Art, Textiles and Clothing
Fashion, tapestries, illuminated manuscripts and an exploration of medieval, Celtic and Byzantine art and ornamentation. Cover art may vary.
The Art of the Picts: Sculpture and Metalwork in Early Medieval Scotland
George & Isabel Henderson
The sculpture and metalwork of the Picts form one of the great enigmas of early medieval art. Dismissed for years by art historians, the surviving Pictish cross-slabs, incised stones, and metalwork remained the territory of archaeologists and those fascinated by the symbols found in so much of the art. Of interest to art historians, archaeologists, and medievalists of all disciplines, this volume is an acute analysis of the function and meaning of Pictish art, illustrated with 300 photographs and newly commissioned line drawings and maps.
Hardcover: 240 pages
Art of the Celts
Lloyd & Jennifer Laing
The entire spectrum of Celtic Art, with all its vibrancy, power, intricate pattern and ambiguity, is revealed here – from the rich treasures found throughout Iron Age Europe, through the flowering of metalwork, sculpture and manuscript illumination during the Dark Ages. Over 200 illustrations.
Paperback: 216 pages
Celtic Art in Pagan and Christian Times
J. Romilly Allen
Explores the origins of Celtic art in Britain, Ireland, and Europe. Starting with the migration of Celts to Britain, the author presents a profusely illustrated study of pagan Celtic art in the Bronze Age and early Iron Age, and Celtic art of the Christian period. 44 plates of photographs and line drawings depict a rich assortment of artifacts from a variety of sites, including pottery, necklaces, coins, and musical instruments.
Paperback: 362 pages
Celtic Ornament in the British Isles
E.T. Leeds
Well-documented study, focusing on less familiar or less accessible relics from the pagan past, traces the history and evolution of pre-Christian ornamentation from the earliest beginnings to a.d. 700. Great value to students of design and archaeology and anyone interested in Celtic ornamentation. Unabridged republication of classic 1933 edition.
Paperback: 244 pages
The Book of Kells: An Illustrated Introduction
Bernard Meehan
Over one hundred color illustrations, including dozens of enlargements, that permit the reader to ponder the complex ornamentation which makes the Book of Kells a masterpiece of Celtic interlacing. Meehan, keeper of manuscripts at Trinity College Dublin, provides a commentary about the Book's background, its motifs and themes, and the material from which it is constructed.
Paperback: 95 pages
The Lindisfarne Gospels
Janet Backhouse
Manuscript produced in the Northumbrian island monastery of Lindisfarne at the end of the 7th century, in honor of Saint Cuthbert. One of the world's masterpieces of book painting. Illuminated pages reproduced in color.
Paperback: 96 pages
The Illuminated Page: Ten Centuries of Manuscript Painting in the British Library
Janet Backhouse
Chapters include: Early Centuries, Romanesque Europe, Early Gothic, Later Gothic, Late 15th Century and a chapter on patrons. Full color throughout, with a variety of manuscripts represented.
Hardcover: 240 pages
A History of Illuminated Manuscript
Christopher De Hamel
This 1986 title throws light on the world of illuminated manuscripts, which function as works of both art and literature. De Hamel provides a full history of the illuminated manuscript through text and dozens of glorious color illustrations.
Paperback: 272 pages
Medieval Illuminators and Their Methods of Work
Jonathan J.G. Alexander
A survey of European manuscript illumination from the fourth to the sixteenth century. Illustrating his discussion with examples chosen from all over Europe, the author discusses the social and historical context of the illuminators' lives, considers their methods of work, and shows the range and nature of the visual sources and the ways in which they were adapted, copied, or created anew.
Paperback: 222 pages
Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts: A Guide to Technical Terms
Michelle P. Brown
Definitions of terms, techniques, processes, and materials used in medieval illuminated manuscripts. Concise and readable explanations with numerous illustrations, many of them in color.
Paperback 128 pages
Medieval Panorama
Robert Barlett
Encompassing visual re-creation of the medieval world. Topics include the papacy, monasteries, popular religion; kingship, knighthood, and courtly life; Gothic cathedrals; manuscripts; life on the land and in the city; cosmology, magic, and the romance of chivalry; the Moors, the Jews, and the mysterious East. A biographical dictionary, timelines, maps, and a glossary, as well as cross-references to connect related topics are included.
