Illuminated manuscripts in classical and mediaeval times, their art and their technique

by J. H. Middleton

The Soane Museum in London possesses a characteristic example of his style, a Commentary on the Epistles of Saint Paul, executed for Giulio's early patron, Cardinal Marino Grimani of Venice, the brother of the owner of the Grimani Breviary mentioned above. Clovio's miniatures are marvels of minute execution, but not truly decorative in style, and in design usually quite unsuited to their purpose. In most cases they resemble large oil paintings reduced to a microscopic scale; the figures are commonly feeble imitations either of large pieces of contemporary tapestry or else of painting in Michel Angelo's grandiose style, both of which of course were utterly unsuited for miniatures in a manuscript[^[201]].

The Vatican MSS.

The Vatican MSS.The Manuscripts in the Vatican Library. The Archives of the Vatican library contain a number of records of the development of the library during the sixteenth century and later[^[202]].

In mediaeval times manuscripts were rare and costly, so that even Kings, Popes and Universities possessed libraries which in size were very insignificant compared to those of ancient Alexandria, Rome and Byzantium.

The Vatican library.

The Vatican library.Even in Leo X.'s time (1513-1522) the Vatican library, which was probably the largest in the world, contained only 4,070 manuscripts and printed books. A century earlier, before the invention of printing, two or three hundred volumes would have constituted an enormous library.

As a rule even Royal and Public libraries were contained in a few iron-bound chests or armaria; and borrowers had to deposit a pledge—a gold ring, a silver cup or some other valuable article, which was retained by the librarian till the manuscript had been restored. In the Vatican this practice survived till the sixteenth century, and books exist among the Archives in which were recorded the date, the title of the book, the borrower's name and a short description of the deposited pledge. When the book was returned the word "restituit" was written in the margin.

Payments to scribes.

Payments to scribes.The same Archives contain a number of accounts giving the sums paid to various illuminators of manuscripts, especially in the time of Pope Paul III. (Alex. Farnese, 1534 to 1553), who was a great patron of Giulio Clovio and other miniaturists. In 1540 a number of scriptores et miniatores employed in the Vatican library received as pay 4 gold ducats each monthly, of 10 Julii to the ducat, equal to about £20 in modern value.

In 1541 Messer Paolo received 30 gold ducats for writing and illuminating four volumes.