As a special installment of our beloved Bindery workshops, our Director of Development Jen Comer and Director of Conservation James Davis have collaborated to invite you for an exploration of the early 5th-century history of illuminated manuscripts and the traditional materials that were used to create them. During the session, you will “walk” the Silk Road, an ancient trade network, that played a pivotal role in shaping world history by facilitating the exchange of not just goods, but also ideas, cultures, and religions between East and West, significantly impacting the development of civilizations across Eurasia. Participants will explore the traditions of the medieval scribes’ workshop and reenact ancient artists’ techniques while using traditional tools and materials that facilitated the exchange of literary traditions around the world. This class is for anyone interested in a hands-on experience making an illuminated page of their own.
About Illuminated Manuscripts:
Illuminated manuscripts are hand-written books with painted decoration that generally includes precious metals such as gold or silver. The pages were made from animal skin, commonly calf, sheep, or goat. Illuminated manuscripts were produced between 1100 and 1600, with monasteries as their earliest creators. Wealthy patrons also wanted these illustrative works for personal libraries and encouraged the formation of private workshops that flourished in French and Italian cities between the 13th and 15th centuries. The decline of the illuminated manuscript tradition coincided with the ability to mass produce printed text and the increasing numbers of literate people who wanted secular as well as religious books. Illuminated manuscripts were created in various sizes depending on their intended use. The choir pages, below left, were large so that a group could simultaneously view the pages from a distance. The palm-sized prayer book, below right, was produced for a wealthy patron to use for personal worship.
