Art News

Illuminated manuscripts light up medieval monarchs

LONDON (REUTERS).-Flecks of gold and vibrant swirls of royal blue grace the pages of illuminated royal manuscripts at the British Library in London, which will shortly go on show to the public. The 150 manuscripts in the exhibition represent the most stunning pieces from the library’s collection, the largest group of medieval manuscripts in Britain and one of the most important in the world. “The manuscripts contain tens of thousands of the best medieval decorative and figurative paintings, which are as vivid as they were when they were first painted,” said Scot McKendrick, head of history and classical studies at the British Library. The richly-coloured exhibition will span the period between the eighth and 16th century, displaying images that have remained encased within the tomes for hundreds of years, protected from light and dirt. The artefacts range from the depiction of the lineage of English kings across five metres of parc