When considering manuscripts from the middle ages, as much can be inferred from the materials and pictures as from the text itself, which is a blessing as most manuscripts are difficult to read for modern readers. Everything from the colors used to what the paper is made of has something to say about the manuscript….

The Romance of the Rose manuscript describing dignified love was composed by two poets; Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun. Lorris. The first part of the poem consisting of 4,085 lines was written by Lorris between years 1225 and 1230 while the second part of the poem was written by Meun around 1275 which…

The Book of Hours are a series of religious prayer books that were dominant during mid medieval times and onward. The Book of Hours were meant as personal bibles, that individuals could use to follow prayers and show their devotion without the need of an outside source such as a church. The book of hours…

It is to our dismay that modern ladies are constantly questioning the norms of love, particularly if chivalry is dead among men in the age of Tinder and Instagram direct messages. The art of love, however, is not only a recurring element limited to the present day but also a notable theme commonly attributed to…

Materiality Analysis: Medieval Herbal             Before the invention of techniques of mass-production of books, every book, document and manuscript had to be hand-made. Experts followed many steps meticulously to create a book and its materials. Paper was not very common in Europe during the medieval period, so people used different types of animal skin for…

When we consider a medieval manuscript, we often think about just the words within them and what the content of the book tells us. Illuminated manuscripts were an important medium for information during the Medieval period; they are the precursors of modern books. Within these manuscripts, there were large designs known as illuminations that accompanied…

The Prayer Book of Claude de France is a very particular manuscript that not only contains religious text but also shows a lot about the environment in which it was created. This prayer book was specially made for Claude of France shortly after she was crowned Queen of France in the early 16th century. According…

The Renaissance of the 12th century brought about the spread of monasticism, increased literacy, and a heavier reliance on science. These changes set the tone for the Italian Renaissance in the 15th century, as well as the scientific developments in the 17th century. Among the most important pieces of writing to be produced during this…

Do you have to read a book to know a book? Manuscripts in the medieval ages are often written in complex archaic languages which needed to be interpreted to better understand the purpose of the text. However, there is so much more than what meets the eye. Understanding how manuscripts were made and the materials…