Illuminated Manuscripts: Masterpieces of Art by Michael Kerrigan

Long before the printing press, every book had to be copied out by hand, and the most treasured of these were illuminated. Their pages were brought to life with bright pigments and shimmering touches of gold. This volume opens with a fresh, considered introduction to the art form, then unfolds into a gallery of its finest examples, tracing both the history and the painstaking techniques behind these medieval treasures.

Along the way, its pages reveal a whole world in miniature: saints and Bible stories, courtly romance and chivalry, and the everyday rhythms of the seasons, all rendered in gold leaf and vivid color.

Author Michael Kerrigan brings deep expertise to the subject. He has written Asian Art and Modern Art for the acclaimed World’s Greatest Art series as well as countless other books and articles on art, culture, and history. Based in Edinburgh, he writes regularly for the Scotsman and reviews books the The Times Literary Supplement and The Guardian.

Hardcover; 128 pages; 9” x 8”