The History, Theory, and Practice of Illuminating: Condensed from 'The Art of Illuminating' by the same illustrator and authorWyatt, M. Digby (Matthew Digby), Sir
History
The History, Theory, and Practice of Illuminating: Condensed from 'The Art of Illuminating' by the same illustrator and author
Wyatt, M. Digby (Matthew Digby), Sir
Alphabet; Illumination of books and manuscripts; Initials
[105] The text of Heraclius is given not from the Le Bègue manuscript, but
from one less perfect, formerly at Cambridge, but now in the British
Museum, Egerton 840 A, in Raspe's work--"A Critical Essay on
Oil-painting." London, 1781.
[106] Muratori, "Antiq. Ital. Medii Ævi," p. 269.
[107] The title he himself gives to his work illustrates its comprehensive
character--"Theophili qui et Rugerus, Presbyteri et Monachi Libri
III. de diversis Artibus, seu diversarum Artium Schedula."
Translations, with excellent critical comments, have been made by the
Count de l'Escalopier into French, and by Mr. Robert Hendrie into
English. In the extracts here given I have followed the accurate text
of the last-named gentleman.
[108] I cannot take leave of this good old monk, the influence exercised by
whose writings during the whole of the Middle Ages is proved by the
numerous transcripts of them executed at different periods, still
preserved in most of the chief European libraries, without giving him
credit for a pure and liberal philanthropy worthy of imitation in all
ages. Nothing can be more dignified and noble than the words in which
he concludes the introduction to his work. After reciting the various
arts he has endeavoured to illustrate, and the sufferings and labour
through which the knowledge he desires to convey to others had been
acquired by himself, he winds up by saying:--
"When you shall have re-read this often, and have committed it to
your tenacious memory, you shall thus recompense me for this care of
instruction, that, as often as you shall successfully have made use
of my work, you pray for me for the pity of omnipotent God, who knows
that I have written these things which are here arranged, neither
through love of human approbation, nor through desire of temporal
reward, nor have I stolen anything precious or rare through envious
jealousy, nor have I kept back anything reserved for myself alone;
but, in augmentation of the honour and glory of His name, I have
consulted the progress and hastened to aid the necessities of many
men."
[109] It will be found given in extenso in the 32nd vol. of "The
Archæologia," pp. 183-244, with an elaborate letter from its
possessor.
[110] There is some confusion about this word, for it is used to denote
mixtures which would produce real rose-colour, light warm yellow, and
a perfect drab.
[111] That is, the mineral green with the vegetable madder.
[112] A beautiful example may be found in Dan Lydgate's legends of St.
Edmund and St. Fremund, MS. Harleian, 2278.
[113] "Materials for a History of Oil-painting," by Charles Lock Eastlake
(Lond. 1847), pp. 127, 128.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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