The Art of Illumination

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36

THE ART AMATEUR.

THE ART OF ILLUMINATION.

II.
Illuminations of the twelfth century are more
easily distinguished than those of any other period.
Manuscripts of an immense size were then produced,
and the principal capital letters were frequently from
twelve to eighteen inches in length, and sometimes
longer, occupying, in fact, the greater part of the page
on which they appear. Simplicity, elegance, and ac-
curacy of drawing were their leading characteristics.
*They were usually formed of continuous or interlacing
bands, or scrolls, terminat-
ing in conventional foliage
and flowers, commonly pro-
ceeding from the mouth of
a dragon or oth-
er monster, and
sometimes from
a human mask.
Two distinct
modes of treat-
ment were em-
ployed on the
borders and in-
itial letters of
this time. In
the one, the out-
lines are all red,
and the details
rounded by fine
delicate lines of
the same color
the whole being
relieved by backgrounds of
blue, green, and yellow. The
letter H on this page is an

close of the century, in double columns, on vellum, in
the large characters which about that time began to be
used, and which form the link between the round open

INITIAL FROM A TWELFTH CENTURY MANUSCRIPT.

example of this style of art. In the other, these bands,
branches, and flowers were colored in gradations of
the richest tints, heightened on the outer 'edge with
pure white, and made distinct by a bold black outline.
The ground was sometimes formed of various colors
almost equally distributed, sometimes partially of gold,
and often wholly so. Occasionally the figure of the
prophet, apostle, or historian of the text following is
introduced, commonly having a scroll in his right hand
bearing an inscription. It is worthy of remark that the
figures introduced at this time into manuscripts show a
great advance over preceding ones, both in drawing
and coloring ; though still quaint in style, the heads are
remarkable for sincere and truthful expression, and the
draperies for the broad and simple arrangement of
their folds, and the sober and harmonious character of
the tints employed on them.

Among the present examples extant of twelfth century-
illumination are those contained in three enormous vol-
umes in the British Museum. The work is a Passion-
ale, or collection of lives of saints, written toward the

INITIAL FROM A TENTH CENTURY BIBLE PRESENTED TO CHARLES THE BOLD

etter of the preceding century and a half, and the square
or Gothic letter of a later period. From the great num-
ber of German saints introduced into these volumes and
from the legend of Count Ludovic,
inserted at the close of the second,
we may conclude that the work
was written for the monastery of
Arnstein, on the river Lahn, about
a mile above Coblentz, in which
monastic house, as appears by a
memorandum at the end of the
last volume, it was still preserved
in 1464.

An example of nearly the same
period and style as this Fassionale
is the copy of a Bible in the British
Museum, in the Vulgate version,
comprised in two very large folio
volumes, and written on vellum in
double columns. The illuminated
letters prefixed to each book are
more richly colored and more
highly finished than those found
in the former. Prefixed to the
first is the Epistle of Jerome to
Paulinus, with a full-length figure
of the writer sitting at a desk,
while a monk holds out an inkhorn
to him. In the first book of Kings
are also introduced interesting il-
lustrations of costume in the fig-
ures of Goliath in chain mail and
of Saul destroying himself. The
second volume commences with
the Psalter, the initial letter of which is magnificently
executed, and the New Testament is embellished with
figures of the Apostles.'

From the
end of this
century
books be-
came re-
duced in
size , and
their con-
tents exhib-
ited a simi-
lar diminu-
tion in all
their decora-
tive features.
The princi-
pal capital letters were commonly inclosed within
square frames, at the angles and along the sides of
which were frequently placed medallions, the one half

encroaching upon the border within, and the other on
the plain margin without. These medallions contained
figures of prophets, saints, minstrels playing on various
instruments, or other illustrations of the text to follow.
Between the outer ornamental border and the letter
the ground, of a dark color, usually blue, was elabo-
rately diapered. The letter itself was composed of the
most delicate and intricate interlacing of small bands of
light brown, green, and blue, alternately. These bands
commenced with the heads of snakes or fanciful rep-
tiles, from which small leaves occasionally projected,
and terminated in full bunches of foliage. Entangled
in these folds are found dogs, rabbits, squirrels, and
other animals, most carefully drawn and in every con-
ceivable attitude. These, like the figures in the medal-
lions, are on raised and burnished gold grounds. All
these details are surrounded by a clear
and intensely black outline, evidently
composed of lampblack and gum.

