The Guide to Illumination
This glossary is primarily based on "Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts: A Guide to Technical Terms" By Michelle P. Brown. All of the definitions from her book, as well as all other sources, are referenced.




Argent - The heraldic term for silver (Valentine 71). See related terms: Gules, Sable







Atramentum - "A pure carbon-black" ink that never fades because "it consists of very minute particles of carbon which rest on the surface of the vellum" (Middleton 248). Atramentum "cannot be kept in a fluid state, but has to be rubbed up with water from day to day as it is required" (Middleton 27). See related term: Encaustum







Black Lettering - Black lettering "consist[s] of rows of perpendicular thick strokes with heads and feet connected by oblique hair-lines"(Johnston 47). The modern lettering system comes from Italy whereas black lettering is from Northern Europe (Johnston 118). Thus black lettering is considered difficult to read.







Book Of Hours - An illuminated manuscript with very specific contents. Usually a Book of Hours models the Divine Office (Brown 23). By the time the Kirby 1 was created in the late 15th century, books of hours were standardized. All books of hours contain a liturgical calendar, a litany of the saints, suffrages, the Office of the Dead, and the Penitential Psalms. They often differed in specific contents according to who commissioned them, where they lived, and when they lived.







Border - Instead of leaving pure white space in the edges of pages, decorative borders were typically used. Here is an example of a border from the Kirby 1.







Burnished - "Enhancing the smoothness and shininess of a surface such as metallic [gold leaf] by polishing with a burnisher - a smooth, hard stone, metal, or bone set into a handle" (Brown 28).







Curry - to dress the hair or coat of a (horse, ox, etc.) with a curry-comb (Merriam Webster Dictionary 192).







Dexter - Of or on the right side of a shield; on the reader's left (Valentine 80). See related term: Sinister







Divine Office - Daily rituals that were performed at specific times. The day was divided into eight periods - called canonical hours. During each hour, specific rites were observed (Brown 50).







Encaustum - Black ink that "stain[ed] the vellum a little below the surface" (Middleton 249). See related term: Atramentum








Ermine - A repeating sable pattern on an argent background. The pattern consists of three lines extending from a common point toward the corners of a triangle. Above the three lines are a three points. An ASCII representation is below.
, ' ,
|
/ \








Flemish - the Dutch language as spoken by a member of a Germanic people (Merriam Webster Dictionary 289).







Gold Fluid - "Fluid gold was made by laboriously grinding the pure metal on a porphyry slab into the finest possible powder. This powdered gold, mixed with water and a little size was applied with a brush like any other pigment" (Middleton 230).







Gold Leaf - Gold leaf, often made by the illuminator himself, consisted of a chunk of gold pounded flat. The position on the vellum where the leaf was to be applied was prepared by brushing on several thin coats of mordant. After each coat was completely dry, the next was added. When sufficient mordant had been applied, the mordant was burnished until it resembled glass. Then egg white was brushed on. While the egg white was still sticky, the gold leaf was applied. After the egg white dried, the gold was laboriously burnished until it glittered (Middleton 232).







Gules - The heraldic term for red (Valentine 71). See related terms: Argent, Sable







Hagiography - idolizing biography (in the context of religious figures, such as the Christian saints)







Heraldic - Of or relating to the practice of devising and granting armorial insignia and of tracing genealogies (The Merriman Webster Dictionary, 348)







Historiated Initial - The letter that begins a new section is often enlarged and illuminated. Sometimes recognizable figures or scenes appear in these letters. Such illuminated letters are called historiated initials (Brown 68).







Hours - Hours should not be confused with the modern 24 hour day. Hours refer to the religious divisions of the day into eight periods of time. During each period clergy performed specific rites and prayers. The Hours directed all of the activities of the day in monasteries (Brown 50). According to Brown, The approximate hours were:
Matins:2:30 am   Sext:noon
Lauds:5:00am   None:3pm
Prime:6:00am   Vespers:4:30pm
Terce:9:00am   Compline:6:00pm









 Illuminated - A term referring to an illustration in a manuscript that uses bright colors and lots of silver and gold. The Kirby 1 has more gold illumination than silver, which is a tribute to the wealth of those who commissioned the work (Brown 69).







Illuminated Manuscript - An illuminated manuscript is a handwritten book that is embellished with brilliant inks and dyes (especially silver and gold). Many were created in the monasteries of the middle ages (Brown 70). However, by the mid 1400's, guilds that specialized in the production of illuminated manuscripts were firmly established. These guilds produced many beautiful works (most likely including the Kirby I) before the printed book became popular (Brown 114).







Impaled - Blended together (Valentine 73).







Liturgical Calendar - A calendar of Christian rites and observances.







Marginalia - illustrations and decorations in the margins, usually not related to the nearby text.







Miniatures - "An independent illustration, as opposed to a scene incorporated into another element of the decorative scheme such as a border or initial" (Brown 86).







Mordant - Application of the mordant is referred to as "the most difficult part of the illuminator's art" (Middleton 234). A white substance was ground very finely and mixed with size " to the consistency of cream, so that it could be applied with a brush" (234).







Mullet - A faceted five-pointed or six-pointed star (Valentine 19).







Philip III (the Good) (b. July 31, 1396 d. June 15, 1467) - Duke of Burgundy who was responsible for the great influence Burgundy had in Middle Ages politics; kept a very decadent court.







Qur'an - primary Muslim holy book.







Rampant - A beast standing on its hind legs looking forward (Valentine 58).







Sable - The heraldic term for black (Valentine 71). See related terms: Argent, Gules







Sinister - Of or on the left side of a shield; on the reader's right (Valentine 80). See related term: Dexter







size - the glue that was used to stick the color and gold fluid to the vellum. It was often composed of boiled shreds of vellum or fish-bones, gum-Arabic, or egg white (Middleton 239).







Suffrages - A prayer addressed to a saint. A suffrage has specific aspects and order. In a book of Hours, the suffrages are arranged in a hierarchy beginning with the Virgin Mary, Saint Michael, and Saint John the Baptist. The lesser saints vary from volume to volume (Brown 119).







Vellum - The skin of a calf that is prepared to be written on (for detailed preparation techniques, please see The Making of a Manuscript) (Brown 95).