These instances are amply sufficient to prove that in every city in
Europe where printing was in full practice the art of the illuminator
continued to flourish until the progress of modern inventions and
various processes, added to the general cheapening of books, led to its
disuse. Its present application seems to be almost solely to diplomas
and testimonials, and in point of quality, usually as poor and
spiritless as the incapacity of most of its professors can make it.
There seems, however, no reason why the artistic skill and elaborate
methods of reproduction of the present day should not produce
magnificent books--indeed the "Imitation" of Thomas ? Kempis, and other
continental examples prove that this is amply possible.
The next few years will probably show that readers are still desirous of
possessing beautiful books, and that artists are still found capable of
producing them.
MANUSCRIPTS THAT MAY BE CONSULTED AS EXAMPLES
(Partly taken by permission from the Victoria and Albert Museum
Handbook)
CLASSICAL AND EARLY CHRISTIAN
--+------------- +-------------------------+---------+---------------------
No| Name. | Where | Where Kept. | Date. | Remarks.
| | Produced. | | |
--+-------------+------------+-------------+---------+---------------------
1|Vergil |.
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