, 185-191

Chrome yellows, 124, 125

Chromium oxide, 128

Chromo-lithography, 182

_Cinabrese_, 120

_Cinnabar_, 116, 120

Classical illumination, 84

Clay as writing material, 24

Clothlet tints, 122

Cobalt blue, 127

Cobalt violet, 128

Cobalt yellow, 124

Cochineal, 127

Cold tea for tinting paper, 153

Colophon, the, 221

Colours used by the mediæval illuminator, 115-122 their composition and permanence, 123-30 cake, 131 tube, 131 powder, 132 body, 135 their preparation and use, 131-7

Columba, St., 88

Commercial design, lettering for, 192-202

Compass, proportional, 68

Concluding remarks, 248-55

Copper blues and greens, 115, 118, 121, 122

Crimson, alizarin, 127 lake, 127

Cursive writing, 32

Cutting the pen, 42, 43

_Cyperus papyrus_, 28

Decoration, 156, 161-6, 222, 234 of printed book, 238-47

Designs in two colours, 246

Designing, 187

Designing a magazine cover, 200-2

Diagrams, lettering for, 195

Diaper backgrounds, 95

_Dioscorides, The_, 85

Dividers, spring, 107

Dragon’s blood, 116, 120

_Durham Book_, 37, 88, 102

_Durrow, Book of_, 88

Dutch metal, 147

Earth colours, 115

_Edgar, Golden Charter of_, 91

Egg, white of, 118-9 used for gilding, 139, 140, 141, 143 yolk, 119

Egyptian hieroglyphics, 27 writing materials, 27, 28

Eighth-century writing, 38, 39

Emerald green, 128

Eraclius, 119

Erasures, 152-3

Eumenes II., king of Pergamus, 30

Exercises in the use of the pen, 45

Family trees, 170

Fifteenth-century illumination, and later, 97-100 writing, 41, 79, 80

Fifth-century writing, 33-5

Figures, pen-formed, 57

Fish-glue for mixing with colours, 117

Fixed inks, 206, 208

Flake white, 130

Forming words and sentences, 54-9

Fourteenth-century illumination, 96 writing, 65

Fourth-century writing, 33

Framing illuminated work, 174

Gamboge, 125

_Garcinia Cambogia_, 125

_Genesis_ of Vienna Library, 85-6 _Codex_ in British Museum, 86

_Gesso Sottile_, 142-4

_Giallorino_, 120-1

Gilding methods of the Middle Ages, 138-145 raised, 142, 147, 157-60 bronze, 185-6

Gilder’s cushion, 147-8 knife, 148-50 tip, 148, 150-1

Giraldus Cambrensis, 87

Glycerine in colours, 131

Gold, the use of, 136-51 leaf, 139, 146-7 handling it, 148-9 shell, 146 paint, 146, 185 grinding, 141, 144

Gold size and raising preparation, 158-9

Gold-beating, its antiquity, 139

_Golden Charter of King Edgar_, 91

_Gospels, The Lindisfarne_, 37, 88, 102

Green pigments, 128

Gum, for mixing colours, 133

Half-tone blocks, 180

Half-uncials, 36 Irish, 36 English, 37

Handwriting, ordinary, 24

Harleian Psalter, 91

Heraldry, 175

Hiberno-Saxon illumination, 102

Hieroglyphic and hieratic characters, 27

Holding the pen, 44-6

Honey, mixed with colours, 131 in raising preparation, 186

I, THE LETTER, 59

Ichneumon brush, 158

_Iliad, Ambrosian_, 85

Illumination, the study of, 23, 166, 248-51 classical and Byzantine, 84-6 Celtic and Anglo-Celtic, 87-9, 102 Carlovingian, 89 Winchester, 89-92 twelfth-century, 93-4 thirteenth-century, 94-6 fourteenth-century, 96-7 fifteenth-century, 97-9 Italian, 99 in black and red, 107-14 with gold and colours, 152-60 the further development of, 161-70

