The Book: Late Antiquity to Renaissance

This subject examines the art of the illuminated manuscript and its importance in medieval and Renaissance culture. It introduces students to the basic elements of codicology - the study of the physical structure of the book - and it focuses on the relationship between text and decoration. Students will study the various kinds of interaction between patrons, scribes and artists in the making of a manuscript and the ways in which the function of particular kinds of books may be reflected in their design and ornamentation. Key types of illuminated manuscripts to be studied include the Insular and Carolingian Gospel Book, the Medieval Psalter, the Bestiary, the Book of Hours, vernacular histories and romances, and the Renaissance humanist book. Students will have access to the collection of facsimiles in the Baillieu Library and to some original manuscripts in Victorian collections.