During the thirteenth century sever-
al important changes took place in the
art of illumination. In the beginning
of it, highly burnished gold, on raised
grounds, came into general use as the
backgrounds, both to figures and or-
naments, in lieu of the more simple
application of leaf gold, found in ear-
lier books. At the same time the deli-
cate material called uterine vellum be-
gan to be employed, and on its exqui-
sitely smooth and even surface the
scribes produced writing frequently so
minute that to decipher it the aid of a
glass becomes necessary. This writ-
ing was as remarkable for its beauty and accuracy as
for its microscopic character; another peculiarity in
the small figures found
in manuscripts in the
latter part of this and
during the following
century is the marvel-
lous fineness of the lines
by which the features of
the face are shown ; as
these are without any
gradation to indicate
light and shade, and, as
the faces are only slight-
ly tinted or left alto-
gether free from color,
they mark a distinct
style in art. These lines
are frequently drawn
with wonderful truth,
beauty, and propriety of
expression, while the
hair is varied with
stronger lines massed
in flowing curls. A very
bold and elegant style
of ornamentation, in the
fifteenth century, was
employed on the mar-
gins of manuscripts, in
which the foliage sur-
rounding them was
made to grow out of
the body of the capital
letter commencing the
text, or at the beginning
of a chapter in any part

oil

9 ^SL

COO

J*^

BORDER FROM A FIFTEENTH CENTURY MANUSCRIPT.

of the page. Decorations of this character are found
in perfection m English books. The letter R with text
on the opposite page, and the portion of a border on

THE ART AMATEUR.

37

page 36, are favorable examples of these peculiarities.
The letter and text are taken from a large folio Bible in
the British Museum, measuring twenty-four inches in
height by fourteen inches in width. It is profusely en-
riched with illuminations. The commencement of each
book has a marginal border, surrounding and dividing
the text into columns, and containing a large initial,
sometimes composed of foliage.

PRACTICAL HINTS FOR ILLUMINATORS.

II.

Nearly all the periods of illuminating were charac-
terized by peculiar styles of coloring. In many works
the colors are treated flat, with-
out any attempt to give a raised
effect. The ornaments
of this style are usu- I
ally executed on
the vellum alone,
without any
ground color. In
others, a relieved
effect is given to
the ornamental
details by shad-
ows. In illuminations
of this school, the en-
richments are gener-
ally worked upon aj
ground of gold or col- 1
or. In illuminations |
of the thirteenth, four-
teenth, and fifteenth
centuries, white line- j
work upon color was I
largely used. In the
party - colored initials
and ornaments of the
fourteenth century, a
white line generally
divided the colors,
which were at times
outlined with black.
Beautiful surface dec-
oration was executed
in white upon the
various rich ornaments
of the thirteenth cen-
tury and early four-
teenth.

In shading leaf-
work, the illuminator
must use the harmo- 1
nies ; such as the deep-
er tones of the color
employed to ground
the leaf, or those col-
ors nearest to it on the |
color circle. For in-
stance, if the leaf be
light blue, it should be
shaded with dark blue;
if normal blue, with
blue running to pur-
ple. If red, it should
be shaded with the
tones of crimson (red|
purple) running to!
purple as before. The
reverse side of the '
leaves, or turnovers,
should be colored with

the full contrasting color of the leaf proper. For in-
stance, if the leaf be blue, shaded with dark blue or
purple, the turnover should be orange, shaded with
scarlet running to crimson. Leaves may be lighted up
. with delicate hatchings in gold, white, or very light
colors. The deepest shadows may be executed with
hatching in black.

Blue, the primary of the first importance, should ever
be most largely used in all works of decorative art.
Its perfect contrasting color is orange ; and its most
perfect harmonies are those tones of itself produced
by its admixture with white or black.

