HISTORY OF ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS

by Christopher PHAIDON

A History of Illuminated Manuscripts

Genres: Art, History, Nonfiction, Medieval, Art History, Books About Books, Reference

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Stephen Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Text was a little scattershot, but the images were fantastic and the arrangements made sense. Not necessarily a great "history of", but still an excellent book about illuminated manuscripts.

[Moses · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most beautiful and fascinating books I have ever opened. It is the best "book about books" I have ever read.

[Terence Gallagher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book, with many high-quality reproductions. (The main interest of the book is definitely illumination, not script.) The book's strength is the images, but the text is also well-presented. It's arranged in a way I have ever seen before, according to the use of the manuscripts (i.e. Books for Missionaries, Books for Emperors, Monks, Students, Aristocrats, Everybody, Priests, Collectors). It's an effective organization and the author writes with a lucid style unusual in paleographic texts.

So why the middling "grade?" For the first chapter, Books for Missionaries, dealing with insular manuscripts. The author doesn't simply (largely) ignore the Irish contribution, but goes out of his way to sneer at the Irish culture of the time, contrasting it with the "supremely civilized" Saxons. No mention of the fact that many of those Saxons were taught by Irish, nor of Irish missionary achievement, classical learning, philosophy etc. This is spin, not history. I first ran into the attitude, and the pretended confusion about the origin of the Book of Kells, taking paleography in Toronto thirty years ago, but the author raises it to a new level. Worse, he saves special contempt for St. Columba, "the most interesting man in the world" at the time.

If that sort of thing doesn't bother you, the book is a solid four stars.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely one of the best books that I have ever "had" to read. It is big, bold, colorful, and littered with over 200 scans and photos of beautiful manuscripts.

This book has the power to appeal to a wide variety of readers: lovers of history, art, literature, and books. It is, without a doubt, an all-encompassing book for myself, as its subject is aimed at almost everything that I love.

Whole-heartedly recommend.

[Mark Bowden · Rating 4 out of 5]

A masterly and entertaining account, particularly interesting on the making and distribution of manuscript books throughout the long Middle Ages. I learnt a great deal.
I have a few minor reservations because de Hamel, while he has an encyclopaedic knowledge of manuscripts, is a bit vague on some other areas of medieval studies. For instance, his claim that 'more books survive than any other artefact from the Middle Ages' (7) is not quantified except for an assertion that hundreds of thousands exist; I would think that examples of medieval carved stonework in existing buildings and in museums and museum stores must rival this. In any case, is he counting complete MSS only or is he including fragments, in which case one could say that medieval pottery sherds survive in their millions? Speaking of pottery, the author's statement that 'a pottery jug ... could often have been made almost anywhere in Europe' (164) shows a lack of appreciation of archaeology; most pot sherds can be assigned to a region or an actual place of manufacture and can usually be fairly accurately dated. Even more curious is the claim that a monumental Roman inscription carved on stone is 'as near to an original Roman manuscript as anyone can hope to find' (242) in a book published 13 years after the first finding of the Vindolanda tablets.
There are other minor lapses. It was not the Greeks who brought the wooden horse into Troy, it was the Trojans (150). However, such small matters aside, this is an excellent and very readable book.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful, just like everything Christopher de Hamel writes. Some of the material is more attractively published in Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts, but on the other hand this book is larger, so the photographs can be larger, even if the production quality of the book is not as winsome. The focus is on illumination but there is still plenty of interesting info about history and scripts.

[Bridgette MacLean · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good resource book if you like medieval illumination. I am not a scholar of the field so I do not think I can address it with a better critique.

[Sarah Meehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Fascinating and loved the mix of detail on the manuscripts and the libraries. Buy the hardback with the colour plates.

[Robbin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using this text as inspiration for learning black letter. Amazing what people could do by hand.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read three chapters (Books for Missionaries, Books for Monks, Books for Priests) for my MA essay on mise-en-page for Liturgical Manuscripts c.750-1500

[Lulu]

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

(Check style of art for each eg. Carolingian , Byzantine)

• late 4th https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu_Ka...

