Medieval Images

Medieval illuminated miniatures on parchment

These are traditionally made medieval illuminations from manuscripts, created using medieval techniques. The image is drafted onto vellum (calfskin), and gesso and gold-leaf is applied before being painted. The gesso is home-made from a medieval recipe, and the gold-leaf attached as it would have been in a medieval scriptorium or workshop. They are called miniatures from the Latin word ‘minium’, which is the colour of the red paint used to draft the image.

I create images from medieval bestiaries, including owls, cats, turtledoves and phoenixes. I also create decorated zoomorphic initials. All are based on original images from medieval manuscripts dating from the 12th/13th century.