The Cambridge Illuminations: Ten Centuries of Book Production in the Medieval West

by S. Panayotova (Editor)

If you have only the slightest of interest in the decoration of Medieval Manuscripts you should be planning a visit to Cambridge before the end of the year; actually before December 11th, for that is when this most fantastic of exhibitions closes. Prompted perhaps by the recent acquisition of the newly discovered Macclesfield Psalter, the University has assembled the best of its manuscripts and those of its colleges in a double exhibition, partly in the Fitzwilliam Museum and partly in the University Library. There, in suitably subdued lighting, the Illuminations of the Middle Ages shine brightly forth - the skilful handiwork of master craftsmen-artists spanning a thousand years. The manuscripts range from the Gospels that Augustine brought with him to Canterbury at the end of the sixth century to the letters patent, writs and charters issued to the University and its Colleges by the later Medieval and Tudor monarchs. It is a breathtaking collection. The manuscripts and the catalogue are cleverly arranged thematically according to their contents and The Coming of Christianity, The Bible and its Study, Liturgy and the Offices, Private Devotion, Humanistic manuscripts, and so on, and chronologically within each section. What do I mention next? Will my favourites be yours? The vivid coloured drawings in the Eadwine Psalter, the intense blues and greens of the Bury Bible, countless lively and intricate miniatures in Books of Hours and Psalters, many with floriated backgrounds to inspire William Morris, or Athelstan presenting a book to Saint Cuthbert; and there are musical and scientific and zoological illuminations; and a fine picture of Tully; and, of course, the Macclesfield Psalter itself. The Macclesfield Psalter is Cambridge's latest spectacular acquisition; and it has a room to itself. Described as "the most important medieval illuminated manuscript found in Britain in living memory" it was written and illuminated in East Anglia about 1330. Its illumination is a combination of refined beauty and ribald humour, all depicted in glowing gold and rare pigments. The Psalter has been taken apart which allows the leaves to be displayed separately, and a large number of illuminations to be viewed in the exhibition hence the gallery to itself. It is a once-in-lifetime opportunity to see so much of this spectacular manuscript at one time. This catalogue is filled with authoritative descriptions by Paul Binski, Rosamund McKitterick, Teresa Webber, Nigel Morgan, Jonathan Alexander, Christopher de Hamel, Nicolas Rogers and Stella Panayotova.

415 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2005

Reviews

[Gille Liath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Books like this are about the pictures: nobody needs swathes of text describing the manuscripts unless they are a specialist academic. And in this case, there are many pictures, and they're in colour, but they're small - to make room for the aforementioned unnecessary text. So it's a missed opportunity.

I can recommend 2 better books in this line:
The Illuminated Manuscript - Jane Backhouse (Phaidon)
The Art of the Bible - McKendrick & Doyle (Thames & Hudson) - expensive but it is very good.