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George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library, MS2FL4400 University Dr.
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Business Number: 703-993-2220
Fax Number: 703-993-8911
speccoll@gmu.edu
URL: https://scrc.gmu.edu
Meghan Glasbrenner
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Use
Public Domain. There are no known restrictions.
Access Restrictions
There are no access restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Illuminated manuscript leaf, C0399, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Donated by Phillip Teigen in 2014
Processing Information
Processing and finding aid completed by Meghan Glasbrenner from October - November 2023.
Historical Information
Derived from the Latin words "manus" (hand) and "scriptus" (writing) the term manuscript refers to those text written by hand. The term illumination, taken from the Latin "illuminare" (lighted up), referred to decoration of manuscript text with gold leaf, or sometimes silver, giving the impression that the page had been literally illuminated.
Throughout the early medieval period illuminated manuscripts were written and illuminated solely by monks and mainly centered on the creation of Latin texts used in Christian worship. By the start of the thirteenth century, the growth of literacy and universities as centers of learning led to an increased demand for books of all kinds, turning the creation of illuminated manuscripts into a city-based business, in which professional scribes and illuminators were hired to complete the work. Traditional illuminated manuscripts were written on vellum (calf skin) or parchment (sheep or goat skin), with the writing often completed before the illuminator took over to add the gold or silver gilding.
Scope and Content
Single double-sided leaf from an illuminated manuscript containing sections from the choral Conversion of Paul. On one page portions of the "Introit: Scio cui credidi" can be seen beginning at the top and on the other page portions of the "Alleluia verse: Magnus sanctus Paulus" begin with the first illuminated letter "M."
Arrangement
This is a single item collection.
Related Material
The Special Collections Research Center holds other Christian manuscripts dating from the Middle Ages, including two Gregorian chant propers .
The Rare Books Collection in Mullen Library, part of Special Collections at the Catholic University of America holds a large collection of Christian manuscripts dating from the Middle Ages.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Illumination of books and manuscripts
- Manuscripts
- Manuscripts, Medieval
- Middle Ages
- Teigen, Philip M.
Bibliography
"Category:Conversion of Paul." 2021. ChoralWiki. April 6, 2021. https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Category:Conversion_of_Paul.
"Illuminated Manuscript." 2022. Britannica. April 26, 2022. https://www.britannica.com/art/illuminated-manuscript.
"Illuminated Manuscripts." n.d. National Gallery of Art. Accessed November 1, 2023. https://www.nga.gov/conservation/paper/manuscript-project.html.
Lumma, Liborius. 2019. "INTROITUS: Conversion of St. Paul." PrayTellBlog. January 23, 2019. https://praytellblog.com/index.php/2019/01/23/introitus-conversion-of-st-paul/.
"Magnus Sanctus Paulus." 2021. ChoralWiki. April 22, 2021. https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Magnus_sanctus_Paulus.
"Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts." n.d. Minneapolis Institute of Art Home. Accessed November 1, 2023. https://new.artsmia.org/programs/teachers-and-students/teaching-the-arts/five-ideas/medieval-illuminated-manuscripts.