The Palaeography of Gothic Manuscript Books

This book presents a detailed survey of all book scripts in use in western and central Europe from c. 1100 to c. 1530 (with the exception of Humanistic script). This period has been poorly served in almost all other palaeographical handbooks. By adopting a largely new classification of scripts based on objective criteria, which incorporates many of the terms currently in use, this book aims to end the confusion which has hitherto obscured the study of late-medieval handwriting. It is based upon an examination of a very large number of dated specimens, and is thus the first survey to take full advantage of the incomparable palaeographical resource provided by the Catalogues of Dated Manuscripts. The text is illustrated throughout with 600 drawings of letters and symbols. There are 160 actual-size reproductions providing datable specimens of all the scripts discussed, accompanied by partial transcriptions and palaeographical commentary.

(Cambridge)

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'... excellent new handbook ... an excellent tool for the empirical analysis of Gothic book hands ... it serves equally as a palaeographical training manual for the later Middle Ages and as a bibliographical reference guide, and in both respects fills a vital gap ...' Times Literary Supplement

'... generously illustrated ... Derolez has proposed a practical and satisfactory framework ... equips the interested reader with a series of useful questions to ask when looking at script, and provides guidelines for interpreting the answers ...' The Library

(Cambridge)

Albert Derolez is Professor Emeritus of Palaeography and Codicology at the Vrije Universiteit, Brussels, Belgium.

(Cambridge)

Introduction; 1. The manuscript book in the late Middle Ages; 2. The Carolingian heritage; 3. Praegothica; 4. Northern textualis; 5. Southern textualis and semitextualis; 6. Cursive scripts in general; 7. Cursiva antiquior; 8. Cursiva; 9. Hybrida and semihybrida; 10. Gothico-humanistica and other 'hors systeme' scripts; Appendix; Abbreviated sources; Select bibliography; Index of manuscripts reproduced in the plates; General index; Plates.

(Cambridge)