The Canterbury School of Illumination 1066–1200

Medieval Canterbury, the centre of the English Church, was also the centre of England's greatest and most sustained achievement in art: the illumination of MSS. between AD 1000 and 1200. Originally published in 1954, this book is one of the most authoritative works on the subject. The author has considered the reader with an unspecialised interest in art, and he fluently relates his criticisms to the illustrations. 291 photographs are included. The narrative begins with the inception of the Anglo-Saxon impressionistic style at Canterbury; it traces the gradual development of Romanesque and Gothic and show the important effects of Norman, French and Byzantine influence. The author analyses the character and origin of Norman illumination, the problems of iconography and survivals of classical art. One of the bases of the study is a thorough knowledge of Canterbury scripts, which is most necessary for dating illuminations.