Introduction to Medieval Manuscript Studies 2/5

efore we can continue to the more popular parts of medieval manuscript study, Dr. Sanchez-Prieto defines some necessary terms.  Illuminated manuscripts are not just the million-dollar peacocks we see in museums, but any text that bears complementary artwork, even something as simple as colored initials.  Illuminated manuscripts will often - but not exclusively - have gold or silver leaf added.  Codices purpurei (such as those from the Carolingian, Ottonian, and 15th c W. Europe Renaissance) consist of gold or silver gilded letters on purple parchment.  

Many medieval manuscripts were quite decorated; usually the more intricate, the manuscript was to be used in an ecclesiastical setting.  Decorations ran the gamut, however, and it was not unusual for even private psalters to be lushly illustrated.  Manuscripts without decorations of any kind may indicate that the work was unfinished and/or it was a personal copy.

In my quest to find the illuminated B to start this post with, I came across this cool gif on the illuminated manuscript wiki:

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminated_manuscript

ILLUMINATION EXECUTION I. Graphite powder dots create the outline II. Silverpoint drawings are sketched III. Illustration is retraced with ink IV. The surface is prepared for the application of gold leaf V. Gold leaf is laid down VI. Gold leaf is burnished to make it glossy and reflective VII. Decorative impressions are made to adhere the leaf VIII. Base colors are applied IX. Darker tones are used to give volume X. Further details are drawn XI. Lighter colors are used to add particulars XII. Ink borders are traced to finalize the illumination

Dr. Sanchez-Prieto continues with more vocabulary that one must master to discuss this topic intelligently.  Illustration, which is a depiction of scenes, people, or objects is a type of illumination and it depicts or teaches something about the text.  Ornamentations are decorative elements that generally don't have much bearing on the content of the text.  Miniatures are not technically tiny paintings, but instead illuminations using minium, or red lead, as a pigment.  This pigment was the 2nd most common after black.  Illumination as a term wasn't found before the 12th c. Europe.  Prior to that time, historiares provided images that explained or depicted the text's contents. 

For the sake of this MOOC, however, Sanchez-Prieto is calling illumination "an ensemble of decorative elements in a manuscript" which compasses both illustration and ornamentation.