Illuminated Poetry

Making copies of a written work took much time and energy before the invention of the printing press by Johann Gutenberg around 1440. Before the press, each page of a manuscript was handwritten. By the 15^th Century, (though the practice began much earlier) it was popular for the scribes or monks to illuminate their work with bright colors and gold leaf.  The page to the right is from The Romance of Lancelot du Lac, written in France around 1300.  The page might look like an ancient children’s book, complete with illustrations.  This is appropriate because both words (“illuminate” and “illustrate”) come from the Latin illustrationem, meaning “vivid representation.”