ILLUMINATION
AIA E DUCATION D EPARTMENT
L ESSON P LANS
PROJECT
Art of Illumination: Resources
Patricia Bentivoglio, Suzanne Hertzberg
and Sue Sullivan
THE ARCHER SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Eco, Umberto. The Name of the Rose. trans. William
Weaver. New York: Harcourt, 1993.
Fellows-Jenson, Gillian, and Peter Springborg, eds. Care
and Conservation of Manuscripts: Proceedings of the First
International Seminar Held at the University of Copenhagen,
25th-26th April 1994. Copenhagen, Denmark: Museum Tusculanum, 1995. (and proceedings from
subsequent seminars)
Harthan, John. The Book of Hours. New York: Thomas
Cromwell Company, 1977.
Kanter, Laurence B. Painting and Illumination in Early Renaissance Florence 1300-1450. New York: Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 1994.
Kren, Thomas. Italian Illuminated Manuscripts. Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 2005.
Kren, Thomas. The Renaissance, The Triumph of Flemish
Manuscript Painting in Europe. Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 2003.
Marks, Richard. The Golden Age of English Manuscript Painting, 1200-1500. New York: George Braziller, 1981.
Masterpieces of the J. Paul Getty Museum: Illuminated Manuscripts. Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 1997.
Meehan, Bernard. The Book of Kells: An Illustrated Introduction to the Manuscript in Trinity College Dublin. London:
Thames & Hudson, 1994.
Mills, Dorothy. The Middle Ages. New York: G.P. Putnam, 1925.
Narkiss, Bezalel. Hebrew illuminated manuscripts in the British
Isles. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press for the
Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the
British Academy, 1982.
Ohlgren, Thomas H. Insular and Anglo-Saxon illuminated
manuscripts : an iconographic catalogue c. A.D. 625 to
1100. New York and London: Garland, 1986.
Sweeney, James Johnson. Irish illuminated manuscripts of the
early Christian period. London: Collins in association
with Unesco, 1965.
Thorp, Nigel. The glory of the page: medieval & renaissance
illuminated manuscripts from Glasgow University Library.
London: Glasgow University Library and the Art
Gallery of Ontario, 1987.
RESOURCES
For younger students
Robertson, Bruce, and Kathryn Hewitt. Marguerite makes a
Book. Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 1999.
Illumination and Text Templates
A Medieval Alphabet to Illuminate. Santa Barbara, CA: Bellerophon Books, 1991
Bowie, Theodore. The Medieval Sketchbook of Villard de
Honnecourt. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2006.
Davis, Courtney. Celtic Designs and Motifs. Mineola, NY:
Dover Publications, 1991.
Fisher, Celia. Flowers in Medieval Manuscripts. Toronto,
Canada: University of Toronto Press, 2004.
Grafton, Carol Belanger. Illuminated Initials in Full Color.
Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1998.
Kren, Thomas. Illuminated Manuscripts in Germany and Central Europe. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum,
2009.
LaFontaine, Bruce. History of the Sword. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1998.
Menten, Theodore. The Illuminated Alphabet. New York,
NY: Dover Publications, 1971.
Solo, Dan. Celtic and Medieval Alphabets: 53 Complete Fonts.
Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1998.
Tumms, W.R. and M.D. Wyatt. Masterpieces of Illuminated
Letters and Borders. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications,
2006.
Books
Alexander, J.J.G. and C.M. Kauffman. English illuminated
manuscripts 700-1500. Brussels : Bibliotheque Royale
Albert Ier; Worldwide Books, Boston, 1973.
---. Medieval Illuminators and their Methods of Work. New
Haven: Yale University Press, 1992.
Backhouse, Janet. Books of Hours. London: British Library,
1995.
Basing, Patricia. Trades and Crafts in Medieval Manuscripts.
New York: New Amsterdam Books, 1990.
Brown, Michelle P. Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts, A
Guide to Technical Terms. Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 1994.
Calkins, Robert G. Illuminated books of the Middle Ages.
Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1983.
De Hamel, Christopher. A History of Illuminated Manuscripts. London: Phaidon, 1994.
Online Sources
Artstor. Web: access by subscription only. 11 Aug. 2009.
www.artstor.org
“The Book of Kells.” Trinity College Library Dublin. 11
Aug. 2009. Web. 11 Aug. 2009. http://www.tcd.ie/
Library/manuscripts/book-of-kells.php
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE of AMERICA
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ILLUMINATION PROJECT
AIA E DUCATION D EPARTMENT
L ESSON P LANS
Content of Standards for Grades 9-12
Standard 1: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes
Achievement Standard, Proficient:
Students apply media, techniques, and processes
with sufficient skill, confidence, and sensitivity that
their intentions are carried out in their artworks
Students conceive and create works of visual art that
demonstrate an understanding of how the communication of their ideas relates to the media, techniques,
and processes they use
“Curator’s Introduction: Illuminated Manuscripts.” The
British Library. Web 11 Aug. 2009. http://
www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/illmanus/
curatorintro23275.html
“Digital Scriptorium.” Columbia University Libraries. 21 July
2008. Web. 11 Aug. 2009. http://
scriptorium.columbia.edu/
Halsall, Paul. “Internet Medieval Sourcebook.” Fordam
University. 22 Dec. 2006. Web. 11 Aug. 2009. http://
www.fordham.edu/halsall/Sbook.html
“Irish Script on Screen.” School of Celtic Studies, Dublin
Institute for Advanced Studies. Web. 11 Aug. 2009.
http://www.isos.dias.ie/
“The Labyrinth: Resources for Medieval Studies.” Georgetown University. Web. 11 Aug. 2009. http://
labyrinth.georgetown.edu/
“Looking at Illuminated Manuscripts: Lessons and Ideas
for Discussion.” J. Paul Getty Museum Trust. Web. 11
Aug. 2009. http://www.getty.edu/education/
for_teachers/curricula/manuscripts/
“The Making of a Medieval Book.” J. Getty Museum Trust.
