A Theory of . Colour Schemes.—The safest treatment of such a “design” is

Illumination “«? °5 ?nd goI4 (see Ç- I53>- The leaves, which are kept
Illumination rather flat, may be outlined after gilding. The flowers, &c.,

“ay be made up in red and blue (tempered with white : see p.

148). This is the colour treatment of the example, Plate XVII.

If the leaves are green, the stem and outline may be more
delicately drawn in pale or grey-brown ink, and the green
may be a delicate pale olive or grey-green. (A strong, black
stem with bright green leaves is apt to look crude and hard.)
In such a delicate green plant border, delicate blue and red
flowers, and one or two rather flat gold “berries” (single, or in
threes) may be placed.

A very effective colour decoration of a much simpler type
may be made in red and green (or blue) pen-work—using the
pen and the colours with which the Versal letters and line-
finishings are made. A red flourished stem with red leaves or
tendrils, and green berries (or leaves) or a green stem with
green leaves and red berries.

A floral pattern may also be made in plain burnished gold—
both stem and leaves—not outlined (p. 153 & Plate XXII).

A more complex decoration resembling the “ floral
filigree” has a “solid” stem in light or dark colour
on a dark or light ground (or on a gold ground),
as suggested in the rough diagram, fig. 120.

The examples of Italian fifteenth-century work
in Plates XVIII and XIX show a related type of
illumination, known as the “white vine pattern.”
\ erу carefully and beautifully drawn, it strongly
suggests natural form.

“natural, or limner’s,* illumination”

{See also pp. 179, 185-7, 193, 409-10, 412-14,
422; figs. 131.7-141; Plates XV, XVI, XXIII.)

This, the finest type of illumination, has very
great possibilities; and it is to be hoped that some
craftsmen, who have the necessary skill, will find
an opening for their work in this direction.

» Note.—Limning strictly means Illuminating, but has come
to imply drawing and painting, especially of portraits and
miniatures. Here, all its senses are intended.

168

Plate XV is a thirteenth-century example of the A Theory of
transition from the “barbaric” to the “natural.” Illumination
The dragon-tailed initial with its wonderful scroll¬
work and “ivy-leaf” being the perfection of bar¬
baric form, carrying brilliant colour and serving to
support and frame the delicate and beautiful drawing
which it contains.1 But in the drawing itself the
skill of a fine illuminator combines with the fancy
of a cunning draughtsman to satisfy an aesthetic
taste and appeal to the imagination.

Plate XVI shows a rare, and singularly interest¬
ing, treatment of an Italian fourteenth-century MS.
decorated with plant and insect forms (p. 413).

Plate XXIII {modern) shows a border of wild
roses and climbing plants: the colour treatment in
the original is very brilliant (see p. 422).

The “natural” type depends very much on the
beauty and interest of its form ; and a draughtsman
before he had become an illuminator, might be con¬
tent to decorate MSS. and printed books with pen
drawings only faintly coloured or tinted; but when
he had mastered the limitations which the craft
would impose on his drawing for pure and bright
colour, there is no degree of brilliance, even unto
“barbaric splendour,” which he might not lay upon
his trained and delicate forms.

1 The modem illuminator, having no tradition for making
such scroll-work, would find that natural or organic forms—as
of trees or plants (see p. 187)—would serve the same end and
have more sweet reasonableness” in modem eyes. Excellent
scroll-work, moreover, might be formed out of ornamental
Capitals—if sufficient excuse could be found for introducing
them: a large flourished L, for example, could be made exactly
on the same lines as the pendant and scroll in Plate XV.
Narrow gold rods also may be used in a border to support
a floral growth, or as frames if necessary (compare ruUs, p. 328).

169