Illuminated MS. book, 216-24

Illustrations, lettering under, 234

_Indaco baccadeo_, 121

Indian ink, 129

Indigo, 116, 121

Influence of the tool, 23-31

Initial letter, 101-6

Ink, 44 classical, 117 mediæval, 119

Invitation cards, 190

Isidore, St., 28

Ivory black, 129

J, THE LETTER, 59

Japanese brush, 208-9

_Jehan le Bègue, MS. of_, 119

_Joshua Rotulus_, 86

_Kells, Book of_, 88, 101

_Kermes_, 116

_Kildare, Book of_, 87

Kneaded rubber, 160

Knife for cutting the pen, 46

Labels, designs for, 198

Lakes, 116, 119

Lampblack, 129

_Lapis Lazuli_, 127

Laurie, Dr. A. P., 138

Lead, white, 121, 130

Leaf, gold, 139, 146-7

Lens, magnifying, 68

Letter, the initial, 101-6

Letters, pen-formed, 48-53 brush-formed, 73, 110-1, 208-9 building up, 73, 110-1 capital, 65-7, 110

Lettering, Roman, 70-83 for advertisements, 72, 192, 196-9 for commercial design, 192-202

_Leucophoron_, 139

Lighting of work, 50

_Lindisfarne Gospels_, 37, 88, 102

Line blocks, 178-9

Lithography, 181-2

Liturgical purposes, the value of illumination for, 169-70, 253

Lombardic writing, 38-9

_Lucca MS._, 117, 139

Machine, the, 251

Madder, purple, 128 rose, 127 scarlet, 127

Magazine covers, designing, 200-2

Magnifying lens, 68

Majuscule writing, 32

Manuscript books, illuminated, 216-24

_Mappæ Clavicula_, 117, 140

Maps and diagrams, lettering for, 195

_Marriage Service_, 170

_Mary’s Psalter_, 96

Mastery of the tool, 42

Menu, design for, 210-11

Merovingian writing, 39-40

Merrifield, Mrs., 119

_Metaphrastes, Simeon_, 86

Method of setting out page, 107-8

Miniature painting, 91, 100, 167-8, 222

_Minium_, 118

Minuscule writing, 38

Mixed uncials, 35

Muller for grinding colours, 133

Murex, 116

Ninth-century writing, 37

Naples yellow, 125

Natural History, Pliny’s, 115-6

Nature study, 163-6

New blue, 128

Note-heading, 199

Notices, 170

Ochre, yellow, 125

“Old English,” 65

_Opus Anglicum_, 90

Originality, 168-9

Orpiment, 115, 119, 122

Oxgall, 160

P, THE LETTER, 53

Pad for writing upon, 48

Page, method of setting out, 107-8

Palæography, 33

Palette knife, 133-4

Paper, 44, 153 art, 232 stretching, 154

Papyrus, 28

Parchment, derivation of the word, 30 tinting, 122 size, 140

Pattern, simple, 113-4

Pedigrees, 170

Pen, holding the, 44-6 cutting the, 42-3 exercises in the use of the, 45 the reed, 27-8, 42 the quill, first mention of, 28 -strokes, 45 -formed letters, 48-53 figures, 57 -wiper, 46

Pencils, 107, 152-3

_Pezzuole_ colours, 122

_Philippo de Maizières, Epistle of_, 105

Phœnician alphabet, 32

Pigments, blue, 127 brown, 129 black, 129 green, 128 red, 125 white, 129 yellow, 124

Planning out MS. book, 217-20

Plant drawing, 163-5

Plaster of Paris, 144

Platinum leaf, 147

Pliny, 115-6

Plum-tree gum, 117-8

Poetry, illumination of, 223, 253

Posters, lettering for, 197 hand-written, 203-13

Potash, bichromate of, 208

Pounce for vellum, 155

Powder colours, 132

Practise in writing, 52

Preparing colours, 131-7

Printed book, the ideal, 254 the illumination of, 232-7 the decoration of, 238-47

Printing and illumination, 254

Process blocks, 178-81 work, white for, 130

Proportional compass, 68

_Psalter, Athelstan’s_, 90 _Queen Mary’s_, 96 _of Westminster Abbey_, 94 _Harleian_, 91

