“The pen . . . is not only the great instrument for the finest sketching, but its right use is the foundation of the art of illumination. . . . Perfect illumination is only writing made lovely; . . . But to make writing itself beautiful—to make the sweep of the pen lovely—is the true art of illumination;” And also that those who have acquired “a habit of deliberate, legible and lovely penmanship in their daily use of the pen, . . . may next discipline their hands into the control of lines of any length, and, finally, add the beauty of colour and form to the flowing of these perfect lines.” [p205]
LINE-FINISHINGS
Line-finishings are used to preserve the evenness of the text when lines of writing fall short. When the space left is small, or occurs in the middle of a sentence, a quick stroke of the pen—often a continuation of the last letter, or springing from it—is sufficient (fig. [125]); but where there are many and long gaps (as, for example, in a psalter at the ends of the verses), they may be filled in with dots (see [Plate VIII.]) or flourishes (a, b, c, fig. [126]) either made in black with the script pen, or with another pen, in colour or gold.
Line-finishings commonly echo the treatment of the initials (see p. [181]). In twelfth-century MSS. long delicate flourishes are commonly found, in red, blue, or green—matching the colours of the Versals, and probably made with the same pen. The latter being rather finer than the text pen keeps these flourishes from appearing too prominent (see e, f, fig. [126]).
Such work should be simple and characteristic pen-work, showing the thicks and thins and crisp curves, the result of the position of the pen, which is usually “slanted” (see p. [43]).
Bands of pen-made “geometrical” patterns—used with rather close writing—may be very simple and direct, though appearing pleasantly elaborate (see figs. [87] and (g) [126], [Plate XIV.], and pp. [215] & [25]).
INITIAL LETTERS
(See also pp. [16], [48], [112]–[14], [124], [134], [181], [188]–[193], [193]–[99], [211]–[15], and the Collotype Plates)
The development of Illumination proper was—and still is—bound up with the growth and decoration of the Initial Letter.
