Another MS. in the British Museum, a Bible History, moralized, in Latin (Add. MS. 18719), is a good example of the outline drawing at the end of this century. This is a MS. of the French School.
Another fine French MS., of about 1300, also in the British Museum, is that of the Somme le Roi (Add. MS. 28162), which, with its bright colours and burnished gold, is a good example of the best French work of this period.
There are, of course, many other MSS. that might be detailed, these instanced here being merely typical of the general style of work produced in this century.
ILLUMINATION IN THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY
The illumination of the fourteenth century was a development of the work of the preceding century. Nature was copied more, and natural foliage treated in a conventional manner was largely used. The oak, the hawthorn, the ivy, and various other natural growths were frequently employed. Especially was this the case with the ivy, which in the French MSS. was used a great deal. The use of very large initials was not so usual, but while the initials decreased in size the technique improved. This tendency towards naturalism developed more and more as the century advanced. These natural forms, however, were still considered as decoration and were not mere naturalistic renderings.
Miniature painting was also developed in this century; indeed, the art of illumination is generally considered to have reached its highest point of development in this century. Certainly some of the most beautiful and richly-decorated MSS. are of this period.
There is a fine example of English work of the early fourteenth century in the British Museum in the MS. known as Queen Mary’s Psalter (Royal MS. 2 B. VII.). This MS. is very interesting, as it not only has the usual richly-illuminated pages, but also a large number of lightly tinted outline drawings.
A beautiful example of French miniature work of the early part of this century is shown in an Apocalypse, also in the British Museum (Royal MS. 19 B. XV.). The miniatures in this MS. are drawn in outline and slightly tinted, on grounds of dark blue and red.
Another fine French MS. in the British Museum is an Epistle in French by Philippe de Maizières, Celestin of Paris, to Richard II. of England, advocating peace and friendship between him and Charles VI. of France, 1395–1396. This affords a good example both of miniature work and ivy-leaf decoration.
Some initials that have been cut from a large Missal (Add. MSS. 29704, 29705) show the development of rich decoration in England towards the end of the fourteenth century.