DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14714#0021
THE ILLUMINATED HOOK'S OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 9
natural forms was soon carried to its highest pitch, and illumi- of Anne of Brittany" is one of the earliest examples of this
nations were shortly produced in which all conventional orna- feeling of converting a picture into a border; but it is,
ment whatever was abandoned, and natural flowers and fruits perhaps, one of the most successful ones; tor the pictuie
ornamentally and yet architectonically treated, formed the only (enclosed in a simple gold band) is supposed to occupy
features of decoration. In the " Hours of Anne of Brittany" the whole page, leaving of course a proper margin whilst
this feeling was carried out in the most beautiful manner. a tablet is placed in the centre of the picture, also bor-
I have stated in reference to the borders of the Prayer- dered with gold, and this tablet receives the text ; care
book of Henry VII., that in the lower portion of the plants, being taken in designing the picture to keep all the essen-
where green would have predominated too strongly for the tial features of the composition outside of the space occu-
decorative purposes of the illuminator, that imaginary foliage pied by the tablet, thus producing at once a complete
of arbitrary design, both as to form and colour, was introduced, picture, and yet the effect of a border. As, for instance, in
with a view to restoring the balance of colour disturbed by a picture representing a landscape with figures, the figures
the richer tones of the flowering portion of the plant. In the occupy the bottom and part of the sides of the border,
" Hours of Anne of Brittany," the artist has struck out a much whilst the upper part of the sides, and top, are filled in with
more exquisite device for the same purpose. The lower trees, mountains, and sky; the middle distance of the picture
portions _ of the plants being studded with richly-coloured being, as it were, hidden by the centre tablet.
insects, in natural positions : a fluttering butterfly of daz-___
zling tints, here enriching a too soberly-toned portion of the
design ; and there, a gorgeous beetle, like a creeping jewel, TT T TT ATTN A TTONS IN CAMEE-GRIS, OF THE
giving more than the effect of a flower to some other part ILLUMlWAliuwo x^ '
where the predominance of the green would have been FIFTEENTH AND BEGINNING OF THE SIX-
monotonous. Our examples from this beautiful book are TEENTH CENTURY.
insufficient to convey an idea of the variety and splendour .^T„T„ ,
of its three or four hundred illuminated pages ; out they Example.—two pages from the dialogues of francis i.
will serve to illustrate sufficiently the principles of the style AND JULIUS CiESAR' B" M,> HARL-' bZ '
here alluded to. One of which, especially distinctive of the . . - , „„„„„ fvr.m f ho ninWues of
works of the end of the fifteenth' and beginning of the f ^tffito^M
wrl/Ce TS' I1" wt ekbK°raftely r;rght m £ bSS nt of the subject) onthe origin and
toned shadows by winch the objects, whether on a gold or ^ of executi muminations in cama'ieu or camee-gris,
a nchly-coloured ground, are made to stand out from it P . m ^ * yarieties „ sometimes termed. It
witti an effect sometimes almost deceptive. The high finish ?oubt, from a feeling that all the effects that could
"luisTll f° HClnbl'0Wn ShadTS t0 ' 7hW ^ obtohred by the arrangement of rich colours had been
tiouis ot Anne of Brittany, are quite remarkable features \ , , J , * A 0„,i ,.™ wnCi rrm
of that exquisite work. worked out, or abused; and novelty and repose was con-
c ™ 4.- • l- u * L r .1 seaucntlv sought m a dehcate monochrome treatment, llieie
Sometimes, in seeking after novelty, the artists of the bequeuuy i>uu8u <* ^ . mann„.
i r lv • ! i? , ii • , are manv examines of florid bordermers treated m tins manner,
beginning of the sixteenth century made the mam branch- are many wuunuiw u i g , • n;11(r f
work of their foliage form separate and symmetrical com- ™d alS° TJ^^t^ }^^^
partments, which were respectively filled with different the general effect, by means of a few objects nchly colouied,
colours. The famous Missal, by Hemling, now in the ^S"** OTr t™"^1** f^^SSflMi^. Urn mended
British Museum (No. 17,280), contains one or two rich For references to examples of this style, see the appeink d
examples of this style. Such were the leading styles that "st- _
distinguished the end of the fifteenth, and first half of the
sixteenth centuiy, and many modifications, and some distinct ITALIAN ILLUMINATIONS OF THE END OF THE
though inferior styles, existed, of which I have not taken T,T^rpi,x,ATrrTJ A1VTrk TjT7r,TXTXTTVr nv TITT? STX
note, and in fact which the extent and plan of the present FIFTEENTH AND BEGINNING OF THE S1X-
work would not admit of; but I may here mention that TEENTH CENTURIES.
