Overview

Incandescent with illustrations, a history of Britain as told through a remarkable collection of illuminated manuscripts at once chronicles of their time and works of art. Illumino explores the history of medieval Britain through the biographies of twelve remarkable illuminated manuscripts and their creators. Each manuscript serves as a gateway into the lives of its makers and commissioners, and as a springboard into the era of its creation. Illuminated manuscripts are among the most intricate and fascinating forms of medieval evidence, blending literature, art, science, faith and human thought with the materiality of their production. By undertaking the detective work needed to determine the nature of each project and the underlying human-interest stories, this book reveals their social, economic and cultural contexts and charts the exchange of ideas and materials across time and space. Featuring over a hundred beautiful illustrations, this is a unique and accessible introduction to Britain's history, art history and book history over a thousand years.

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9781836390374

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Reviews

""To read this book is to be apprenticed to a master of her craft, to imbibe a lifetime's learning, and to learn the history of illumination (and of Britain) from its pages and its pictures. Art, history, philosophy, theology, philosophy, psychology, and culture shine through the paintings and are unpacked in Brown's prose. Through this marvelous work, the rich adornment of the page becomes the rich adornment of our minds and imaginations.""--Michael Lloyd, principal of Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford ""A masterful exploration of medieval Britain through twelve extraordinary illuminated manuscripts, each a window into the intellectual, artistic, and spiritual landscapes of its time. Few scholars know these books as intimately as Brown, who draws on her expertise as a trailblazing curator and leading researcher to enrich this book with insight into their materiality, craftsmanship, and historical resonance. With characteristic erudition and clarity, Brown brings to life the people who commissioned, created, and used these manuscripts, not only as textual artefacts but as objects of devotion, labour, and cultural exchange. By weaving palaeography, codicology, and historical narrative into a compelling whole, Illumino sheds light not only on these marvellous books, but on how these books have shaped the modern world.""--Andrew Dunning, R. W. Hunt Curator of Medieval Manuscripts at the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford

Author Information

Michelle P. Brown is Professor Emerita of Medieval Manuscript Studies at the School of Advanced Study, University of London, and was formerly Curator of Illuminated Manuscripts at the British Library. Her books include Bede and the Theory of Everything (Reaktion, 2023).

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