It is the object of this little work to supply this deficiency, to place within every one’s reach just the sort of information and instruction which a master might be supposed to give his pupil, and to enable persons with a taste for illuminating to answer for themselves the universally-asked question, “How am I to set about it?”
What illumination really is, or rather what is and what is not illumination, in the strict sense of the word, it is not so easy to define as might be supposed. Define it as ornamental letter writing; but every ornamental letter is not necessarily an illuminated one—witness our shop fronts for instance. Illumination is extending, it is true, to them, and has been employed in some instances with marked success: but a mere tyro can select two specimens, and say without a moment’s hesitation which is and which is not illumination, and yet it would puzzle an experienced illuminator to define logically the difference. It is not however so material to hunt for definitions, as by acquaintance and experience to acquire such a general knowledge of its leading characteristics as will enable the mind to arrive at that by instinct, which it is difficult to do by definition. For most purposes it may perhaps suffice to define it as a peculiar system of ornamenting manuscript or letterpress, which leaves the body of the matter intact, or only fills up the hiatus at the ends of paragraphs, bestows on the initial letter or letters an ornamentation more or less elaborate and profuse, extends that ornamentation along the top and down the left side of the matter, or still further extending, envelopes the whole in a sort of framework of colour, gilding, &c. This description will do for addresses, charters, scroll work and the like, as well as for what have ever afforded the greatest scope for illumination—books.[1]
It has been announced already that there is no intention of introducing into this work a dissertation on the history of illumination. It is however essential to the successful study of the art, even in its most moderate form, to obtain some general notion of its rise and progress, and of the sort of works, and of what dates to look into, for the best and most characteristic specimens. In furnishing a key to this portion of the study, we propose to avail ourselves, by way of illustration, of specimens, accessible to all without charge, namely, those displayed in the glass cases of the king’s library, and adjoining manuscript saloon at the British Museum.
Where, when, and how the idea of ornamenting writings first sprung into existence, is as immaterial as it is difficult to discover. It is the fashion to ascribe its origin, in common with that of many other arts and sciences, to the East; and indeed, the presence at the Museum of several beautiful specimens of oriental illuminated MSS. would appear to denote a very high condition of the art in Persia and Hindostan at an early date; but in reality it is not improbable that the art was springing into existence simultaneously, or nearly so, in several parts of the world at once. The styles of the oriental illumination already alluded to, of the ancient Byzantine, of the early Roman, and the Hibernian, are fundamentally dissimilar, and probably came into existence independently of each other. It is from the last-named country—Ireland—then far in advance of all neighbouring lands in civilization and learning, that it seems most probable England first received the art. History informs us of what was done for the then inhabitants of this country by missionary monks from the island of St. Patrick, and there can be no doubt they would bring their service books, or at least the art of writing them, along with them, and so spread the knowledge of their art side by side with that of their religion; and it is remarkable that one of the earliest, if not the earliest specimens of the art of illumination extant in this country, is a copy of the Gospels made for Macbrid Mac Dernan, in (as is supposed) the year 885, and now to be found in the library at Lambeth Palace. The style of this very early age of the art is quaint but highly characteristic. It shares with the Byzantine a severity and simplicity of outline, and an intricacy of interlacing in the details, which are very striking—one specimen in our first page of examples, it may be added, is taken from this curious work.
Once in England the Hibernian element would naturally meet, mingle with, and finally be absorbed in the ever-progressing and improving tide of taste setting in from the Continent, or spontaneously springing out of the varying developments of art and science in England itself. We are not therefore surprised to find—and this must ever be borne in mind—that the science of architecture and the sister arts of illuminating, metal working, wood carving, embroidery, and perhaps we may add fresco painting, passed on hand in hand through a nearly parallel course of development through the middle ages, all culminating together, as far as chasteness of design and elegance of execution were concerned, in the 13th and 14th centuries, and as far as profuseness and richness of ornamentation were concerned, in the 15th; and all together sinking out of sight during the Reformation. And the reason why, in obtaining a general view of the progress of one—as illumination—it is wise to keep the others in mind, is, that each serves, and especially architecture as a sort of memoria technica to the rest. Thus whilst the severe straight lines and semicircles of the Norman school prevail, a corresponding simplicity of outline characterizes the illuminations of the period; the same grotesque lizard-shaped monsters, which twine themselves round the capitals of the columns form the components or terminals of the initials in the service books; and even a resemblance may be traced between, at least, one kind of beading and the exterior ornamentation of the writing. When the graceful and luxuriant curves of foliage begin to steal into the pages of the MS. they are to be found also forming the capital of the column, though here it must be confessed the former somewhat outruns the latter—a style of illumination generally known as the opus Anglicum, and claimed as the peculiar invention of this country, having been in use more than a century before the foliage, which is one of its characteristics, appears in the capital. Further on, when flowers are added to foliage in the one, they appear in the other; when the angular principle is introduced into architecture, it shews itself in illumination; and when outline is in the one almost buried under prodigal elaboration of detail, the other seems to have all the riches, animal as well as vegetable, of the park and the flower garden, poured over its pages to smother the text.
The leading characteristics of the different principles of illumination, as developed during an investigation into specimens, of the changes successively introduced as above, will be found to be—