Historiated initial
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An historiated initial is an enlarged letter at the beginning of a paragraph or other section of text, which contains a picture. Strictly speaking, an inhabited initial contains figures (human or animal) that are decorative only, without forming a subject, like a historiated one. Both sorts became very common and elaborate in illuminated manuscripts. These initials were first seen in Insular art of the early 8th century.[1] The earliest known example is in the St Petersburg Bede.
In the context of typography in illuminated manuscripts, a grisaille is a historiated initial painted using a monochrome palette.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Leaves of Gold: Glossary of Medieval Manuscript Terms. Philadelphia Museum of Art (2002).
