Page 26 - Gothic

ManusCrIPTs and PrInTMakInG

Illuminated manuscripts represent as books of hours due to their use
the most complete record of Goth- at prescribed times of the day. The

ic painting, providing a record of earliest known example seems to

styles in places where no monu- have written for an unknown lay-
mental works have otherwise sur- woman living in a small village

vived. The earliest full manuscripts near Oxford in about 1240. Nobili-

with French Gothic illustrations ty frequently purchased such texts,

date to the middle of the 13th cen- paying handsomely for decorative
tury. Many such illuminated man- illustrations; among the most well-

uscripts were royal bibles, although known creators of these is Jean

psalters also included illustrations; Pucelle, whose Hours of Jeanne
the Parisian Psalter of Saint Louis, d’Evreux was commissioned by

dating from 1253 to 1270, features King Charles IV as a gift for his

78 full-page illuminations in tem- queen, Jeanne d’Évreux. Elements
pera paint and gold leaf.Hours of of the French Gothic present in

Jeanne d’Evreux, by Jean Pucelle, such works include the use of dec-

Paris, 1320s. orative page framing reminiscent
During the late 13th century, of the architecture of the time with

scribes began to create prayer elongated and detailed figures. The

books for the laity, often known use of spatial indicators such as