Before the invention of the printing press, books were copied by hand one at a time by illuminators, and the vellum was often embellished with beautiful calligraphy and intricate patterns and designs.
Using your course textbook locate three examples of illuminated manuscripts from the early Middle Ages. Read about each one in your textbook, course lectures, and through reliable internet resources
First, completely identify each manuscript and/or manuscript page by title, date, and location where it was created.
In a minimum of 2 well-developed paragraphs address the following questions:
- Who commissioned the creation of the manuscript? Why?
- What was the purpose of the manuscript?
- How do the visual characteristics of each manuscript contribute to or enhance its message or meaning?
- How do the reasons these manuscripts were created compare with religious texts created today?
