T THE necessity for an "Elementary Instruction Book," to acquire the art of illuminating on vellum, for the use of those who are desirous of practising this beautiful and graceful accomplishment, has long since become imperative; particularly since, to my own knowledge, several handbooks have made their appearance, professedly with the object of affording instruction to the many amateur artists, who eagerly seek for such information in the first one that is presented to them by the bookseller; and it often happens, that such books, by their high sounding titles, deceive both the vendor and purchaser. The subsequent disappointment to the latter may be easily imagined, when, instead of the "instruction" anxiously looked for, he finds an elaborate treatise "cut short" on the plea "of the necessary limits of the little work," etc; and then only obtains snatches of information of extraordinary existing specimens to be found in the various libraries of Europe, to which he can have no access; interlarded with "technical phrases," of which he can have no idea, and elaborate fragments of ornamentation, illustrative of the author's text, but without affording him the slightest clue what to do with them, or how, in his experience, he can apply them to a useful purpose. The disappointed amateur artist, therefore, turns away and feels himself sadly at a loss for some aid in his endeavour to pursue a most beautiful, and, at the same time, easy accomplishment, simply from the fact of unexplained difficulties having been thrown in his path; for though specimens of illuminations have from time to time been published, from which the student may have derived some slight advantage,—if only a superficial insight into style and taste,—yet they are universally of too elaborate a character to be of much utility to the beginner; and in the attempt to copy such specimens as Noel Humphreys has published in his "Illuminated Books of the Middle Ages," the pupil frequently must become embarrassed by the intricacy of the design; and not knowing any method where to commence or how to proceed, would, in attempting such specimens, make such signal failures, that in despair he would throw his work aside, and for ever abandon an art, which, simple and highly interesting in itself, would by him be considered at once as futile and impracticable. The beauty of illuminated drawing consists chiefly in the nicety of execution, elaborate ornamental detail, and the mathematical precision with which ornaments are frequently repeated throughout the same design. The arrangement of colours requires also much judgment and taste, whilst the knowledge how to lay them on evenly and smoothly, requires the practical instruction of the teacher, without whom it is almost impossible to overcome these difficulties, or acquire proficiency, particularly in raised gilding, and the nicety which is required in using the agate, with which the ornamentations are engraved on matted gold or silver.

As an art, which originated at the remotest period of Christianity, and which originally was practised by very limited artistic intelligence, its first development was exceedingly simple, crude, and grotesque. When the rolled papyrus manuscripts were superseded by squares of parchment, in the form of our present books, the Scribes or Monks of the early Christian period were the first who were engaged in the writing of prayer-books or missals for the wealthier classes of people, who at that time were alone enabled to indulge in the luxury of a book; it is then we find the first germs of artistic composition displayed, in the initial letters which began to be conspicuously large and ornamental, fanciful, and sometimes intricately and ingeniously contrived, in contradistinction to the older rolled manuscripts discovered in Herculaneum and Pompeii, in which no traces of ornamentation could be found. From this simple source of artistic development, we may contrast the productions of Giulio Clovio of a much later period, and his many and unknown contemporaries, who have astonished the world by productions, unequalled by anything that modern art could achieve. As I shall have occasion to speak of the progress of illuminating, and ornamental art, in a separate work about to be published, I merely hint here, at the commencement, that, for modern purposes of illumination, it would be highly pedantic to copy the earlier productions of missal painting, merely because they are antique, if in other respects they do not possess some artistic quality of graceful development both in outline and colouring, to which the modern artist may, with very good taste, give preference.

The object of this little work is not so much to enter into any detailed history of the progress of ornamental art, which may well become a separate and intricate study, as to smooth down the difficult path of the beginner, to unravel for him apparent mysteries in the art, to give him examples of practical designs to imitate from, suitable to his skill; to point out to him clearly and unmistakeably such rules as, from my experience, I have found absolutely necessary to adopt, and which if studiously followed up will, in a great measure, assist his first efforts and enhance his ultimate success and proficiency.

