Facts about Illuminated Manuscript

1. 06

   Vellum, a fine parchment made from calfskin or sheepskin, was the most common writing surface used in illuminated manuscripts before paper became widespread.

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2. 05

   Secular workshops run by professional artists began producing illuminated manuscripts for wealthy patrons during the later medieval period, reducing monastic dominance of the craft.

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3. 04

   Among the most celebrated surviving illuminated manuscripts is the Book of Kells, created by Celtic monks around 800 CE and housed in Trinity College Dublin.

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4. 03

   Monks in medieval European monasteries were the primary creators of illuminated manuscripts, producing them in dedicated workshops called scriptoria.

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5. 02

   Gold leaf, applied through a technique called gilding, gave illuminated manuscripts their characteristic shimmering quality and is the origin of the word 'illuminated.

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6. 01

   The pigment ultramarine, made from ground lapis lazuli, was among the most prized and expensive colors used in illuminated manuscripts during the medieval period.

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