Illuminated Manuscripts (Art 351)

Browsing the shelves:

The Library of Congress range that will be most useful is ND2890-3416, but you will also find material in other areas, such as P (literary mss.) R(medical mss.) or QK (herbals) or Z (collectors of manuscripts). Browsing is an important, often overlooked, research practice. Since some of the collection in RBC is uncataloged, consulting its card catalog is also prudent.

Medieval Context:

Dictionary of the Middle Ages [Art Reference -- D114 .D5 1982 (also Davis)] A major 12-volume encyclopedia which provides an excellent introduction, by topic, to the medieval world

Iconography:

See also the separate Sloane Art Library's guide to Christian Iconography, as well as the Index of Christian Art. Not all ICA records have images; to find images use the term "public" in your search, (e.g. search term AND public) Read the Intro and Help screens!

1. Quick Reference:

Medieval Art: A Topical Dictionary [Art Reference -- N7850 .R67 1996]

Medieval Iconography: A Research Guide [Art Reference -- NX449. F75 1998]

The Penguin Dictionary of Saints [Art Reference -- BX4655.8]

Oxford Companion to Christian Art and Architecture [Art Reference -- N7830 .M87 1996 .A8]

2. Encyclopedic Works:

Older works such as the New Catholic Encyclopedia [Davis Reference BX 841.N45] may be helpful (see also the online version of the Catholic Encyclopedia) and the older edition on Art Reference. See also the work of James Hastings.

The Papacy : an Encyclopedia [Davis Reference BX955.2 .D53 2002] is an important new 3-volume reference work.

3. Primary Texts:

Golden Legend [Art Reference BX4654 .J334 1995] and Meditationes vitae Christi [Art BT300.B7 1961] can also be consulted.

4. Print Indexes

Randall's Images in the Margins of Gothic Manuscripts [Art Reference D2980 .R3]

Scott's An Index of Images in English Manuscripts from the Time of Chaucer to Henry VIII, c. 1380-c. 1509 [Art Reference ND2940 .I53 2000].

See also the works of Thomas Ohlgren.

Periodical Literature

To discover the many aspects of the medieval world; consult the Sloane Art Library guide, "Finding Periodicals". In addition to the art indexes you already know, other key indexes will be:

Historical Abstracts Although its coverage begins with the early modern period (1450) it may still be useful as it indexes art journals and can provide a custom "alert" service for newly indexed material.

International Medieval Bibliography - This bibliography of the European Middle Ages (c. 450-1500) has been produced in print form since 1968 by the International Medieval Institute (University of Leeds). Coverage is drawn from over 4,000 periodicals as well as from miscellaneous collections of conference proceedings, essay collections, and Festschriften.

ITER: Gateway to the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Indexes more than 400 scholarly journals; contains 225,000 records.

Religion Index (CD-ROM, Davis) given its retrospective depth may also be useful.

Some periodicals, such as Speculum, are also available online. To examine these e-journals look at the Art Selection of the E-Journals page.

Medieval Websites:

The Labyrinth includes texts, images, bibliographies, links to other organizations, and a search engine.

The International Center for Medieval Art includes a number of links, including images from illuminated manuscripts and Biblical texts.

ORB, the Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies.

The Illuminated Manuscript:

1. Surveys:

Diringer, The Illuminated Book: its History and Production. [Art Reference ND2920 .D55 1967].

Enciclopedia dell'Arte Medievale. [Art Reference N5965 .E5 1993] Provides an extraordinary visual survey of medieval art. Includes color plates and bibliographies. See, for example, the entry for "Iniziale" in Vol. 7.

The Grove Dictionary of Art (print and online) will also provide valuable information including authoritative bibliographies. Consult the entry for the "Manuscript" and also individual manuscripts, e.g. "Apocrypha" (see index)

2. Technique:

Brown, Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts: a Guide to Technical Terms [ND2889 .B76 1994] is on reserve and will be your vade mecum.

Clarke, Art of all Colours : Mediaeval Recipe Books for Painters and Illuminators [Art Reference ND1510 .C58 2001].

Merrifeld, Original Treatises on the Arts of Painting [ND25 .M52]. This is a 19th c. work that is still useful.

The Alfred Jewel: A pointer used, perhaps, in reading manuscripts.

3. Major Reference Resources: Catalogs/Corpora:

Major surveys such as A Survey of Manuscripts Illuminated in the British Isles [Art Oversize -- ND3128 .S96].

4. Print Catalogs and Websites

Catalogs of museum repositories (e.g. Walters Art Gallery) are available at the International Council of Museums.

Catalogs of major private collections (Peirpont Morgan Library)

The web sites of these repositories may also yield information (see also "Great Libraries" below)

5. Facsimiles:

UNC Libraries owns a number of mss. facsimiles, located in either the Art Library, Davis Library or the Rare Books Collection in Wilson Library. These include Apocalypses, Gospels, Psalters, and other manuscript types. An online Catalog of Illuminated Manuscript Facsimiles at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill categorized by type may be of use to you.

Please note that it does not include all facsimiles held by UNC Libraries; we have new additions that are not yet included, for example, and it does not include non-western manuscripts (catalog in progress).

The major print guide to manuscript facsimiles is Zotter, Bibliographie faksimilierte Handschriften [Davis Reference Z6601.Z68., Art Reference (1996 ed.), and CD-ROM]. Organized by location. Zotter numbers have been included in the Sloane Art Library's guide.

The publishers of facsimiles have websites that may be useful; often there are thumbnails and good descriptions, thematic indexes, and the like. Among them are:
Belser
Codices Selecti/Faksimile Verlag Luzern
Moleiro

ARTstor provides curated collections of art images and associated data for noncommercial and scholarly, non-profit educational use. It may include a few examples of medieval manuscripts.

CAMIO offers rights-cleared, high-quality art images for class projects, art history and studio art programs, course Web sites, lectures, presentations, and research resources.

Great Libraries:

Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana
The beautiful library designed by Michelangelo.

Bibliothéque Nationale
The library also has a section on the preservation of knowledge, which is worth exploring

Bodleian Library (the library of the University of Oxford)
The Bodleian's Digital Library Project, with manuscripts and printed ephemera from the collection.

British Library

Chester Beatty Library

Morgan Library (a great private library)