Celtic Illuminated Manuscript Poster
One of my favorite courses in school was History of Graphic Design in which we covered different movements in art and how they shaped the Graphic Design field we know today. One of our projects was to do a case study of a period of history as a poster in the style of that period. I used the rich world of Celtic illuminated manuscripts.
Illuminated manuscripts are elaborately decorated, handwritten books from the Middle Ages. Given that the public was largely illiterate, these manuscripts, known for their intricate knots, patterns, metallic leafing, and drop caps, became a crucial way to convey information, especially religious texts. They were created to enhance the text's importance and aid in comprehension through visual storytelling, making them significant artistic and historical artifacts. However, the invention of the printing press ultimately became the catalyst for the decline in their use, as printed books became more efficient and accessible.
Mockup of my version of an Illuminated Manuscript
Closeup of the drop cap C with digital gold and copper leaf. A red, green, blue, brown and yellow geometric pattern makes up the background.
Closeup of the bottom left corner featuring the intricate multi-color knotwork.
A closeup of the body text for the poster providing a brief history of the movement.
Closeup of the bottom section of the piece which shows the main colors used as well as typographical and notable works and artists.
During my research for this poster, I scoured over numerous illuminated manuscripts created throughout the Middle Ages. My main inspiration was pages/images within The Book of Kells, but other works from later periods as well as other areas of the world. Seeing how different regions of Europe and what we now know of as the Middle East treated this craft was awe-inspiring, the delicate hand needed to place the metallic leaf pieces gave me a boost in the immense respect I already had for these works and their artists.
The inspiration for the overall layout of my piece: The Book of Kells, Christ Enthroned page showcasing the intricate knot work in a full illustration.
Inspiration for the font and leading choices in my piece: The Book of Kells, the Gospel of John. This also whos how drop caps can be used within the body text of a page.
Example of a drop cap: Benedictine Antiphonary by Belbello da Pavia.
Book of Kells: Chi Rho monagram
Tres Riches du Duc de Berry: The Funeral of Raymond Diocres by Jean Colombe.
Another example of a dropcap from The Book of Hours: Use of Utrecht. This was the inspiration for the background of the dropcap in my piece.
Speculum Mais (The Great History): Speculum Historale(The Mirror of History), Miniature of Vincent of Beauvais.