Printing: Renaissance and Reformation

Island 1 - Before Printing: Some Early Manuscripts

New Testament
Switzerland, early twelfth century.

The text is of course that of St. Jerome, the Latin Vulgate, standard in Europe for a thousand years before the Reformation. Note the way the text is surrounded and interlineated with glosses and commentaries from Bede, Jerome, Gregory and other Church Fathers.

St. Matthew
Italy, ca. 1450.

Matthew writing his gospel at the dictation of an angel. The text is written in the italic style. Note the Celtic strapwork decoration on the illuminated letter "I".

Psalter
Italy, mid XVth century.

This is a manuscript in the "rotunda" hand, written on vellum by Carthusian monks; note the simple music line of plainchant at the foot of the page, and the red ("rubricated") initial letters.