Pumice powder, 155

_Queen Mary’s Psalter_, 96

Quill pen, the earliest allusion to it, 28 cutting it, 42-3

_Rabula MS._, 86

Raised gilding, 142, 147, 157-60

Raising preparation, 158-9

Raw sienna, 125 umber, 129

Red and black, the use of, 107-14, 250

Red pigments, 125

Reed pens, 27-8, 42

Reproduction, the various methods of, 178-84

_Risalgallo Realgar_, 121

Roman bronze pens, 28 lettering, 70-83 made with simple pen-strokes, 73-4

Rose madder, 127

Rubber, kneaded, 160

Rustic capitals, 33

S, THE LETTER, 57-8

Sable writer, 83, 212

Saffron, 121-2

St. Bridget, 87 Columba, 88 Isidore, 28 Swithin, 90

Salt green, 118

Sap of Iris, 118

Saucers for colour, 135

Scarlet madder, 127

_Schedula Diversarum Artium_, 117

Scraper, 133, 135

Scriptoria, the two Winchester, 90

Sections for MS. books, 217

Sepia, 129

Service books, 169

_Service, Marriage_, 170

Set square, 107-8

Setting out page, 107-8

Seventh-century writing, 36

Sewing sections, 226-7

Show-cards, 214-5

Sienna, burnt, 127 raw, 125

Silver leaf, 147

_Simeon Metaphrastes_, 86

_Sinopia_, 120

Sixteenth-century writing, 83

Size and raising preparation, 158-9 parchment, 140

Sketch book, the use of a, 166

Skins of animals as writing material, 28

Slope for writing, 49

_Somme le Roi_, 95

Spacing words and letters, 57

Spanish green, 118

Spring dividers, 107 for pen, 43

Square capitals, 33

Stretching paper, 154 vellum, 154

Stylus, the use of the, 25-6

Success in illumination, 248

Tablets, writing, 28

Tail-pieces, illuminated, 235 printed, 244-5

Tea, for tinting paper, 153

Tee square, 107-8

Tenth-century writing, 38, 62

Texts for churches, 170

Theophilus, 117

Theophrastus, 115

Thirteenth-century illumination, 94 writing, 41, 64

Three-colour blocks, 180-1

Tinting parchment, 122

Title-page, 234, 238-40

Tool, the influence of the, 23-31 the mastery of the, 42

Trajan column, 76

Tube colours, 131

Turkey quill, 44

Twelfth-century illumination, 93-4 writing, 41, 63

U, THE LETTER, 59

Ultramarine, 121, 127-8 ash, 128 French, 128

Umber, burnt, 129 raw, 129

Uncials, 34 mixed, 35 half-, 36 Irish, 36 English, 37

V, THE LETTER, 59

Vandyke brown, 129

Vellum, 152-6, 216-7 limp, binding MSS. with, 225-31 reputed origin of, 28

_Verde azzuro_, 121

_Verde terra_, 115

_Verderame_, 121

Verdigris, 118, 121

Vermilion, 117, 119, 125-7

_Vienna Genesis_, 85-6

Violet, cobalt, 128

_Virgil MS._ in the Vatican, 85

Viridian, 128

Visigothic writing, 39

Vitruvius, 115

Wedge-shaped Characters, 25

_Westminster Abbey, Psalter of_, 94

White of egg, 118-9 used for gilding, 139-41, 143

White lead, 121, 130

White pigments, 129-30

Winchester School of Illumination, 90

Window tickets, 213

Wood-engraving, 238

Words, forming, 54-9

Workmanship, good, 255

Writer, sable, 83, 212

Writing, beautiful, the foundation of true illumination, 23-4, 248 expression in the, 223 majuscule, 32 cursive, 32 minuscule, 38 Lombardic, 38-9 Visigothic, 39 Merovingian, 39-40 Carlovingian, 40 fourth-century, 33 fifth-century, 33-5 seventh-century, 36 eighth and ninth-century, 38-9 tenth-century, 38, 62 twelfth-century, 41, 63 thirteenth-century, 41, 64 fourteenth-century, 65 fifteenth-century, 41, 79-80 sixteenth-century, 83

Yellow pigments, 124

Yolk of egg, 119

_Zafferano_, 121

Zinc white, 129-30

PRINTED BY THE ANCHOR PRESS, LTD., TIPTREE, ESSEX, ENGLAND.

Transcriber’s Notes

Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a predominant preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed.

Simple typographical errors were corrected; occasional unbalanced quotation marks retained.

Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained.

Index not checked for proper alphabetization or correct page references.

All “facing” references in the List of Illustrations, and all “Facing page” information in the captions of illustrations have been deleted. The illustrations in this eBook have been placed between paragraphs near their original locations.

“An Illuminated Address”, listed in the List of Illustrations, was not found in this book.