Web. 11 Aug. 2009. http://www.getty.edu/art/
exhibitions/making/
“Manuscripts Collection.” The Huntington Library, Art
Collection, and Botanical Gardens. Web. 11 Aug. 2009.
http://www.huntington.org/huntingtonlibrary.aspx?
id=554
“Medieval Electronic Multimedia Organization
(MEMO).” 28 March 2009. Web. 11 Aug. 2009.
http://medievalelectronicmultimedia.org/index.html
The Once and Future Classroom: Resources for Teaching the Middles Ages in Grades K-12. TEAMS: The
Consortium for the Teaching of the Middle Ages. Web. 11
Aug. 2009. http://www.teamsmedieval.org/ofc/
index/htm
“The Proto Haggadah: A Medieval Manuscript in the
Making.” Jewish Theological Seminary. 2006. Web.
http://www.jtsa.edu/prebuilt/exhib/prato/
index.html
“Sacred.” The British Library Online Gallery. Web. 11 Aug.
2009. http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/
sacred/homepage.html
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Standard 2: Using knowledge of structures and functions
Achievement Standard, Proficient:
Students demonstrate the ability to form and defend
judgments about the characteristics and structures to
accomplish commercial, personal, communal, or
other purposes of art
Students evaluate the effectiveness of artworks in
terms of organizational structures and functions
Students create artworks that use organizational
principles and functions to solve specific visual arts
problems
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Standard 3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject
matter, symbols, and ideas
Achievement Standard, Proficient:
Students reflect on how artworks differ visually,
spatially, temporally, and functionally, and describe
how these are related to history and culture
Students apply subjects, symbols, and ideas in their
artworks and use the skills gained to solve problems
in daily life
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Standard 4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to
history and cultures
Achievement Standard, Proficient:
Students differentiate among a variety of historical
and cultural contexts in terms of characteristics and
purposes of works of art
Students describe the function and explore the
meaning of specific art objects within varied cultures, times, and places
Students analyze relationships of works of art to one
another in terms of history, aesthetics, and culture,
justifying conclusions made in the analysis and using
such conclusions to inform their own art making
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Other Sources
Illuminated Manuscripts Open Workshop. The J. Paul
Getty Museum. Los Angeles. 21May 2003.
The Work of Angels: The Book of Kells. DVD. Dublin: Crescendo Concepts, 2008.
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Standard 5: Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others
Achievement Standard, Proficient:
Students identify intentions of those creating artworks, explore the implications of various purposes,
and justify their analyses of purposes in particular
works
NATIONAL STANDARDS
National Standards for Arts Education
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Consortium of National Arts Education Associations
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/teach/standards/
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE of AMERICA
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ILLUMINATION PROJECT
AIA E DUCATION D EPARTMENT
L ESSON P LANS
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Students describe meanings of artworks by analyzing
how specific works are created and how they relate
to historical and cultural contexts
Students reflect analytically on various interpretations as a means for understanding and evaluating
works of visual art
9.
Standard 6: Making connections between visual arts and
other disciplines
Achievement Standard, Proficient:
Students compare characteristics of visual arts within
a particular historical period or style with ideas, issues, or themes in the humanities or sciences
Draw upon the visual, literary, and musical sources
including: (a) photographs, paintings, cartoons, and
architectural drawings; (b) novels, poetry, and plays;
and, (c) folk, popular and classical music, to clarify,
illustrate, or elaborate upon information presented in
the historical narrative.
Standard 3: Historical Analysis and Interpretation
2. Consider multiple perspectives of various peoples in
the past by demonstrating their differing motives,
beliefs, interests, hopes, and fears.
3. Analyze cause-and-effect relationships bearing in
mind multiple causation including (a) the importance
of the individual in history; (b) the influence of ideas,
human interests, and beliefs; and (c) the role of
chance, the accidental and the irrational.
4. Draw comparisons across eras and regions in order
to define enduring issues as well as large-scale or
long-term developments that transcend regional and
temporal boundaries.
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National Center for History in the Schools
http://nchs.ucla.edu/standards/worldera5.html
Contents of World History Standards for Grades 7-12
Standard 2
1. The student understands the patterns of social
change and cultural achievement in Europe’s emerging civilizations. Therefore the student is able to
evaluate major works of art, architecture, and literature and analyze how they shed light on values and
attitudes in Christian society. (Draw upon visual
sources.)
Contents of Historical Thinking Standards for
Grades 5–12
Standard 2: Historical Comprehension
2. Reconstruct the literal meaning of a historical passage by identifying who was involved, what happened, where it happened, what events led to these
developments, and what consequences or outcomes
followed.
4. Differentiate between historical facts and historical
interpretations but acknowledge that the two are
related; that the facts the historian reports are selected and reflect therefore the historian's judgment
of what is most significant about the past.
5. Read historical narratives imaginatively, taking into
account what the narrative reveals of the humanity
of the individuals and groups involved--their probable values, outlook, motives, hopes, fears, strengths,
and weaknesses.
6. Appreciate historical perspectives--the ability (a)
describing the past on its own terms, through the
eyes and experiences of those who were there, as
revealed through their literature, diaries, letters, debates, arts, artifacts, and the like; (b) considering the
historical context in which the event unfolded--the
values, outlook, options, and contingencies of that
time and place; and (c) avoiding "presentmindedness," judging the past solely in terms of present-day norms and values.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE of AMERICA
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