A historic art form
Book illumination
Book illumination is a genre of art that deals with the pictorial decoration of books. The term “illumination” comes from Latin and roughly means “lighting”. The painting was intended to “bring light to the pages”, primarily through the use of gilding.
I have always been fascinated by the almost meditative work of medieval illuminators and the imaginative scrollwork with which they framed the written text. I've been working as a book illuminator since 2013, mainly for the Gutenberg Shop in Mainz, and I still enjoy it just as much as I did when I started.
I also do freelance work and offer, among other things, individually and personally designed initials - perfect as a gift or as an eye-catcher on your own four walls. Take a look at my gallery or write me a message if you have a special request.
Gutenberg Bible
Around the middle of the 15th century, Johannes Gutenberg invented letterpress printing with movable type. His largest and most famous work is the 42-line Gutenberg Bible. Two of the 49 surviving copies worldwide can be admired at the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz.
The Gutenberg shop belonging to the museum sells reprints of individual pages of the Gutenberg Bible, which are decorated with classical book illumination alongside the printed text, just like the original. I decorate these pages with painted initials, tendrils and real gold leaf. They are available in the Gutenberg store in Mainz or on its website: www.gutenberg-shop.de/gutenberg-bibel
Initials
Initials are not only the initial letters of a name, but also the larger decorative initial letters that mark the beginning of chapters and sections, especially in medieval manuscripts and incunabula (early prints). They were often richly decorated.
I create individual single or double initials with desired motifs, such as the portrait of a pet, and gold leaf decorations. Removed from the context of the book, these initials stand alone as small, precious and very personal works of art.
