Decorated Initial with Flowers from a Manuscript
n.d.
Medium
Manuscript cutting in tempera and colored inks, with Latin inscriptions in brownish black and red inks, ruled in red, on vellum
Dimensions
22.3 × 16.3 cm (8 13/16 × 6 7/16 in.)
Classification
tempera
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
151893
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Decorated Initial with Flowers a Manuscript* is a delicate fragment cut from a larger medieval or early Renaissance codex, showcasing the artistry of anonymous illuminators. Measuring just 22.3 × 16.3 cm, it features a vibrant large initial letter adorned with blooming flowers in tempera and colored inks on fine vellum—a prepared animal skin prized for its smooth texture and durability. Red ruling lines guide the eye, while Latin inscriptions in brownish-black and red inks hint at its origins in a religious or liturgical text, common in monastic scriptoria. The medium of tempe...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...