Prior to the invention of the printing press, all books had to be
written by hand. Manuscripts are the beautiful manifestation of this
craft, and the most precious and expensive of such manuscripts were
'illuminated' through the use of brightly coloured pigments and gold
embellishments. Beginning with a fresh and thoughtful introduction to
illuminated manuscripts, Illuminated Manuscripts Masterpieces of Art
goes on to showcase key works in this stunning artistic genre.