thisperiod, especially-fiom^1480 to 1530 was the great period Examples.-A page from the ms. roman history in the
hrin?£2 7belllsh™ents m illumination; these features library of the arsenal, paris, and two pages and
being treated, especially in the German schools, with the a li0rder fr0m the ms illuminated by guilio clovio,
most elaborate design, and sometimes most splendid effect. IN THE SOANE MUSEUM.
IN either must 1 omit to mention a style which originated
in the beginning of the sixteenth century, which consisted In Italy, as in the North, backgrounds to the borders
of separate flowers strewed carelessly, but with some attention were gradually adopted towards the end of the fifteenth
to balance of effect, over a richly-coloured ground. Of this century, generally of gold, but sometimes, as in the Flemish
style our specimens from the calendar of the rich Missal, in and German examples, of rich colours. But still the pictu-
the Library of the Arsenal, are good examples. Other resque arrangement of the Flemish and German artists was
objects than flowers were soon introduced in borders of this rarely resorted to, the symmetry of the previous Italian styles
feeling, which became great favourites with the amateurs of being firmly adhered to as a general principle. The Arabesque
the day. The first features thus mingled with the flowers style, founded by Raphael upon the remains of Roman frescoes,
were single feathers, of rich colouring ; then birds' nests, was that principally followed, in various forms ; in some cases
birds, animals, and eventually, as the art declined, jewels, delicately slender in general treatment, in others, almost oyer-
and^ other objects of trivial and unartistic character. ' charged with richness. A magnificent specimen of a medium
For references to MSS. of the end of fifteenth and beginning feeling is our example from the MS. Roman history of the
of sixteenth century, see the appended list. Library of the Arsenal. But a distinct school was eventually
_ _ founded by Girolamo and Francesco dai Libri, and carried to
its utmost perfection by Giulio Clovio, in which the pure
PICTURE ROTmPU<s tjwtm^t^. ™, rrTTT, OTV Arabesque was nearly abandoned, and the borders were formed
iv.AUKJi BORDERS. BEGINNING 01 THE SIX- by elaborate comp0sitions of large allegorical figures, groups
TEENTH CENTURY. of armour and other trophies, imitations of engraved cameos,
Example.—x page from the " hours of anne of france " highly-wrought imitations of strings of pearls, detached gems of
in the bibliotheque nationale p\ris ' ricri colou1'' and otncr simllar objects. .These features were
rp , , . ' interspersed with medallion miniatures, armorial bearings, and
other stadni oegirmmg of the sixteenth century, amongst other extraneous materials; all,however,generally blended into
nnrmm-' !!mnkr- a novelty indicative of the period, that of a very harmonious and rich general composition. Our mag-
ncriiins one Effh** mt° thin Slips t0 form borders> was nificent specimens of two pages from the MS. illuminated
fWmi Kp rsn-ralWrf ^ rcmarkable. Our specimen page, by Giulio Clovio, in the Soane Museum, form fine exam-
r Tno-ement in n f.v i f Ann° °f France'" exhibits this of the style, though some of the smaller missals of the
borderS fi led hvT I*™?* : P8** of the later*l period exceed it in minute beauty of detail and richness
hrtte™2 JlP%tmmt> a"d SO SivinS the P^ture a of effect-that by Girolamo dai Libri, in the Bodleian Library,
ZdyZtrnW aUt>ttCd to Slower picture being perhaps the finest in existence, though the Clovio
some tho^irt,^ f. pr0Prh0n ^eeable. In MS. in the private Royal Library of the King of Naples has
wSt^erT WSJS?! * i rCacheS t0 th° toP' the reputation of surpassing every other production of the art
n1^7^£i JT/OI^i ^.Vrodndng an of illumination, but the jealous* care with which it is pre-
SKtTmTlf^ 5 °5,tJUSTCTlaSS 18 an otherwise served prevents the opportunity of even examining it at
*:^rfy£tlZ^ ^hfc^nd^fthe^r hl l™; much more of taking a copy of any of its reputed
m.ius caienaar ot tne 'Hours marvellous pages.
