In Search of Beautiful Books:Manuscripts from Medieval Europe as seen through Design Manuscripts were handwritten copies of written texts in the period before the invention of letterpress printing. Medieval manuscripts are…

In Search of Beautiful Books:
Manuscripts from Medieval Europe as seen through Design

Manuscripts were handwritten copies of written texts in the period before the invention of letterpress printing. Medieval manuscripts are known for their lavish use of gold leaf and colours and beautiful calligraphy, such as the most beautiful book in the world, Lord Berry's Sumptuous Book of Hours, and the Irish national treasure, The Book of Kells. These manuscripts are highly regarded not only as mere religious texts but also as works of artistic value.

The design aspects of the manuscripts, such as page margin design, layout and colour schemes, which take into account the convenience of the reader, have not been given much light, but the scribes involved in the production of the manuscripts have been known to use not only font size and colour schemes, but also sometimes infographics to aid the reader's understanding through visual aids. The scribes and copyists who were involved in the production of the manuscripts can truly be regarded as pioneers of contemporary graphic designers.

This special feature focuses on the ‘design’ of the books produced by these manuscripts, analysing them from the perspective of layout and format, binding, colour schemes and typefaces, in order to explore the links with contemporary graphic design. The study also examines the processes common to modern DTP and design, such as the establishment of guidelines for the beautiful arrangement of text, the securing of space in advance for illustrations and decorative initials, and the later insertion of decorative illustrators in these areas, as well as the few remaining ‘free spaces’ (pages) amidst the ‘constraints’ that exist in every age. The aim is to reconsider what a beautiful book is, while exploring the ingenuity and passion of people who created books, such as the playful spirit displayed by scribes and decorative artists in the ‘free space’ (such as the margins of the page) that remained amidst the ‘restrictions’ that existed in every age.

This special feature focuses on the ‘design’ of the books produced by these manuscripts, analysing them from the perspective of layout and format, binding, colour schemes and typefaces, in order to explore the links with contemporary graphic design. The study also examines the processes common to modern DTP and design, such as the establishment of guidelines for the beautiful arrangement of text, the securing of space in advance for illustrations and decorative initials, and the later insertion of decorative illustrators in these areas, as well as the few remaining ‘free spaces’ (pages) amidst the ‘constraints’ that exist in every age. The aim is to reconsider what a beautiful book is, while exploring the ingenuity and passion of people who created books, such as the playful spirit displayed by scribes and decorative artists in the ‘free space’ (such as the margins of the page) that remained amidst the ‘restrictions’ that existed in every age.