he Medieval Imagination

From Manuscripts to the Modern World

Bethany Leong State Library of Victoria

What is in the State Library of Victoria’s Collection?

CDs

newspapers

maps

pictures

magazines

books

DVDs

videos

manuscripts

artefacts

The State Library of Victoria

Education Programs:

• Education programs run by State Library staff cater for around 20,000 students annually

• The Open Access Program offers a free excursion to metropolitan government schools which are considered disadvantaged

1

Medieval Calligraphy workshop

Our Medieval Calligraphy workshop includes:

• Brief introduction to the period and to the making of illuminated manuscripts

• Tour of Mirror of the World to look at medieval manuscripts and the history of the book

• Hands on workshop to create a piece of medieval calligraphy

Curriculum links

VELS links:

• The Humanities - History: Level 5: studies of medieval societies, using a variety of sources that record features of past

societies (including daily life, education, religion and culture). Use of primary sources, strengths and limitations of historical documents.

Australian Curriculum links:

• History:Year 8, the Ancient to the Modern World: Depth study 1, The Western and Islamic World,

Medieval Europe – including the way of life (social, cultural, economic and political features) and the roles and relationships of different groups in society and the dominance of the Catholic church.

Plus integrated curriculum links with visual arts

Medieval manuscripts

The Aspremont-Kievraing Psalter-Hours (c. 1300) 1

What is a manuscript?

• Hand-made book• Can be decorated or illuminated with silver or gold• Contains clues about life at the time they were produced

Medieval Europe vs. today

Modern map of Europe 2 Europe – late Middle Ages 3

Illuminated manuscripts

in society

• Recreational reading4Choirbook fragments

What were illuminated manuscripts used for?

• Religious services and duties

• Personal religious studies

• Recording information and legal documentation

• The study of science and medicine

Manuscripts in medieval life

Only a very small number of people owned or used manuscripts during the Middle Ages

These books can tell us a lot about medieval life

Feudal system

Warfare ReligionDaily life

5

Daily life

Lord and lady

• Hunting• Recreation• Training• Managing the manor• Attending church

Clergy

• Attending church (eight times a day)

• Chores: gardening, food preparation, scribing

• Study

Knight

• Hunting• Training• Gambling• Attending church

Peasants

• Hard labour – for the lord, business and family

•Food preparation• Looking after children

• Housework 6 7 8 9

The cost of manuscript production

Manuscripts were hand-made and took a very long time to make.

Many different people were involved:• Parchmenter: prepared the parchment• Scribe: wrote the script• Illuminator: completed the illustrations

and decoration• Binder and finisher: sewed the

manuscript into a codex10Pope Boniface VIII, Book of Decretals (1300s)

Making a manuscript

Vellum

Exemplar

Cover boards

Binding thongsBone

spatula

11

Common features and themes

in manuscripts

Miniature

Historiated initial

Decorated initial

Rubric

Border

Move on

Common features in manuscripts

Miniature

Historiated initial

Decorated initial

Rubric

Border

Move on

12Book of hours (c. 1420)

Common features in manuscripts

Miniature

Historiated initial

Decorated initial

Rubric

Border

Move on

Book of hours (c. 1420) 12