natural forms was soon carried to its highest pitch, and illumi- of Anne of Brittany" is one of the earliest examples of this
nations were shortly produced in which all conventional orna- feeling of converting a picture into a border; but it is,
ment whatever was abandoned, and natural flowers and fruits perhaps, one of the most successful ones; tor the pictuie
ornamentally and yet architectonically treated, formed the only (enclosed in a simple gold band) is supposed to occupy
features of decoration. In the " Hours of Anne of Brittany" the whole page, leaving of course a proper margin whilst
this feeling was carried out in the most beautiful manner. a tablet is placed in the centre of the picture, also bor-
I have stated in reference to the borders of the Prayer- dered with gold, and this tablet receives the text ; care
book of Henry VII., that in the lower portion of the plants, being taken in designing the picture to keep all the essen-
where green would have predominated too strongly for the tial features of the composition outside of the space occu-
decorative purposes of the illuminator, that imaginary foliage pied by the tablet, thus producing at once a complete
of arbitrary design, both as to form and colour, was introduced, picture, and yet the effect of a border. As, for instance, in
with a view to restoring the balance of colour disturbed by a picture representing a landscape with figures, the figures
the richer tones of the flowering portion of the plant. In the occupy the bottom and part of the sides of the border,
" Hours of Anne of Brittany," the artist has struck out a much whilst the upper part of the sides, and top, are filled in with
more exquisite device for the same purpose. The lower trees, mountains, and sky; the middle distance of the picture
portions _ of the plants being studded with richly-coloured being, as it were, hidden by the centre tablet.
insects, in natural positions : a fluttering butterfly of daz-___
zling tints, here enriching a too soberly-toned portion of the
design ; and there, a gorgeous beetle, like a creeping jewel, TT T TT ATTN A TTONS IN CAMEE-GRIS, OF THE
giving more than the effect of a flower to some other part ILLUMlWAliuwo x^ '
where the predominance of the green would have been FIFTEENTH AND BEGINNING OF THE SIX-
monotonous. Our examples from this beautiful book are TEENTH CENTURY.
insufficient to convey an idea of the variety and splendour .^T„T„ ,
of its three or four hundred illuminated pages ; out they Example.—two pages from the dialogues of francis i.
will serve to illustrate sufficiently the principles of the style AND JULIUS CiESAR' B" M,> HARL-' bZ '
here alluded to. One of which, especially distinctive of the . . - , „„„„„ fvr.m f ho ninWues of
works of the end of the fifteenth' and beginning of the f ^tffito^M
wrl/Ce TS' I1" wt ekbK°raftely r;rght m £ bSS nt of the subject) onthe origin and
toned shadows by winch the objects, whether on a gold or ^ of executi muminations in cama'ieu or camee-gris,
a nchly-coloured ground, are made to stand out from it P . m ^ * yarieties „ sometimes termed. It
witti an effect sometimes almost deceptive. The high finish ?oubt, from a feeling that all the effects that could
"luisTll f° HClnbl'0Wn ShadTS t0 ' 7hW ^ obtohred by the arrangement of rich colours had been
tiouis ot Anne of Brittany, are quite remarkable features \ , , J , * A 0„,i ,.™ wnCi rrm
of that exquisite work. worked out, or abused; and novelty and repose was con-
c ™ 4.- • l- u * L r .1 seaucntlv sought m a dehcate monochrome treatment, llieie
Sometimes, in seeking after novelty, the artists of the bequeuuy i>uu8u <* ^ . mann„.
i r lv • ! i? , ii • , are manv examines of florid bordermers treated m tins manner,
beginning of the sixteenth century made the mam branch- are many wuunuiw u i g , • n;11(r f
work of their foliage form separate and symmetrical com- ™d alS° TJ^^t^ }^^^
partments, which were respectively filled with different the general effect, by means of a few objects nchly colouied,
colours. The famous Missal, by Hemling, now in the ^S"** OTr t™"^1** f^^SSflMi^. Urn mended
British Museum (No. 17,280), contains one or two rich For references to examples of this style, see the appeink d
examples of this style. Such were the leading styles that "st- _
distinguished the end of the fifteenth, and first half of the
sixteenth centuiy, and many modifications, and some distinct ITALIAN ILLUMINATIONS OF THE END OF THE
though inferior styles, existed, of which I have not taken T,T^rpi,x,ATrrTJ A1VTrk TjT7r,TXTXTTVr nv TITT? STX
note, and in fact which the extent and plan of the present FIFTEENTH AND BEGINNING OF THE S1X-
work would not admit of; but I may here mention that TEENTH CENTURIES.
