Flemish Illuminated Manuscripts : 1475-1550

Between 1475 and 1550 the master illuminators of Flanders produced an array of manuscripts of unparalleled splendour, and this volume offers an opportunity to discover these sumptuous, relatively unknown works of art.While printed books, woodcuts and copper engravings became common towards the end of the 15th century, many collectors still coveted illuminated manuscripts.

As depicted in this book's illustrations, the Flemish painters visually broke through the flat surface of the parchment to achieve an unprecedented sense of depth in interior scenes.

At the same time, their effects of light and shadow offered a new realism to landscapes, and the margins of their pages sparkled with flowers and insects rendered in trompe l'oeil.The book is published to accompany an exhibition in Florence and St Petersburg in 1996.