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| Nature Illuminated: Flora and Fauna from the Court of Emperor Rudolf II | 
 enlarge | Authors: Lee Hendrix, Thea Vignau-wilberg
Publisher: Getty Publications
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $6.14
You Save: $8.81 (59%)
Buy New/Used from $6.14
Avg. Customer Rating:  (6 reviews)
Sales Rank: 416691
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 64
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 5.5 x 0.5
ISBN: 0892364726
Dewey Decimal Number: 580.222
EAN: 9780892364725
ASIN: 0892364726
Publication Date: July 10, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The court of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II produced nothing more amazing than the Mira calligraphiae monumenta, a brilliant demonstration of two arts-calligraphy and miniature painting. The project began when Rudolf's predecessor, Ferdinand I, commissioned master calligrapher Georg Bocskay to create a model book of calligraphy. A preeminent scribe, Bocskay assembled a vast selection of contemporary and historic scripts. Years later, at Rudolf's behest, miniaturist Joris Hoefnagel filled the spaces on each manuscript page with insects, fruits, flowers, and other botanical images. The combination of word and illustration is rare and, on its tiny scale, constitutes one of the marvels of the Central European Renaissance. Nature Illuminated reproduces forty-one pages from the original codex. Those who love and collect beautiful books will be endlessly fascinated by Hoefnagel's imagery and invention. The accompanying commentary identifies and explains the details of Hoefnagel's exquisitely crafted illuminations.
Amazon.com Review
The most important legacy of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II is the Mira calligraphiae monumenta, a manuscript comprised of illuminated pages of calligraphy. Around 1561 a master calligrapher wrote the text as proof of his preeminence among scribes. After his death, a master illustrator was employed to illuminate his writing, and the outcome is a rare combination of words and images in small-scale drawings--considered one of the wonders of Renaissance Europe. This book culls different plates from the collection that are each unique, consisting of lavishly executed text in Roman and Hebrew letters accompanied by realistic and detailed drawings of plants, animals, and insects.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
Thank you Emperor Rudolf II January 14, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Years ago, when I was primary school (1960)2nd class student our teacher made us a special note -book: Everybody wrote an alphabet and every friend painted them whith natural ornament. I remember that years. This book is illuminated us with conservative knowledge. It's a pattern for humans and for our child. Ewerything in the world can place in same frame. Thank you Emperor Rudolf II and AMAZON.
 A teaser but great none the less. February 23, 2006
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I have never seen such an amazing compilation of manuscripts and calligraphic examples. I was blown away. The only problem is that the dang pages are so small!! It seems like some detail is lost. This is a big problem for anyone who wants to master some the writing techniques. The Mira calligraphea is the same dang size so no help there either. If anyone knows where I can find larger views please let me know!!!! vinson.gracia@gmail.com
Gorgeous artwork! March 4, 2005
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a great book for those who appreciate beauty in nature. I find that just paging through the gorgeous artwork of natural objects and flowing calligraphy is very soothing. The book is smaller than I expected but its content does not disappoint. Makes a wonderful gift for special friends. I bought my copy for myself but I might buy others in future as gifts for friends.
Medieval Butterflies, Sea Shells, Plants = #41 Manuscripts May 29, 2002
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
If you want to see colorful manuscipts that show a varity of medieval insects, plants, flowers, fruit, sea shells, initials, designs, and even a few animals, then this is the book for you. There are 41 full color manuscripts to choose from. At the end of the book, are discriptions of each manuscript, listing the medieval name for each. Example: The identifications of specimens proceed from top to bottom and from left to right. Common names have been provided whenever possible. In the case of the insect identifications, British English common names have been used, since most of the specimens represented do not exist in the United States. Where a different American common name is known, it has been included following the British Name, seperated by a slash. The names of higher taxonomic groups (families and orders) have been printed in roman type, while genus and spicies names appear in italics.Folio 1 Rotunda script in "trace letters"Vinca minor L,: Common periwinkleMalus domestica Borkh,:Common appleLacerta(?):LizardFolio 5 Antiqua scriptMatthiola incana (L.) R. Br.: GillyflowerEphemeroptera: MayflyDiptera Cyclorrhapha Heleomyzidae (?):FlyPulmonata Helicidae Cepaea sp.: Garde SnailEnd Example.A great sorce of Medieval Nature.
A beautiful little book April 12, 2002
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
"Nature Illuminated" is wonderful collection of illuminated manuscripts from the Getty's extensive holdings. Perusing these pages shows that the chasm between (representative) art and science is really not so great.
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