thisperiod, especially-fiom^1480 to 1530 was the great period Examples.-A page from the ms. roman history in the
hrin?£2 7belllsh™ents m illumination; these features library of the arsenal, paris, and two pages and
being treated, especially in the German schools, with the a li0rder fr0m the ms illuminated by guilio clovio,
most elaborate design, and sometimes most splendid effect. IN THE SOANE MUSEUM.
IN either must 1 omit to mention a style which originated
in the beginning of the sixteenth century, which consisted In Italy, as in the North, backgrounds to the borders
of separate flowers strewed carelessly, but with some attention were gradually adopted towards the end of the fifteenth
to balance of effect, over a richly-coloured ground. Of this century, generally of gold, but sometimes, as in the Flemish
style our specimens from the calendar of the rich Missal, in and German examples, of rich colours. But still the pictu-
the Library of the Arsenal, are good examples. Other resque arrangement of the Flemish and German artists was
objects than flowers were soon introduced in borders of this rarely resorted to, the symmetry of the previous Italian styles
feeling, which became great favourites with the amateurs of being firmly adhered to as a general principle. The Arabesque
the day. The first features thus mingled with the flowers style, founded by Raphael upon the remains of Roman frescoes,
were single feathers, of rich colouring ; then birds' nests, was that principally followed, in various forms ; in some cases
birds, animals, and eventually, as the art declined, jewels, delicately slender in general treatment, in others, almost oyer-
and^ other objects of trivial and unartistic character. ' charged with richness. A magnificent specimen of a medium
For references to MSS. of the end of fifteenth and beginning feeling is our example from the MS. Roman history of the
of sixteenth century, see the appended list. Library of the Arsenal. But a distinct school was eventually
_ _ founded by Girolamo and Francesco dai Libri, and carried to
its utmost perfection by Giulio Clovio, in which the pure
PICTURE ROTmPU<s tjwtm^t^. ™, rrTTT, OTV Arabesque was nearly abandoned, and the borders were formed
iv.AUKJi BORDERS. BEGINNING 01 THE SIX- by elaborate comp0sitions of large allegorical figures, groups
TEENTH CENTURY. of armour and other trophies, imitations of engraved cameos,
Example.—x page from the " hours of anne of france " highly-wrought imitations of strings of pearls, detached gems of
in the bibliotheque nationale p\ris ' ricri colou1'' and otncr simllar objects. .These features were
rp , , . ' interspersed with medallion miniatures, armorial bearings, and
other stadni oegirmmg of the sixteenth century, amongst other extraneous materials; all,however,generally blended into
nnrmm-' !!mnkr- a novelty indicative of the period, that of a very harmonious and rich general composition. Our mag-
ncriiins one Effh** mt° thin Slips t0 form borders> was nificent specimens of two pages from the MS. illuminated
fWmi Kp rsn-ralWrf ^ rcmarkable. Our specimen page, by Giulio Clovio, in the Soane Museum, form fine exam-
r Tno-ement in n f.v i f Ann° °f France'" exhibits this of the style, though some of the smaller missals of the
borderS fi led hvT I*™?* : P8** of the later*l period exceed it in minute beauty of detail and richness
hrtte™2 JlP%tmmt> a"d SO SivinS the P^ture a of effect-that by Girolamo dai Libri, in the Bodleian Library,
ZdyZtrnW aUt>ttCd to Slower picture being perhaps the finest in existence, though the Clovio
some tho^irt,^ f. pr0Prh0n ^eeable. In MS. in the private Royal Library of the King of Naples has
wSt^erT WSJS?! * i rCacheS t0 th° toP' the reputation of surpassing every other production of the art
n1^7^£i JT/OI^i ^.Vrodndng an of illumination, but the jealous* care with which it is pre-
SKtTmTlf^ 5 °5,tJUSTCTlaSS 18 an otherwise served prevents the opportunity of even examining it at
*:^rfy£tlZ^ ^hfc^nd^fthe^r hl l™; much more of taking a copy of any of its reputed
m.ius caienaar ot tne 'Hours marvellous pages.