An illumination showing three male figures sitting, wearing a blue robe, the one in the middle is holding a book

6 – Newly Added – Illuminating the Middle Ages: Interactions with Medieval Manuscripts

On campus

Course  6 – Summer School on campus

Monday 24 – Friday 28 June 2024
Dr Teresa Lane
£645

Course description

Illuminated manuscripts are among the most exquisite works of art to survive from the Middle Ages, but also some of the most enigmatic. They are usually locked away in libraries or archives, and even when exhibited only two pages of a volume can be viewed at one time. In this course we shall use a variety of methods, including site visits and facsimiles, to explore extraordinary examples of surviving medieval manuscript illumination.

The course will examine the history of manuscript illumination from the tenth to the fifteenth centuries, a period which saw rapid developments in artistic innovation across all media. We shall explore the transition of manuscripts as products of the monastic scriptorium to those of professional trade networks in cities across Europe. Manuscripts will be examined from the point of view of their functions, scales, and word/image relations. We shall consider how illuminators made miniatures, and explore some strategies for interpreting digital images. Another focus will be patronage, including the diverse ways people engaged with their manuscripts.

The course will include visits to the rich collections of manuscripts held in London libraries, galleries and museums.

Please note that this is a revised on campus version of a course which has previously run online. This course replaces Like a Pilgrim: Experiencing the Great Shrine Churches of Medieval England, due to be led by Dr Lesley Milner, which we hope will return next year. 

How to book

To book your chosen course(s) please use the book now button below and you will be taken to our booking system where you can book and pay (Visa / Mastercard / GooglePay / ApplePay).

At checkout, you will be prompted to login (if you have previously booked gallery tickets) or to register and create a new account.

(Please note: this ticketing login is not the same as your short courses VLE login if you have one).

Once you have made your selection, your chosen course(s) will be added to your shopping basket which has a timer of 20 minutes, after which time your basket will be cleared and you will need to start again. The timer starts from when you put an item in the basket (not when you login or register).

If you have any questions please email us at short.courses@courtauld.ac.uk

Lecturer’s biography

Dr Teresa Lane is an Associate Lecturer and Head of The Courtauld Graduate Diploma in the History of Art. Teresa teaches on medieval art and architecture, with a focus on manuscripts produced in Europe in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Her doctoral research (2022) examined representations of the Trinity in English art, exploring the sources of artistic inspiration, including contemporary literature and sermons, social history and theology. Teresa regularly lectures for the Victoria & Albert Academy and prior to joining The Courtauld worked in legal publishing and as a solicitor in a City law firm.

Citations