Illumination and Its Development in the Present Day

by Sidney Farnsworth

MINUSCULE WRITING

As mentioned before, the Roman cursive was the basis of the writing on the Continent. Three great national hands were formed, viz., Lombardic, Visigothic, and Merovingian.

LOMBARDIC WRITING

Fig. 4.

This was the national handwriting of Italy; it was used from the eighth to the eleventh centuries. The term “Lombardic” is given as a general term to the writing of Italy in the early middle ages. In [Fig. 4] some free renderings are given of this hand. The first (a) is an example in one of its earliest stages, written cursively in the early part of the ninth century. The next, shown in (b) is the book-hand a little later. The third example (c) is a later development of the eleventh century, known as “broken Lombardic.” It may be noted that in all these the slanted-cut pen has been used.

VISIGOTHIC WRITING

The title “Visigothic” has been given to the national handwriting of Spain. Derived also from the Roman cursive, it developed into a book-hand that was used in the eighth century. It was in use until the twelfth century. The first example (d) is a half-cursive book-hand of the seventh or eighth century. The next (e) a book-hand of the early tenth century. The last example (f) is the last stage, being of the twelfth century. All these are written with the slanted-cut pen.

MEROVINGIAN WRITING

This is the name given to the writing practised in the Frankish empire. This form of writing leads on to the great reform in the time of Charlemagne. Starting, as was the case in the other two schools, from the Roman cursive, it developed into a set book-hand which is noticeable in several MSS. of the seventh and eighth centuries. An early specimen is shown in (g). Several different types of writing were used within the limits of the Frankish empire, some of which bear a strong resemblance to the Lombardic style. In fact, so similar are they that it is rather difficult to distinguish one from the other. The example (h) is one of this type, being of the late seventh century. As uncial and half-uncial characters were still used for a good number of MSS. it is but natural that these should influence the style of writing. The specimen given in (i) is an example showing the influence of the half-uncial, and is a step towards the full development of the Caroline minuscule.