Illuminated manuscripts The English art in the Middle Ages consisted mainly in the production of illuminated manuscript which, a manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration.Illuminated manuscripts were one king of English painting together with murals painted in the walls of churches and monasteries, that characterized the English art of the middle ages before the introduction of the printing press. There are many different types of illuminated manuscripts such as decorated initials at the beginning of paragraphs, borders or illustration on margins, and miniature illustrations in whole pages. Manuscripts were most of the times decorated with gold or silver. Most medieval manuscripts, illuminated or not, were written on parchment, most commonly of calf, sheep, or goat skin, but most manuscripts important enough to illuminate were written on vellum. Then, illuminated manuscripts were also painted in papyrus. As regards the technique, illuminated manuscripts were painted in a flat composition with the predominance of curvilinear designs. Most manuscripts are of a religious nature. They were produced mainly in monasteries in order to teach religion since most people were illiterate and the monopoly of education was in the hands of the church. However, especially from the 13th century onward, an increasing number of secular texts were illuminated, usually produced at court and telling the story of the country, and special event in history and the life of kings. Illuminations were also found in musical texts. Other illuminated manuscripts were present in calendars illustrating the months. Early Anglo-Saxon manuscript illumination forms part of insular art, a combination of influences from Mediterranean, Celtic and Germanic styles. After the Norman Conquest, French with its Romanesque features became predominant in English illuminationAn example of an illuminated manuscript is The Lindisfarne Gospels of around 700-715 that was made at the monastery on Holy Island. Its pages blend native Celtic and Anglo-Saxon elements with Roman, Coptic and Eastern traditions to create an artistic expression of the cultural melting pot that was Northumbria in the eighth century. During the Norman Period, illuminations were deeply influenced by the French culture. A further Illuminated manuscript is present on the prologue to 'The Canterbury Tales' by Geoffrey Chaucer (1380s). What is more, The Royal collection represents the only intact medieval and Renaissance English royal manuscript collection that is an important resource for English medieval history and art history.