That which is most remarkable in those mediÆval vellum-illuminations which have been preserved in the various collections of Europe, is the brilliancy of their colours, tints unsurpassed by anything that our modern contrivances can equal, or our colour-box approach. Specimens which have stood the test of a thousand years' duration, are as fresh and as brilliant as if they came newly from the artist's hands. Such orange, and such greens, and purples, as if directly snatched and stolen from the rainbow itself, or distilled from the prismatic rays of a benignant sun. The borders are actually studded with gems of colour which sparkle on the insects as if they were photographed from nature, colours as well as form. Drapery, damask, armoury, furs, and feathers, are all portrayed in such rich and gorgeous tints, that we may well doubt whether the secret of these colours has not died with those who used them centuries ago. Our water-colours were as brickdust at the side of them. In order somewhat to remedy the deficiency of our colours (as I found them) in comparison with what was desirable, the attempt has been made to manufacture them on a new principle, in order to preserve all the brightness of the chief tints predominant in illuminations; and I am happy to say, that, after years of experience, I have entirely succeeded in producing a set of colours suitable for the purposes of illumination; and I now beg to recommend to my pupils and readers those only called "Illuminating Colours." Chemically speaking, they are manufactured on a totally distinct principle from other water-colours, and are made to answer all the purposes of illuminated drawing, affording perfect facility on the one hand in laying them on evenly and smoothly, and, on the other, saving a great deal of time and labour, and enhancing much the general effect of the design, in the brilliancy of the tints; this refers more particularly to their use when applied to vellum, which from its greasy surface is apt to reject the usual water-colours, whilst those of the illuminating-box are found perfectly to answer the purpose. I beg also to recommend the "water gold-size," which in its application to the drawing, can be raised considerably above its surface, assuming all the appearance of being embossed, and can be immediately gilded over, which greatly expedites the process over that of any other gold varnish.[A]

That persons having a knowledge of drawing can and will make better illuminators than those who have not, there can be no doubt; and the more accomplished the artist, the better illuminator he will make is also obvious. Yet the art of illumination may be practised by persons who may be but indifferent artists in general design, and with a great deal of success; whilst others, conversant with the highest principles of art, have frequently been found to be but very indifferent illuminators. The reason of this is apparent; illuminating being for the most part a strictly mechanical art (though subject to artistic principles), any one possessed of natural gifts of taste, patience and perseverance, will, by studiously following out some slight mechanical contrivances, easily attain the first principles primarily necessary to copy any given outline however intricate; not even excluding the human figure.

The ornamental arabesque scroll, from its primitive simplicity to the most elaborately finished foliage, interlaced initials, etc., are given in due succession for the pupil to copy; by which means his hand becomes gradually trained to curval delineations, and his eyes get by degrees educated, till at last all angular tendency in his ornamentations is entirely eradicated. Once trained to that perfection, colouring and shading become comparatively easy, and a little instruction, with practice, will enable the hitherto uneducated artist to overcome almost every obstacle. The free-hand artist, on the other hand, relying on his capacity alone, and disregarding the mechanical contrivances at his command, not unfrequently stumbles over the easiest parts, pettishly condemns all such appliances, the neglect of which destroys the uniformity and mathematical precision of his work, and finally he leaves off, disgusted with his ill success.

I would, therefore, recommend first of all to the pupil to provide himself with a box of Illuminating Colours, which can be obtained of the author, or at any of the authors agents, which also includes compasses, parallel rule, ruling-pen, agate, gold, etc., and other little but indispensable tools; without which the student would be at a loss to proceed. Having procured these, I would then place this book in his hand, and, by following up the rules laid down here he will find himself, at least, enabled to make such progress, that, with the aid of one or two courses of instruction from a proper and experienced artist, he will completely overcome those difficulties which it would be vain to struggle against by himself. The manuscript room in the British Museum, to which, on a proper recommendation, access can be had, will finally give him an opportunity of studying the art more fully, and make him conversant with the immense store of mediÆval treasures hoarded up there in endless variety and profusion.