Inspiration
Inspiration
The original works of art that I have been inspired by and created the reconstructions from.
On this page you can see some examples of the original manuscript pages that I have reconstructed. The original works are often, painted on parchment (animal skin). However, I have chosen to recreate the manuscript pages on specially made artist paper, which gives the experience that, it is an old work full of patina. In order to be able to recreate the smallest details, everything is hand-painted, including the fonts.
Table of Contents
An example of how close I am trying to recreate the original works. In this picture, the book is the original and the two loose pages next to it are reconstructed. (Manuscript 7)
Jyske Lov 1479. Denmark’s original and first law.
Manuscript 01
Original info:
Title: Jyske Lov. Codex Holmiensis
Year: ca.1479
Origin: Denmark
Miniatures: Thomas G.
Denmark’s original and first law. Here reproduced in a beautiful copy from the 14th century. Large initial m to initiate the famous words: “Med lov skal man land bygge” (English: “With law shall land [i.e. the nation] be built”) This version of Jyske Lov is from the Monastery at Næstved Denmark 1479. In addition to the general decoration with initial letters in red and blue it has a large patterned initial in gold and different colors, which joins ornamentation with flowers and birds.
Its the only form of Gothic book ornamentation, that is known of this kind from this country. Of a Latin writes verse by the end of that it is written 1497 at the instigation of a monastery superintendent by name David, which is meant David Pedersen, which was 1488 Abbed in Forest Monastery. Jyske Law was valid for the Jylland and Fyn, and dated the year 1241, which it is issued in King Valdemar Sejrs period of government. The king signed it in the royal castle in Vordingborg Sjælland. The earliest known handwriting of Jyske Law, Codex Holmiensis 37, from the end of the 1200s, is stored in the Royal Library in Stockholm. How it has come to Sweden is not known.
Book of Hours, use of Rouen. ca. 1475-1499
Manuscript 02
Original info
Title: Book of Hours, use of Rouen
Year: ca. 1475-1499
Origin: France
Font: Gothic.
Language: Latin
Miniatures: Maître François
The motives derive from a fine French manuscript (Cambridge, Harvard University, Houghton Library. MS Lat 133), that was originally created around 1475-1499 and illuminated by a painter named Maître François. Written in Latin with Gothic writing.
The recreation of manuscript 2 was created in the years 2007-2008 and is one of the earliest products created by Scriptorium.dk.
Book of Hours, use of Rome ca. 1450-1475
Manuscript 03
Original info
Title: Book of Hours, use of Rome
Year: ca. 1450-1475
Origin: Belgium
Miniatures: In the style of William Vrelant.
Font: Gothic.
Language: Latin
Berkeley, University of California, The Bancroft Library
UCB 030
Book of Hours, use of Paris. ca. 1400-1450
Manuscript 04
Original info
Title: Book of Hours, use of Paris
Year: ca. 1400-1450
Origin: France – Paris
Creator: Catholic Church
Miniatures: By several artists of the workshop of the Master of the Duke of Bedford
Book of hours, use of Paris, written in the middle of the fifteenth century in France, probably Paris.
Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. Manuscript. HM 1100
Codex Manesse. ca. 1305-1340
Manuscript 05
Original info
Title: Große Heidelberger Liederhandschrift
Year: ca. 1305-1340
Origin: Zürich, Germany
Miniatures: unknown.
The Codex Manesse, or Große Heidelberger Liederhandschrift is a Liederhandschrift (book of songs/poetry), the single most comprehensive source of Middle High German Minne song poetry, written and illustrated between ca. 1304 and 1340.
The codex was produced in Zürich, for the Manesse family. The manuscript is “the most beautifully illumined German manuscript in centuries;” it’s 137 miniatures are a series of “portraits” depicting each poet.
Book of Hours, use of Paris. ca. 1475-1499
Manuscript 06
Original info
Title: Book of Hours
Year: 1401 – 1500
Origin: France
Miniatures: unknown
Font: Gothic Textura Quadrata
Book of Hours (Cologne, Archbishop’s Diocesan and Cathedral Library, Cod. 1576)
Book of Hours. France. ca. 1400-1450
Manuscript 07
Original info
Title: Book of Hours
Year: ca. 1400-1450
Origin: France
Miniatures: Master of Lucon.
Language: Latin
Font: Textualis Semi-Quadrata.
Cambridge, Harvard University, Houghton Library MS Richardson 045. Late medieval and renaissance illuminated manuscript. French painting in the time of Jean de Berry
Book of Hours, use of Paris. ca. 1475-1499
Manuscript 08
Original info
Title: Book of Hours, use of Paris
Year: ca. 1475-1499
Origin: France
Miniatures: Maître François (1463-1481)
Font: Formal Gothic handwriting
The most profusely illustrated Book of Columbia Rare Book & Manuscript Library. This Horae contains more than forty miniatures, with representations of such subjects as the labors of the months, the signs of the zodiac, images of saints, traditional scenes from Jesus’ infancy, and full-page narrative cycles of the Annunciation and Crucifixion.
Each of the miniatures, such as the one of the artist at work, a favorite subject of artists of any time, is surrounded by an elaborate foliated border, containing realistically rendered birds, animals and insects.
Miniature de Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc) 1450-1500
Manuscript 09
Original info
Title: Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc) 1412-1431
Year: ca. 1450-1500
Origin: France. Centre Historique des Archives Nationales, Paris, AE II 249
Painter: (unknown)
One of the earliest known paintings of Saint Joan of Arc (Jeanne d’Arc), from the 15th century. Here she is shown in her armor along with the famous banner and sword. There is no time-accurate images of Jeanne. We know she has sat model for a painting while she lived, that may have been lost during the French Revolution. Little is known about this famous scene painted later after her death. The painter has, for example dyed her hair reddish. We know it was black.
More information about Jeanne d’Arc: www.jeanne-darc.info
Christine de Pizan (Cent Ballades) ca. 1410
Manuscript 10
Original info
Title: Christine de Pizan in her studio, where she is writing in a book
Year: ca. 1410
Origin: France, Paris. (British Library, Ms Harley 4431, f ° 4.) Referred to the Master of the Cité des Dames and a workshop for the Master of the Duke of Bedford.
According to Christine herself, the artist could possibly have been a French female illuminator by the name of Anastacia who flowered in Paris around 1400.
“I know a woman named Anastacia, who is so wise and so schooled in painting manuscript borders and miniature backgrounds, that it is not possible to find an artist in Paris, who is capable of surpassing her, or is able to paint flowers and details in such a cautious manner as she, or whose work is more appreciated, no matter the richness of the book. People cannot stop talking about her. And I know this from experience because she has made plenty of artworks for me, which all differentiates from the ornamental boundaries of the other great masters.”
(Le Livre de la Cite des Dames 85)