Red, the second primary, has green for its contrasting
color ; and all the scales of oranges and crimsons for
its harmonies.

Yellow, the primary of most light and power, has

purple for its contrast, and the compounds of itself with
white, and the scale of oranges for its perfect harmonies.

These colors, therefore, cannot be used together in
juxtaposition with injurious effect.

Green, the contrasting color of red, should be spar-
ingly used in illuminating, being a lighting-up color. It
must never be employed for its own value, but only
from its power on other tints, which it lights up, or
gives vigor to. in an extraordinary degree.

Gold takes the place of yellow in the perfect group of
the three primaries with great success; and perhaps noth-
ing is more commonly seen in nearly all departments of
decorative art than the triplet — blue, red, and gold.

Gray may be introduced into almost any combination
of colors, and forms a beautiful harmony as-
sociated with brilliant hues of blue and crimson.

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ILLUMINATED PAGE FROM A FIFTEENTH CENTURY BIBLE IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM.

The student, while studying this department of art,
should experiment with numerous combinations of
colors, taking note of those which prove most pleasing
for future use. A collection of combinations of colors,
made and preserved in a small scrap book, would prove
of value for the sake of reference.

The student is recommended not to overdo his orna-
mental portions, for one is apt to think that the text is
secondary to the illumination, and not that the illumi-
nation is intended to decorate the text. A rather large
margin adds greatly to the beauty of the illumination,
and never fails to increase its effect and importance.

The initial letter should not be too large in itself or
in its detail, for it will outweigh the border and text :
this is to be avoided if possible.

The illuminators of old loved to expend their great-

est energies in the ornamentation of their initial letters ;
and we advise the student also to bestow great care
upon those he introduces into his illuminations. The
letters may be placed upon solid panels of gold or colors,
or surrounded with rich masses of delicate line work,
as may be observed in some fourteenth century MSS.

The letters themselves may be executed in various
ways. This depends greatly, of course, on the period
of illumination the student has selected to work after.
The thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth century
schools are the best adapted to modern use and require-
ments.

Miniature subjects, scroll and leaf-work, or diaper-
ing, may be used to fill up the centre of the initials. If
miniatures are anywhere introduced, they must have
immediate reference to the subject of the text.

There are several
ways in which a bor-
der may be composed :
it may be made to
entirely surround the
text, placed upon a
background of gold or
color ; it may extend
only round three or
two sides, or it may be
confined to one only.

Of all these, the
complete border is the
richest, and is the form
most generally to be
found in the MSS. of
the fourteenth cen-
tury.

All the lines em-
ployed in design must
be flowing and grace-
ful ; a great deal of
the beauty of an illu-
mination depends upon
this. Nothing is more
offensive to the eye
than a broken outline
or scroll.

The illuminator
must not overcrowd
his composition, for
he will gain little by
crowding ornament at
all. He must seek af-
ter repose, simplicity,
and elegance.

No ornament or de-
tail must be executed
carelessly ; each leaf
and bud, however
small or insignificant,
should be finished as
if it were the only or-
nament on the page.
The student need nev-
er hope to attain emi-
nence in his art unless
each thing he does is
done with his whole
might. One who
would become in
truth an illuminator
must not for one mo-
ment think that weeks
or months will termi-
nate his study. If it
did, the charm which
dwells with the art would be of short duration, instead
of increasing, as it ever does, day by day continually.
That person is no illuminator who for a time takes up
the instruments of the art, to execute a book-mark for
a friend, or to adorn some lady's album with gold and
color, and then consigns them to their case until some
like occasion prompts their use. How different is he,
the true illuminator, who toils, yet knows it not, day
after day, in every spare hour, and through the night
far into the hours of morning, for love of the art itself ;
who wanders abroad among the works of Nature that
he may derive new inspiration ; who bears home to his
quiet studio plants and flowers, and converts their
beautiful forms into the delicate designs which are to
adorn the labors of his hands, careless whether other
eyes see them or not ! Such a man has the true spirit.

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