Incandescent with illustrations, a history of Britain as told through a remarkable collection of illuminated manuscripts—at once chronicles of their time and works of art.
 
Illumino explores the history of medieval Britain through the biographies of twelve remarkable illuminated manuscripts and their creators. Each manuscript serves as a gateway into the lives of its makers and commissioners, and as a springboard into the era of its creation. Illuminated manuscripts are among the most intricate and fascinating forms of medieval evidence, blending literature, art, science, faith, and human thought with the materiality of their production. By undertaking the detective work needed to determine the nature of each project and the underlying human-interest stories, this book reveals their social, economic, and cultural contexts and charts the exchange of ideas and materials across time and space. Featuring over a hundred beautiful illustrations, this is a unique and accessible introduction to Britain’s history as well as art and book history over a thousand years.

Michelle P. Brown is professor emerita of medieval manuscript studies at the School of Advanced Study, University of London and was formerly curator of illuminated manuscripts at the British Library. Her books include Bede and the Theory of Everything, also published by Reaktion Books.