Pen and Parchment: Drawing in the Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, artists explored and tested the medium of drawing, producing whimsical sketches, illustrated treatises, and finished drawings of extraordinary refinement. This fascinating volume is the first to examine and celebrate the achievements of medieval draftsmen in depth. It reproduces rarely seen leaves from more than fifty manuscripts dating from the 9th to the early 14th century. In the accompanying texts, Melanie Holcomb and other experts in the field consider the techniques, uses, and aesthetics of medieval drawings, casting light on their critical role in the intellectual life of the Middle Ages.