VERSALS.—A very narrow type is used in the narrow margins: the example shown is in red, flourished blue; it begins the second chapter (Et angelo ephesi,
c.), which is also marked by coloured Roman Numerals at the side (II). The page heading is “APOCA” in small red and blue Versals.
THE ILLUMINATED INITIAL is “historiated”—i.e. it contains a picture illustrating the text, viz. a representation of S. John writing to the Seven Churches—purely conventional forms, or rather symbols, for the most part, are used and beautifully fitted into the available space. The greater size and more careful drawing of the human figure (the centre of interest) is characteristic of a fine convention. The slope of the vellum page on which S. John is writing, and even the manner in which the quill is held, are such as would naturally be employed by a scribe (see frontispiece, & p. [67]). [p424]
The capitals of the pillars mark the position of the cross-bar of A. The top serif is carried up and forms a bud, which gives rise to leaf-like flourishes; the free thin stem runs down forming a grotesque, which gives out a leaf-like tongue. In either case the object—in every sense recreative—is a renewal of interest in the designed, elongated, growth of the forms.
Note the curved thickening of A’s left stem ends nearly level with the foot of the right stem. This gives balance to the letter (see R, fig. [81] & A, fig. [189]), and preserves the essential form, which suffers no distortion by the thinner continuation below.
Note the balancing of the background mass on the straight and curved sides of the Initial (as in [Plate XII.], see above); also the extension and shape of the background accompanying the drawn out parts of the letter.
| COLOURS of Initial— | |
|---|---|
| Right stem: | red with white lines and patterns. |
| Left stem and serif: | blue with white lines and patterns. |
| L. stem, lower half, & dragon: | pale “lake.” |
| The background (counter-charged) | |
| outer: | pale “lake.” |
| inner: | blue. |
| lower extension: | blue. |
| final flourish: | pale “lake.” |
| Band (dark) down left side, dragon’s wings, 6 “berries,” halo, seat, tops of pillar caps: | burnished gold. |
| Leaves (dark) & pillar caps: | red. |
| Small stems & leaves: | green. |
Here again no natural work would come of a modern attempt to imitate so complex a “design”—natural and even inevitable 600 years ago. But the spirit of delicacy and fantasy, the ingenious contrivance, and the balancing and disposal of form and colour shown by the antique art, may well be matter for imitation by the modern draughtsman-illuminator, and even by the mere penman.
[132] The Apocalypse here begins “