• 4th c. 400 Vergilius Vaticanus CE https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

• 5th Vergilius Romanus https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• 5th Ambrosian Iliad https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• Garima 2, the earlier of the two, is believed to be the earliest surviving complete illuminated Christian manuscript.[1][2] Monastic tradition holds that they were composed close to the year 500,[1] a date supported by recent radiocarbon analysis; samples from Garima 2 proposed a date of c. 390–570 https://w3id.org/vhmml/readingRoom/vi...

• early 6th Vienna Genesis https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• Early or mid 6th Codex Purpureus Rossanensis https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• 586 CE Syriac Rabbula Gospels

• Late 6th - Early 7th Ashburnham Pentateuch https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• c. 700 Lindisfarne Gospels https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• mid 8th kako genzai inga kyo earliest japanese illustrated handscroll

• 782 Godescalc Evangelistary https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• 9th c. 800 book of kells https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• c. 800 Coronation Gospels of the Holy Roman Empire https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

https://www.facsimilefinder.com/brows...

• First quarter of the 9th Apocalypse of Valenciennes https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• 820-30 stuttgart psalter https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

• c. 825 Vatican Terence https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• c. 825-50 Bern Physiologus It is believed to be a copy of a 5th-century manuscript. one of the oldest extant illustrated copies of the Physiologus.

• 9th Metz Codex https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• c. 850-1000 and generally dated to the first half of the tenth https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

https://www.facsimilefinder.com/brows...

• c. 950 Beatus of Liébana - Escorial Codex https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• last quarter 10th Beatus of Liébana - Codex Urgellensis https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• 989 Codex Etschmiadzin https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

https://www.facsimilefinder.com/brows...

• 11th palm leaf http://library.yale-nus.edu.sg/wp-con...
https://www.scribd.com/document/40331... (pay)

• silos codex 1109 https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• 1168-1185 Hortus deliciarum https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hortu...

• 1198 Kitab al-Diryaq https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

https://www.facsimilefinder.com/brows...

https://www.facsimilefinder.com/brows...


• 1424 Fulgentius metaforalis, Pal Lat 1066 https://heidicon.ub.uni-heidelberg.de...

• early 15th https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• 16th armenian Bible https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsi...

• 1721 Walters Ms. W.666. copy of the Hamse (quintet) of Nev'îzâde Atâyî (d. 1635) https://www.thedigitalwalters.org/Dat... this work contains multiple homosexual stories with illustrations.
Another Ms of same book c. 1738/9 British Library, Or. 13882 (you can see a very explicit picture in Eros and sexuality in Islamic art https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...)

• 18th British Library, Add. MS 25724 https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/me...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christopher De Hamel's "A History of Illuminated Manuscripts" (now in its second edition) is certainly the definitive history for lay readers, but it is probably the best starting place for aspiring professionals as well. It is well-written, faultlessly researched, and copiously illustrated. I happily use it in my university course on illuminated manuscripts together with Ingo Walther's "Masterpieces of Illumination" (published by Taschen)--in my opinion, the perfect companion piece.

The second edition of De Hamel's book is structured as was the first: an informative introduction is followed by chapters which divide and discuss the manuscripts according to their intended users (missionaries, emperors, monks, students, aristocrats, everybody, priests, and collectors); an extended bibliography precedes several useful indexes. This Phaidon paperback edition is a beautiful book, with a white paper cover adorned with a full-color dust-jacket. Many new illustrations have been added, and there are many more color illustrations than there were in the first edition. More importantly, the text has been updated to reflect ongoing research in the field.

My only complaint about this edition is that many of the important full-color and full-page illustrations in the first edition (to which I often referred in my classes) have either been reduced in size or eliminated entirely in the new edition. There are also significant (and inexplicable) differences in the color reproduction of illuminations between the first (David R. Godine, Publisher) edition and this second (Phaidon Press) edition--sometimes the differences are so radical that only a close inspection (or a familiarity with the actual documents) reveals they are photographs of the same manuscript. And since many of these manuscripts are from private collections (to which Mr. De Hamel apparently gained access by reputation or through associations established during his tenure at Sotheby's), it would be impossible for most readers to know which of the differing reproductions are the more accurate. My own experience would suggest that not all the changes in the new Phaidon edition are indeed improvements.

