11/23/2023 0 Comments Old manuscripts illuminatedIlluminated manuscripts are a precious cultural heritage with specific features that include a distinctive colour palette (when compared with other painted artworks). (a) The art of colour in medieval illuminations This article is part of the themed issue ‘Raman spectroscopy in art and archaeology’. Our findings in fourteenth–sixteenth century manuscripts confirm the hypothesis that this dye was lost during the High Middle Ages, to be later rediscovered. Orcein purple, also known as orchil dye, has been previously identified in medieval manuscripts, dated from the sixth to the ninth centuries. Complementing this identification, through microspectrofluorimetry and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, it was possible to propose a complete paint formulation by comparison with our database of references the dark pink hues, in the three case studies, were produced by combining brazilwood pigment lakes and gypsum in a protein- and gum arabic-based tempera. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that brazilein, the main chromophore in brazilwood lake pigments, has been unequivocally identified by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy in an illuminated work (the Dourado Atlas). This was possible by combining Raman microscopy and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy with microspectrofluorimetry. All three works were on a parchment support. Brazilwood pigment lakes and orcein purple colours were unequivocally identified in illuminated manuscripts dated by art historians to be from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries and in the Fernão Vaz Dourado Atlas (sixteenth century). Henry VIII’s Psalter, commissioned and personalized for his own use, features illustrations of the infamous royal that demonstrate his desire to be identified with the biblical King David, traditionally regarded as the author of the Psalms.In this study, we successfully addressed the challenges posed by the identification of dyes in medieval illuminations. “When we selected the manuscripts to go on display, we tried to pick those which were visually very strong and had a very strong art element,” Kathleen Doyle, curator of illuminated manuscripts at the British Library, said.īut the detailed illuminations, painstakingly created in candlelight, are not only about the artistry involved in their production.Īs personal belongings that would be used on a daily basis, the manuscripts also reveal the world of medieval monarchs, from Anglo Saxon kings to Henry VIII, and shed light on their public and private lives. The artifacts range from the depiction of the lineage of English kings across five meters of parchment scrolls to a dynamic illustration of Alexander the Great slaying dragons.Īn image of King David shines out from the Westminster Psalter, created in 1200 and on loan from Westminster Abbey, plucking the strings of a flashing golden harp.Īnd a 13th century map by Matthew Paris, one of the foremost English historians of the Middle Ages, plots the pilgrimage route from London through France and Italy to Jerusalem, finishing with a map of the Holy Land featuring crusaders’ castles, churches, and even a camel. The richly-colored exhibition will span the period between the eighth and 16th century, displaying images that have remained encased within the tomes for hundreds of years, protected from light and dirt. “The manuscripts contain tens of thousands of the best medieval decorative and figurative paintings, which are as vivid as they were when they were first painted,” said Scot McKendrick, head of history and classical studies at the British Library. The 150 manuscripts in the exhibition represent the most stunning pieces from the library’s collection, the largest group of medieval manuscripts in Britain and one of the most important in the world. An illuminated manuscript from the British Library is seen in a handout photo.
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