Illuminated manuscripts have existed for thousands of years meant to make mostly religious texts, prayers, and psalms more socially persuasive. Each page is often lavishly decorated and to me, look like the fine jewelry of bibles. Before the printing press, these intricately decorated books were handmade on several different kinds of animal skin often taking several years for highly skilled monks or nuns to create them. From the Egyptian Book of the Dead (50 BC) to the high renaissance (1600’s), anonymous artists helped to raise social value for what they believed in.
In this painting, I wanted to pay tribute to the anonymous artisans behind such beautiful books like the LindisFarne gospels (715CE), the Book of Kells (800CE), and the hundreds of Book of Hours copies. I didn’t want the final design to be too traditional or too modern, so I decided to mix graffiti art lines with illustrations from each book.
References:
Twelve Greatest Illuminated Manuscripts: https://www.ancient.eu/article/1185/twelve-greatest-illuminated-manuscripts/
Eleven Great Artists The Started As Street Artists: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/58723/11-art-greats-who-started-out-street-artists
Catalog of Illuminated Manuscripts:
https://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/welcome.htm
7 Favorite Flowers from Renaissance Manuscripts and Their Christian Symbolism:
https://blogs.getty.edu/iris/7-favorite-flowers-from-renaissance-manuscripts-and-their-christian-symbolism/
History and Design of Gospel and Other Biblical Illuminations
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/cultural-history-of-ireland/illuminated-manuscripts.htm
Library of Congress Bible Collection:
https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/bibles/other-bibles.html

- All artwork comes with its own unique authentication label hand signed by the artist.
- Free shipping. Please allow 6-10 days for test printing, processing, and delivery.
- Original artwork by the artist (all work is non-duplicate)