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Majority of the topics used for these manuscripts were based around biblical and religion, but secular and heroic legends were also used. The first accounts of illuminated manuscripts with French Gothic illustrations is estimated to have began in the middle of the 13th century. The Gothic paintings also displayed emphasis on flowing/curving lines, minute details, and refined decorations, along with gold often being applied in the background (3).Īll these innovations mentioned before lead to the creation of the Gothic Illuminated Manuscripts. Gothic paintings followed the same characteristics as the Gothis sculpture/ architecture from stiff, simple, heretic forms to a more relaxed and natural state. Several gothic architecture characteristics that were commonly used were the “barrel vault”, “groin (cross) vault”, “rib vault”, and the “fan vault” (2) (FIG 2).Īlthough the Gothic architecture movement was spreading through Northern Europe, the Gothic style painting did not appear until 50 years later at about 12o0. These characteristics emerged from the medieval mason’s effort to solve the problems associated with supporting heavy masonry ceiling values over wide spans (2).

(FIG 2) Rib Vault, Encyclopedia Britannica, Accessed December 8th, 2015, Īrchitecture was the most important and original art form of the Gothic period due to it’s structural characteristics. Denis (FIG 1) in Lle-de-France by Abbot Suger marked the beginning of Gothic Art(1). The construction of the Abbey Church of St. Gothic art was not first introduced as a form of painting or manuscript, but as architecture and sculpture. The exact location of the Gothic art’s origin is debatable, but most scholars believe that Gothic art made its debut in Lle-de-France (Paris), France (1). Gothic Art is a iteration of medieval art that evolved from the Romanesque art in Northern France in the 12the century and lasted till the end of the 16th century. Denis”, Sacred Destinations, Accessed December 8th, 2015, While we constantly see influences from the illuminated manuscripts all round to this day, such as picture books, these manuscripts left their mark in art history and was a unique sight to behold.Because the Medieval Manuscript that I’ve chosen to breakdown is Gothic, let me first give you a brief introduction to the Gothic art world. The Middle Ages did see the rise of illumination manuscripts with written texts along with beautiful illustrations but it is indeed quite a shame the art style did not last. Its unfortunate that we’ve lost the art of illumination”. Joshua Foer did indeed bring up some valid points. By Making the margins of a book colorful and beautiful, illuminations help make the text unforgettable. “During the Middle Ages, they understood that words accompanied by imagery are much more memorable.

Medieval illuminated manuscripts borders