Publishing faults aside, this is a fine book by a scholar with impeccable credentials and a gift for clarity and sensibility in his writing. I highly recommend it.

[ClareT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic - informative, interesting, well written absolutely loved it. So much information, ordered approximately chronologically with wonderful example illustrations. I'll have to read it again because there is so much I missed on the first read.

[Steve Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very useful book for understanding the history, development and production of illuminated books. me reviewers find the words inadequate. Not this user, who found cause to refer to it again and again. It is clear that Christopher de Hamel has a deep and broad understanding of his subject, yet he manages to write in a way that elucidates his subject.

Mr. de Hamel's work contributed greatly to my understanding of illuminated manuscripts and the writing of BOOK OF HOURS: THE BEGUILEMENT OF BROTHER ALPHAIOS. "Book of Hours" is based on the recreation of a severely damaged, long lost illuminated manuscript, now intended as a gift for a new pope. Brother Alphaios, master illuminator and cloistered monk, both traces the origins of the book and encounters life outside the monastery for the first time in his adult life. Coming in the winter of 2013.

J.S. Anderson

[Katya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might seem like a niche-interest esoteric read, but I think it's actually quite contemporary. Living in a digital age when we are witnessing physical print become obsolete before our eyes (folding and bankruptcy of newspaper bureaus, development of digital book readers), it is particularly interesting to think about how people read, how books were created and why, before the advent of printing even began with gutenberg. A truly rich and wondrous introduction to the book as object.

also the photos are really really really pretty

[David Lafferty · Rating 5 out of 5]

While in Rome last year I saw many incredible examples of Illuminated manuscripts, I wish I had taken this book! This is a gorgeous book, but also a comprehensive and fascinating look at Illuminated manuscripts. This is arguably my favorite art book. Beautiful color plates as well as very readable text for the reader like myself, who loves all things medieval, but is far from an art scholar. Highly recommended!

ps. If you love Italy take a look at the Goodreads group "All Things Italy"

grazie!

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lovingly written and lavishly illustrated history of medieval manuscripts. The work is detailed and scholarly referencing hundreds of books through this work. For the casual reader like me this may be a little tedious but for the person who has interest in this subject this is a great book.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a book I would ordinarily read but it is on the reading list for fabulous recent course I took at the Morgan Library "Introduction to Illustrated Medieval Manuscripts." It was perfect background for that. Of course reading about these great treasures is a pleasure, second only to actually seeing them!

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a class from him over the summer. He worked for Christies and is now at Cambridge. He is one of the world's leading experts on Medieval Manuscripts and I believe it! He can look at a manuscript and instantly date it, localize it, and perhaps even tell you the artist. AMAZING!

[Sarah Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a very pretty book but the writing is basic. If you already have a basic introduction to medieval manuscripts and the time period, go onto something a bit more in-depth.

And by that I mean, read everything else Christopher de Hamel has ever written.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The words are sort of only so-so which, of course, is precisely not the point. Lovely, and the editor gets lots of points for making it a big book so that you can see all the fantastically intricate detail.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful, well-written book belongs on the shelf of anyone who loves calligraphy, illumination, or typography. I read it through some time ago, but return to browse or study models when working on a project of my own.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is informative and has beautiful illustrations of illuminated manuscripts. A must for anyone interested in the subject.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author knows his stuff. A must for anyone interested in this subject.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a grand introduction to the world of illuminated manuscripts. There are plenty of color photographs, and the history is enjoyably written. It has a nice balance of text and photos.

[CR Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Consulted this one when researching for a project...

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're into this kind of stuff...BEAUTIFUL!!!

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of data, but a helpful resource.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. Could have been more compelling, but definitely not bad.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put this book down!!! Exquisite!!