5/2/2023 0 Comments Illuminated manuscript![]() If the manuscript was very large, it could take dozens of pelts to produce enough parchment. In those days, there were no standard sizes for books, so each manuscript would need uniquely sized sheets. By expanding and thinning the leather, the workers would increase the surface area so as to produce a larger piece of parchment.Įach piece of parchment needed to be cut to size to fit each manuscript. Then it had to be stretched and scraped for days. Skins were soaked in a solution to loosen the hair. Unlike modern wood-based papers, parchment was crafted from animal skins. The work began with making the parchment. Depending on the size and number of illuminations, a single manuscript could take several years to complete. To say that the job was labor intensive is an understatement. In today’s video, we see the process of making an illuminated manuscript from start to finish. These illuminations served the same function as stained-glass images, which retold the stories of the saints and the Gospels in a wordless format. The tradition was especially popular in the Church, which sought to educate the illiterate. The illuminations were colorful and often beautifully designed artistic representations of the texts. The term “illuminated manuscript” refers to the medieval tradition of illustrated literature. Thanks to the Getty Museum’s beautifully produced video, now we can see the extent mankind once went to in order to create just one single copy of a book. The rich tradition of handcrafting illuminated manuscripts went out centuries ago, but the process has been immortalized on YouTube. ![]() The task was slow and demanding, but you can't argue with the results.
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