History in a Light

Tuesday, April 30, 1996

Luscious colors and striking images decorate a collection of
manuscripts from the Getty Museum’s rich collection. Their new
exhibit, "Ten Centuries of French Illumination," puts the middle
ages on display.By Elizabeth Bull

Daily Bruin Contributor

With gnarled lettering, deep purple dye and a shining silver and
gold border, an open book greets visitors at the Getty Museum’s
exhibit of French illuminations.

Made for Robert the Pious by Nivardus of Milan in the first
quarter of the 11th century, the medieval liturgical service book
took months to create ­ a testament to the original meaning
behind books.

"It’s astounding to us that someone would go to so much effort
for a book because we live in a throw-away culture where things are
pretty disposable," says Diana Goodwin, an intern and curator at
the museum.

"In the past the book wasn’t the same thing, though, that it is
in our world today. It was a very precious and valuable and sacred
thing and these illuminations show that."

The J.Paul Getty Museum’s "Ten Centuries of French Illumination"
features 26 illuminations and manuscripts from the permanent Getty
collection. Dating from 845 to 1730 C.E., each tells a story about
French history, religion and culture.

Illuminations were popular among the French aristocracy during
the 10th century and became lavish records of religious ritual and
society. Before their demise following the French Revolution, a
whole organized system centered around the manuscripts existed in
Paris.

Goodwin, a graduate student in medieval art at the University of
Michigan, assembled the works featured in the exhibition and chose
how to display the different manuscripts.

"It’s a great opportunity to work with something that people
actually used in an everyday context," Goodwin says. "They are very
personal objects because I can imagine people actually holding the
book, turning the pages and reading it much the same way we would
today."

But, along with the perks in overseeing an exhibition, Goodwin
also experienced difficulties because of the limitations that come
with such fragile and ancient manuscripts.

"It’s too bad that they’re shut in cases so that you have to
stand back and look from afar because to really get a feel for a
manuscript or any book you have to hold it and actually use it,"
she says. "There’s a distance from the books but as the curator
what I do is try to convey some of the experience of actually using
the manuscripts."

"St. Jerome in Penitence" from the Epistles of St. Paul is one
of her favorite liturgical illuminations. Made in Tours around the
year 1520, it depicts a rich mixture of gold borders, colorful
painting and decorative script. In it, Goodwin finds the depth of
emotion that draws her to the manuscripts.

"It’s an exquisite painting that is beautifully crafted. The
quality of the landscape, and the devotional intensity of the
character is so powerfully contained," she explains.

Other books include bestiaries and secular books like the "Roman
de la Rose" from Paris in 1405, an allegorical poem with romantic
and colorful illustrations.

The manuscripts also vary by region and time and differ in their
uses ­ some were used solely by the aristocracy and others by
the church.

In a gothic book of hours from northern France dating from 1270,
the initial "D" becomes the center of the illumination, decorated
with tendrils and illustrations of angels and jousting knights.
Made from dark oranges, blues and gold, it has the mystery and
balance that Goodwin believes embodies the gothic period.

"Aesthetically, the gothic style really appeals to me and I
would like the visitors to get this aesthetic appreciation for the
art in the medieval period as well as an interest in the culture of
the time – the culture that produced the books," Goodwin says. "I
want them to take away a sense of beauty but I also want them to
learn something about the middle ages."

One of the most creative and original illuminations, "The Flight
into Egypt," comes from a 1420 Book of Hours. Decorated with
primary colors and golden flecks, its illustration tells the story
of Mary and Joseph running from Herod’s soldiers. But instead of
simply chronologically reproducing the story, the anonymous artist
used a fanciful scale to show time and extended his drawings into
the border and text of the manuscript.

"The most striking thing about ‘Flight into Egypt’ is that it is
so innovative and so creative in the way the artist treats the
subject matter and the page," Goodwin says.

The way illuminators used space and words to create decorative
books caused what Goodwin describes as an "interaction" between the
reader and artist ­ and she believes such an interaction is
what sets these books apart from other artwork from the same
period.

"These illuminations are not the same as a painting that hangs
on the wall and is so static," she says. "I think of a book as
being a little more dynamic ­ you engage it more because you
read it, handle it and come back to it. It takes on life."

The Getty owns many other illuminations from Italy, Germany and
the Netherlands which rotate four times a year in regional and
thematic exhibitions. This exhibit, showing French illuminations,
concentrates on the differences between French regions and
timespan.

"This period of history is fascinating," Goodwin explains. "It’s
hard to imagine because it is so far away from our own time ­
so there’s a sense of mystery. Viewing manuscripts is a way to sort
of tap into that history and hopefully learn more about our own
cultural path.

"I just hope that people will take away that sense of the
difference between modern and medieval times ­ and an
appreciation for that difference. I think the average person will
be struck by the uniqueness of these books."

ART: "Ten Centuries of French Illumination" at the J. Paul Getty
Museum from April 23 to July 7. Admission and parking is free but
call (310) 458-2003 for reservations.

Detail and inset: A page from the book, "The Fall of the Angels"
Jacques Legrand, Le Livre de Bonnes Moeurs (The Book of Good
Manners); Avignon, circa 1430, on display at the J. Paul Getty
Museum.

Photos by Shawn Laksmi.