Hardcover: 336 pages
Image on the Edge: The Margins of Medieval Art
Michael Camille
Peasants, servants, prostitutes and beggars all found their place, along with knights and clerics, engaged in impudent antics in the margins of prayer-books or, as gargoyles, on the outsides of churches. The author brings us to an understanding of how marginality functioned in medieval culture and shows us just how scandalous, subversive, and amazing the art of the time could be.
Paperback: 176 pages
Illuminated Manuscripts: Masterpieces of the J. Paul Getty Museum
A spectacular array of written artifacts from the masterpieces of medieval and Renaissance art, including liturgical books, devotional books, and books of the Bible. Arranged chronologically with brief commentaries on each item and a glossary of key terminology. Manuscripts reproduced in full color and described by members of the museum curatorial staff.
Paperback: 128 pages
Time Sanctified: The Book of Hours in Medieval Art and Life
Roger S. Wieck
Of all the illuminated manuscripts from this period, the Book of Hours was, by far, the most popular and among the most exquisitely made. This volume includes a detailed description of the contents of the Book of Hours, its social context, its role in late medieval piety, and essential textual analysis. 40 color plates, 150 black-and-white photos.
Paperback: 248 pages
Book of Hours: Illuminations
Simon Marmion
A reproduction of seventeen jewel-like miniature paintings by Simon Marmion from one of the finest Books of Hours. Marmion, one of the most accomplished illuminators of the fifteenth century, produced this example sometime between 1450 and 1475. The book's introduction discusses the history and meaning of Books of Hours, both as books of devotion and as works of art.
Paperback: 48 pages
Medieval Life and Leisure in the Devonshire Hunting Tapestries
Linda Wooley
The Devonshire Hunting Tapestries provide a unique insight into medieval life, depicting a lost chivalric world in rich and fascinating detail. Once owned by the dukes of Devonshire, the tapestries provide a vivid picture of the hunt, and are also a rich repository of costume and textile history. Illustrations include many close-up details, with four eight-page color gatefolds showing the great tapestries in their entirety.
Hardcover: 128 pages
Les Tres Riches Heures: The Medieval Seasons
Millars Meiss
Les Tres Riches Heures is a set of medieval illustrations done by the Limbourg brothers at the commission of Duc Berry between 1413 and 1416. Each of the twelve months is depicted by an illuminated scene depicting typical activities of the season, and topped by a depiction of the Zodiac.
Hardcover: 32 pages
The Sherborne Missal
Janet Backhouse
The Sherborne Missal, produced in England c. 1399-1407, is the largest, most lavish late medieval service book to have survived the Reformation intact. In addition to religious themed images, sketches of birds, labeled with their Middle English names, adorn the text. Dozens of color illustrations featured, as well as a description of the missal and its history.
Hardcover: 64 pages
Medieval Rural Life in the Luttrell Psalter
Janet Backhouse
Written and illuminated in the early 14th century for Sir Geoffey Luttrell, this volume is celebrated for its margin illustrations depicting rural life in medieval England. Features a sequence of the annual cycle of growing and harvesting crops, animal illustrations, including domestic boars, geese, pigs, cattle, ferrets, rabbits, birds, cats and mice. Sports, pastimes, entertainers and musicians are all represented. 45 color illustrations.
Paperback: 64 pages
The Bedford Hours
Janet Backhouse
Commissioned in the 15th century from a Parisian workshop by John, Duke of Bedford, and one of Britain's major treasures, this book is an outstanding example of late medieval manuscript art. Includes a short history of the Duke, a modestly comprehensive study of the book as an art object, and dozens of color and black-and-white plates.
Paperback: 64 pages
Also on Mostly Medieval:
-
Exploring the Middle Ages
Research articles about life in the Middle Ages. Ballads, religion, heraldry, medicine and more.
In the Exploring the Middle Ages section. -
Downloads
Backgrounds, letters, avatars and more for websites, blogs, and newsletters. Desktop wallpapers for personal use.
In the Downloads section. -
Travels in the UK
Travelogue of a journey through northern England and Southern Scotland. Visits to castles, cathedrals, ruins and more.
In the Travels in the UK section.
