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The written word was an art form in the premodern world. Calligraphers filled the pages of manuscripts with scrolling vines and delicate pen flourishes, and illuminators depicted captivating narratives within large letterforms. These decorative embellishments reveal the monetary, cultural, and spiritual value placed on handmade books at the time. The alphabetic adornments in this exhibition enliven the pages of a range of manuscripts—including sacred scripture, romance literature, and history—produced from England to Central Europe and beyond for nearly one thousand years.
SELECTED WORKS
Initial G: The Ascension of Saint Mary Magdalene, leaf from the Gradual of Niccolò di Lazzara Guigni for Santo Spirito in Farneta (Lucca) (text in Latin), Bologna, about 1392–1402; artist, Niccolò da Bologna. The J. Paul Getty Museum. Gift of Elizabeth J. Ferrell
Butterfly, Marine Mollusk, and Pear, from Model Book of Calligraphy (text in Latin), Vienna, about 1591-96; artist, Joris Hoefnagel and scribe, Georg Bocskay. The J. Paul Getty Museum
Initial D: A King Enthroned with Nobles and Lay People and Clerics in Conversation, from Feudal Customs of Aragon (text in Navarro-Aragonese), Northeastern Spain, about 1290–1310; artist unknown, scribe, Michael Lupi de Çandiu, and author, Vidal de Canellas. The J. Paul Getty Museum
Initial M: The Apostles, leaf from the Gradual of Niccolò di Lazzara Guigni for Santo Spirito in Farneta (Lucca) (text in Latin), about 1392–1402; artist, Niccolò da Bologna. The J. Paul Getty Museum. Gift of Elizabeth J. Ferrell
Saint Matthew, from a Bible (text in Armenian), New Julfa, Iran, about 1637–38; artist, Malnazar and scribe, Aghap‘ir Baghram. The J. Paul Getty Museum
Decorated Incipit Page, from a Bible (text in Armenian), New Julfa, Iran, about 1637–38; artist, Malnazar and Aghap‘ir, and scribe, Baghram. The J. Paul Getty Museum
Decorated Text Page (Sūrat al-An‘ām 6: 119–121), from a Qur’an (text in Arabic), Tunisia, 9th century; artist unknown. The J. Paul Getty Museum