Her argument gives weight to the power borders possess. Sandler likens the progression to marginal imagery within borders as “a visual response to a verbal-or visual text, altering the totality with images” (1). This meaning they were deceptively life-like and attempted to appear as they would in nature. Borders could then contain detailed images such as local flora and fauna in an apparent scattered, or trompe l’oeil, form. These new borders were similar to the previously mentioned rinceaux and spray, yet they began to confine the text in sharper lines creating an added separation between border and text. The stems of letters became longer and more flourished until they eventually met around the block of text in the center of the page. It is as if the borders sprung from the text themselves and began to literally grow into the margins. In Lucy Sandler’s article, “The Study of Marginal Imagery: Past, Present, and Future,” she traces the progression of borders from decorated or historiated initials to marginal imagery. In a broad generalization, typically when these borders are utilized they are simply an added touch to the beauty of the manuscript. Often the foliage illustrated in the rinceaux and spray are unidentifiable and absent of any real significance in relation to the text it accompanies. The designs created by both the rinceaux and spray borders could be incredibly intricate as the vines are so tightly wound it is hard to distinguish each line, however they do not possess the realistic quality of the foliage in the Aussem Hours. 2, appear as branches with foliage and even fruit protruding from it. ![]() Spray borders appear as tiny tendrils off the border whereas rinceaux, as seen in Fig. Both the spray and rinceaux appear similarly in their utilization of fine lines with “gilded leaves” (Brown). I became immensely curious about the nature of borders and what this difference between them could mean.īefore the time the Aussem Book of Hours was published in the early 16th century, certain types of borders were more prevalent. ![]() So far in my limited experience, the borders found in the Aussem Book of Hours were unlike any I have seen. I became utterly obsessed with the large floral images assembled along the border all together yet completely distinct, as well as the wildlife illustrated in scientific precision. Each miniature in itself is a work of art and a testament to the artist, yet what really captured my gaze were the images in the borders. The vivid colors of the drapery alone seem to cloak Mary and the angel Gabriel in their encounter as the image is split between the holy dove and a European city in the background. This image found on folio 19.v begins the Hours of the Virgin and contains many different and carefully placed components. The German Aussem Book of Hours contains stunning and detailed miniatures as seen in Fig. It was not until I began flipping through the pages of the Aussem Book of Hours (MS W.437) that I realized a border could be just as captivating as a sophisticated miniature. They never seem to transgress past the point of persistent elegance by demanding more than a polite acknowledgement of their existence. ![]() How is it that something could be in such proximity to artistry, yet be devoid of any real praise? The borders and margins of an image suggest that what lies inside their walls is worthy of recognition, while holding a secret power of their own. They have since changed to a variety of forms and colors to even containing images within the border itself, however they continued to be viewed passively in comparison. In the 13th Century, borders became extensions of the texts they surrounded as an evolution from letter finial to wrapping around bodies of texts entirely. Although the choice to include bodies of text with borders and marginal imagery is visually intriguing, they often go unnoticed. Unlike most modern novels, medieval manuscripts frequently include highly decorated imagery around bodies of text as well as miniatures.
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