The Islamic manuscripts are often discussed in one group with the Judaic manuscripts in which pen-and-colored-ink technique was used for creating the necessary effects in decorating the first pages of the books 2. The Classical tradition is presented by the example of the Vatican Vergil where bright colors with the domination of red and purple are used for decorating the pages. The movement developed and it was possible to distinguish between the Classical tradition which was typical for the works of the Antiquity and influenced the Western tradition and between the Eastern (Islamic tradition) of decorating manuscripts with illuminated elements. These texts could be used only by the wealth representatives in the society and in rich churches. The illustrators paid attention to the effects of metal and began to use them for decorating the sacred writings in order to make them luxurious and accentuate their significance. Illuminated manuscripts begin to appear before the period of Ancient times, and their further expansion is associated with the active usage of parchments instead of papyruses. However, the main characteristic feature of this movement is the usage of gold and silver for creating the effects of reflecting the light which influence the name of the art movement and its reference to the phenomenon of ‘illumination’. The illuminated illustrations are created with the help of definite ornaments and scripts. Illuminated manuscripts are characterized by the usage of dazzling elements and illustrations in embellishing the pages of the written text with references to decorating the initials and border paintings. Learn More The definition of the movement and its differences from the other traditions in art and design The popularity of the illuminated manuscripts declined with the appearance of the printed texts. It is possible to examine the history of the countries and their cultures with references to the elements of their illuminated scripts till the Renaissance period. The art of illuminated manuscripts developed during many centuries and in different regions. Thus, illuminated manuscripts also played the role in political and social life because the monarchs, wealthy people, and the heads of the church were inclined to have the illuminated works. The creation of illuminated scripts was a specific stage, and it was developed by an illuminator after the whole text of the work was written. There were monastic scriptoriums where the writing of a manuscript was divided into several stages. Illuminated manuscripts were prepared in monasteries. Moreover, illuminated works were often ordered and sponsored by the authorities because the process of creating illuminated manuscripts was not only time-consuming but also expensive. This movement was developed in the context of Eastern and Western traditions, and illuminated scripts were predominantly used for decorating the sacred writings which became the significant part of the service at cathedrals. Nevertheless, today it is possible to examine only few examples of the artworks which belong to that period because many of the illuminated manuscripts were lost as a result of the fire in the Greek library at Alexandria 1. There were a lot of manuscripts decorated with the help of illuminated visual elements created in Greece and the Roman Empire. The expansion of the tradition was affected by the usage of parchments as the source of creating literary works. The tradition to decorate the handwritten works with illuminated scripts began to develop during the Antiquity, and it was also influenced by the first Egyptian works in illustrating which the elements of illumination were used. Illuminated manuscripts are the literary works in which gold and silver are used in order to create the effect of illumination. The origins of the movement, and its place in the political, social, and historical context These elements provided in the modern books have few similarities with the traditional illuminated scripts, but it is important to examine the origins of the movement which had the great impact on the development of art and design during several centuries, from the Antiquity till the Renaissance era.
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