Produced by Project Rastko, Zoran Stefanovic, H.J. Bent and the Online Distributed Proofreaders Europe at http://dp.rastko.net. Illuminated Manuscripts John Bradley BRACKEN BOOKS LONDON CONTENTS BOOK I CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY What is meant by art?--The art faculty--How artists may be compared--The aim of illumination--Distinction between illumination and miniature--Definition of illumination--The first miniature painter--Origin of the term "miniature"--Ovid's allusion to his little book. CHAPTER II VELLUM AND OTHER MATERIALS Difference between vellum and parchment--Names of different preparations--The kinds of vellum most prized for illuminated books--The "parcheminerie" of the Abbey of Cluny--Origin of the term "parchment"--Papyrus. CHAPTER III WRITING Its different styles--Origin of Western alphabets--Various forms of letters--Capitals, uncials, etc.--Texts used in Western Europe--Forms of ancient writings--The roll, or volume--The codex--Tablets--Diptychs, etc.--The square book--How different sizes of books were produced. CHAPTER IV GREEK AND ROMAN ILLUMINATION The first miniature painter--The Vatican Vergils--Methods of painting--Origin of Christian art--The Vienna Genesis--The Dioscorides--The Byzantine Revival. CHAPTER V BYZANTINE ILLUMINATION The rebuilding of the city of Byzantium the beginning of Byzantine art--Justinian's fondness for building and splendour--Description of Paul the Silentiary--Sumptuous garments--The Gospel-book of Hormisdas--Characteristics of Byzantine work--Comparative scarcity of examples--Rigidity of Byzantine rules of art--Periods of Byzantine art--Examples--Monotony and lifelessness of the style. CHAPTER VI CELTIC ILLUMINATION Early liturgical books reflect the ecclesiastical art of their time--This feature a continuous characteristic of illumination down to the latest times--Elements of Celtic ornament--Gospels of St. Chad--Durham Gospels--Contrast of Celtic and Byzantine--St. Columba--Book of Kells--Details of its decoration. CHAPTER VII CELTIC ILLUMINATION--_continued_ The Iona Gospels--Contrast with Roman and Byzantine--Details--Treatment of animal forms--Colour schemes--The Gospel-book of St. Columbanus--That of Mael Brith Mac Durnan--The Lindisfarne Gospels--Cumdachs--Other book-shrines. CHAPTER VIII SEMI-BARBARIC ILLUMINATION Visigothic--Merovingian--Lombardic--Extinction of classic art--Splendid reign of Dagobert--St. Eloy of Noyon--The Library of Laon--Natural History of Isidore of Seville--Elements of contemporary art--Details of ornament--Symbolism--Luxeuil and Monte Cassino--Sacramentary of Gellone--"Prudentius"--"Orosius"--Value of the Sacramentary of Gellone. CHAPTER IX DEVELOPMENT OF THE INITIAL