#medieval illumination

[roach-works]

the 50$ sword i got from a shady flea market was diagnosed to be a wall-hanger rather than a prop so i spent today making it the prettiest wall-hanger in the land

[cuties-in-codices]

an unpleasant awakening

in a copy of konrad von würzburg's "trojanerkrieg", ca. 1441

source: Nürnberg, GNM, Hs. 998, fol. 15r

[ela-draws]

Maedhros did deeds of surpassing valour, and the Orcs fled before his face; for since his torment upon Thangorodrim his spirit burned like a white fire within, and he was as one that returns from the dead. Thus the great fortress upon the Hill of Himring could not be taken, and many of the most valiant that remained, both of the people of Dorthonion and of the east marches, rallied there to Maedhros; and for a while he closed once more the Pass of Aglon, so that the Orcs could not enter Beleriand by that road.

✴️

Ink, Japanese watercolors, home made gold watercolor

[cryptixotic]

✣ 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖆𝖑𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖒𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖘 ✣

[lunarsigilart]

My illustration in the style of a medieval tapestry

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Illuminated Manuscripts

“Christ Kneeling in Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemene” (c. 1475 France, Loire Valley)

Illuminated manuscripts embody the extraordinary union of beauty and knowledge.

Though the art of making them disappeared with the advent of the printing press, the most spectacular manuscripts survived the ages.

Here are 8 masterworks of medieval illumination: 🧵

1. The Morgan Crusader Bible, 13th century

Commissioned by French King Louis IX, the Morgan Crusader Bible depicts events from the Hebrew Bible set in the scenery and attire of 13th-century France — it puts a medieval twist on Old Testament stories.

Consisting of 46 folios, the manuscript displays illustrations accompanied by text written in either Latin, Persian, Arabic, or Hebrew.

The vivid colors and attention to detail make it one of the most popular illuminated manuscripts.

2. The Black Hours, 15th century

The Black Hours is a book of hours (a type of prayer book) created in Bruges, Belgium.

The style is in imitation of Wilhelm Vrelant, the most popular illuminator of the period and constructed of vellum (calfskin) that’s been dyed pitch black.

Gold and blue paint overlay the dark background to create an almost otherworldly look.

Written in silver and gold ink, the text lists the prayers to be said while depictions of Bible stories aid the reader in meditation.

3. Book of Kells, 9th century

Among the most iconic medieval manuscripts is the Book of Kells.

Created in a Columban monastery, the text is the pinnacle of early medieval calligraphy and illumination.

The graphics are a blend of insular art (the post-Roman era style of art popular in Irish monasteries) and traditional Christian iconography.

Plants, animals, Celtic knots, and biblical figures decorate the 680 page volume to tell the story of Jesus’ life.

4. Codex Argenteus, 6th century

Latin for “Silver Book,” the Codex Argenteus contains the four gospels written in Gothic, making it one of the world’s foremost sources for the now-extinct language.

The book was likely written as a gift for Ostrogothic king, Theodoric the Great.

The work is particularly striking due to its purple-stained vellum pages, metallic ink, and silver binding. Looks almost Tolkienesque…

5. Acre Bible, 13th Century

Another work commissioned by Louis IX, the Acre Bible was compiled shortly after the king’s release from captivity during the disastrous 7th crusade.

Upon returning to France, he deposited the masterwork in his newly built Sainte-Chapelle library.

It contains 19 books of the Old Testament, and its illustrations are considered masterpieces of crusader art.

6. The Aberdeen Bestiary, 12-13th century

A bestiary is essentially an encyclopedia of animals and mythical beasts.

They gained popularity throughout the Middle Ages as readers could learn about exotic animals or mythical creatures.

This one was owned by Henry VIII and features a retelling of the Genesis creation story with fantastical images of creatures both real and imagined.

7. The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry, 15th century

The best surviving example of the International Gothic style of illumination, it’s one of the most lavishly designed late-medieval manuscripts and contains well over 100 illustrations.

Despite beautiful scenes covering most of its pages, the work didn’t shy away from darker imagery.

8. The Berthold Sacramentary, 13th century

Commissioned by the abbot of Weingarten Abbey, this manuscript is a form of missal called a sacramentary used by priests for liturgical services.

A sacramentary gives the priest's readings and prayers for the Mass. This one is a paragon of Romanesque art.

[doodling-gods]

a medieval character commission for the character Cookie the Wyrm.

Co-Fi | Patreon | Twitter | Youtube | Trello

[blackcrowing]

magnificent

there should be plushies of the strange but endearing creatures that live in medieval texts margins

[389]

12 Days of Medieval Illuminations. Today, 11 medieval suns. (Getty Museum)

[fox-teeth]

Preview of Basilisk, my personal favorite of my risograph comics, and the project all my other recent medieval-inspired art descends from.

Styled after medieval illuminated manuscripts and printed using a custom color palette requiring 5 risograph inks (including metallic gold), Basilisk asks the question: what would drive a teenage girl to create a monster?

Physical copies available here. To brag for a moment--this is my masterwork of riso printing and is even more impressive in person.

[eethok]

Fun fact but according to historians, tamagotchi were a popular commodity for noble ladies in the 14th century

[orwellsunderpants]

[image description: drawing in color of a villain-unmasking scene from the cartoon Scooby-Doo, drawn in the style of a medieval illumination. All the characters are wearing clothing of the same color they wear in the show, but it's medieval style, and their hairdos are also in the style found in medieval illuminations. The background is dark blue with gold eight-pointed stars. From left to right are Shaggy, Daphne, Velma, and Fred, with Scooby in front of them. Fred has just pulled the monster mask off the villain, who sits on the ground tied up. The villain has long grey hair and a beard, and is wearing a costume with a dark bodysuit and wolf's tail and chicken legs and feet. On the right stands a person dressed like a bishop with miter and crozier. /end description]

Medieval Scooby

[cuties-in-codices]

monks, angel, devils, and a chair

in a miscellany manuscript, alsace, ca. 1430

source: Paris, BNF, ms. allem. 222, fol. 120r-122r

[ela-draws]

Mentelossë medieval style <3

[spleenomane]

Currently obsessed with these naturalistic illuminations from a manuscript of De Proprietatibus Rerum (1447, Bibliothèque d'Amiens, ms. 399). I just know that whoever commisioned this must have hired the nearest artist with an insane obsession for birds before proper birdwatching was even a thing. They hired the nearest De arte venandi cum avibus fanboy.

Like, the fact that despite the stylized drawings you can clearly tell that these are a corvus corax, a corvus cornix?! Hello?!?!

I love you, unknown french artist from the 15th century.

[lucybellwood]

hi sorry s'cuse me but were NONE OF YOU GOING TO TELL ME ABOUT BLACK BOOKS OF HOURS???

LOOK AT THIS MAGNIFICENT GOTH-ASS SHIT

EGADDDDDDD

THE IRON-COPPER SOLUTION USED TO DYE THE PAGES WAS SO CORROSIVE THAT THERE ARE VERY FEW SURVIVING EXAMPLES

THESE BOOKS WERE LITERALLY TOO METAL TO LIVE

i can't