Codices Illustres: The World's Most Famous Manuscripts (Jumbo) [Hardcover]

Ingo F Walther (Author)

Book Description

Series: Jumbo | Publication Date: September 30, 2002

This work introduces the reader to the world of medieval miniature painting and illumination presents around 170 of the most beautiful and important medieval scripts from the 4th century to 1600. Many miniatures are reproduced in their original size, some on double-pages. Although the focus is on European handwriting (French, Dutch, German, Italian, English and Spanish) examples have also been selected to illustrate the refinement and intricacy of handwriting from non-European cultures (for example, Mexican, Persian, Indian, Ottoman). The scripts are presented in chronological order and described in full. At the head of each sample of script there is a synopsis providing information such as age, origin, format, length, language, textual content, patron, and artist. These synopses should help to orientate the reader at a glance. A 32-page appendix contains short biographies of the artists as well as an extensive bibliography, an index and, most importantly, a glossary of technical terms in which any term used in the book can quickly be found.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The one book you want if you are interested in illuminated manuscripts-and once you open it, you will be. -- Wall Street Journal - November 30, 2001

From the Publisher

Famous Manuscripts: The fascinating world of medieval miniature painting and illumination From The Book of Kells to Boccaccio’s Decameron and from the Vienna Genesis to Dante’s Divine Comedy - see the breathtaking originals of 167 of the greatest classics of all time. This lavishly produced book introduces the reader to the fascinating world of medieval miniature painting and illumination. 167 of the most beautiful and important medieval scripts from the 4th century to 1600 are presented in chronological order and described in full. Each sample of script is headed by highly informative synopses which serves to orient the reader at a glance. These synopses - together with the abundance of brilliant, large-format reproductions - make this book unparalleled in its field. Although the focus is on European manuscripts (French, Dutch, German, Italian, English and Spanish), examples have also been selected to illustrate the refinement and intricacy of manuscript illumination from non-European cultures (Mexican, Persian, Indian, Ottoman etc.). A 36–page appendix contains! biographies of the artists as well as an extensive bibliography, an index and, most importantly, a glossary in which the technical terms used in the book can quickly be found. This is a rare opportunity to come face-to-face with incredibly precious treasures that one would otherwise never seetreasures once belonging to emperors and kings, and now worth many millions. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 496 pages
• Publisher: Taschen (September 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822858528
• ISBN-13: 978-3822858523
• Product Dimensions: 13.4 x 10.7 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,430,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A magnificent, unwieldly place to begin, December 3, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Codices Illustres: The World's Most Famous Manuscripts (Jumbo) (Hardcover)

For those interested in the sheer beauty of medieval illumination, this book is a wonder. Color repro values among the best I've seen, and the range of both period and style is superb. The huge size and great weight are the only reasons this did not get 5 stars - it is so big that I clamp it in my portable easel when I'm using it as an exemplar.

For those, like me, who also do illumination as a hobby this book offers a good range of exemplars of very high caliber. Just remember that this represents the best of many times and places, and don't be intimidated by the quality of the work displayed here. Codices Illustres is big enough to be a coffee table book, but is serves much better as a reference in the scriptorium.

YIS,
THL Ragnar Ketilsson

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Available Overview of Illuminated Manuscripts, January 15, 2008

By 

T. Anderson (Utah) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Masterpieces of Illumination: The World's Most Famous Manuscripts 400 To 1600 (Hardcover)

"Masterpieces of Illumination: The World's Most Beautiful Illuminated Manuscripts from 400 to 1600" is essentially a reprint of "Codices illustres: The World's Most Famous Illuminated Manuscripts 400 to 1600." The former is one of many 25th anniversary Taschen editions, and bears the series logo on its dust-jacket and bright green cover (rather than the classier illumination of the Limburg Brother's Anatomical Man that adorns the cover of the latter). "Masterpieces" is also slightly smaller (9 ¾" x 12 ½") than the original (10 ¼" x 13 ¼"). There are a few other slight differences between the two editions: different endpapers; white paper for the appendix in "Masterpieces," ivory in "Codices"; and slightly darker illustrations in Masterpieces (only noticeable if you actually compare the editions side by side). Otherwise the two editions are virtually identical.
This is a truly wonderful book. It contains discussions and representative illuminations from 167 of the most famous and influential extant codices, books of hours, psalters, Bibles and histories from Europe and Asia (23 or the 167 are from Persia, turkey and India) during the 1200 years in which manuscript illumination flourished as an art form (and at the end of the text proper are samples from yet another 29 manuscripts). The full-color and often full-page illustrations are beautifully and accurately rendered, and the accompanying descriptions are both authoritative and unusually informative. The appendix contains artist biographies, along with a comprehensive bibliography, glossary, and index. In short, this is more than just a coffee-table book; in fact, I use it in my university course on manuscript illumination (along with Christopher De Hamel's excellent "A History of Illuminated Manuscripts," which forms the perfect companion piece to this volume.).
At the current retail price ($29.95) this book is an absolute steal. If you only get one book on the subject of manuscript illumination, this should be the one!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A joy to hold and behold, December 13, 2006

By 

G. B. Talovich (Wulai, Taiwan, ROC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Masterpieces of Illumination: The World's Most Famous Manuscripts 400 To 1600 (Hardcover)

Illumination has fascinated me since I was a boy. This is the best book I have seen of illuminations. The scope includes books in Greek, Latin, Old Church Slavonic, Persian, and Mayan. The printing is superb. Detailed descriptions tell who did the work, who patronized it, who owned the book, where it is now, and so forth. Great for browsing for enjoyment and as a source of inspiration. I expect this book to be a favorite for many years to come. Anybody who enjoys calligraphy and illumination would be delighted to own this book.