An Abecedarium: Illuminated Alphabets from the Court of Emperor Rudolf II (Hardcover)

~ Lee Hendrix (Author), Thea Vignau-Wilberg (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Taken from a 16th-century manuscript now housed in the Getty Museum, the intricate illustrations in this tiny volume are characteristic of Renaissance art: each letter is surrounded by religious and political imagery, as well as fanciful creatures and a fragment of a Psalm beginning with the respective letter. The warm, rich colors and the juxtaposition of elements such as crabs, asps, grapes, disembodied wings, crests, irises, and flags imbue each plate with a sense of divine haughtiness and humor. Besides the drawings themselves, the accompanying notes describe the evolution of different fonts, providing information that helps the reader interpret the wealth of information in each drawing.

From Library Journal

Demeude's preoccupation with letters has led him to bring together illuminated initials and ornamental characters from 12 centuries of alphabets and typography, ranging from 8th-century sacred manuscripts to 20th-century mass-produced postcards. Included are samples from over 100 alphabets created by such artists as Durer, Holbein, Daumier, and Kate Greenaway. The animated letters may be draped with the human form, used to offer historical or biblical scenes, or entwined with naturalistic scenes. While the accompanying historical notes and essays are succinct, the visuals will be of the most value as a study collection. The Getty's diminutive (51/4" x 71/4") volumes contain reproductions and notes on calligraphy and miniature paintings from a work commissioned by the court of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II during the 16th century. Currently in the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Mira calligraphiae monumenta (Model Book of Calligraphy) is the combined effort of master calligrapher Georg Bocskay and court artist Joris Hoefnagel. Considered one of the most precious books of the European Renaissance, it represents the transition from medieval European manuscript illumination to the emergence of the floral still life genre of the early 17th century. Nature Illuminated contains reproductions of 41 manuscript pages with meticulous studies of flora and fauna. An Abecedarium contains 38 illuminated reproductions of Roman capital and Gothic lowercase letters. These unique titles are best suited to specialized art and design collections.?Judith Yankeilun Lind, Roseland Free
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Getty Publications (July 10, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892364718
• ISBN-13: 978-0892364718
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #560,776 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #24 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Other Media > Illuminations
  #35 in	Books > History > Europe > Germany > Medieval

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Art in this book not as gorgeous as in the other two., March 10, 2006

By	Pio (Orange County, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

There are 3 in this set of matching books. The other two are superb in their art choices. This one is also very pleasing. It concentrates on calligraphy letters just as is shown on the front cover. The book contains similar prints but for the other letters of the alphabet in capitals and small case. That is all that is contained in this book. So it is a matter of personal preferences if you want a book with nothing but this. I bought it to complete my set and am very happy with it, but if I had to do without one of the three, it would be this one without a doubt. I like this book a lot, but I truly adore the other 2: NATURE ILLUMINATED (my favorite) and THE ART OF THE PEN.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enchanting Eye-Catcher, December 4, 2001

By	Kaelsen Thorne "Kaelsen" (Katy, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

I happened upon this true gem of a book at The Getty, while on a trip to Los Angeles, and simply had to have it. Anyone with an appreciation for words and letters and the challenge of combining them as perfectly as possible, will love this! It is a constant delight and one with which I gift special friends.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Hiccup, September 1, 2009

By	L.M.Fields "Digital Artist" (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews

There is little text to speak of, mostly plates really, which would be fine if it weren't for the fact that it's so small, so skinny... there's just not enough to the book and it would have made better sense to me if it had been combined with its two other sister books as one complete volume so this is more like a hiccup than a book but, for what is there, the pages are beautiful.