illuminated letter
Ornate manuscript capital
An illuminated letter is a decorated initial letter in a manuscript, typically enlarged and embellished with gold leaf, vibrant colors, or intricate designs.
Medieval scribes used illuminated letters to mark the beginning of chapters or important passages in religious texts: The illuminated letters in the Book of Kells are extraordinarily detailed.
The term comes from the Latin for "light up," referring to the gold that seemed to glow on the page.
- manuscriptOriginal text before publication
- gildedOverlaid with gold leaf
- medievalOf the Middle Ages
- calligraphyOrnamental handwriting art
- drop capEnlarged introductory letter
gold leaf · scriptorium · monk · parchment · vellum · ornate · decorated · flourish · border · miniature · capital · Celtic · Book of Kells · quill · ink · Bible · rubric · scroll
- book artillustration, book covers, frontispiece, book cover art, cover art
- letteringletterforms, calligraphy, handwriting, serif, cursive
- medieval ornamentsfiligree, cloisonne, knotwork, interlace, tracery
- typographyfont, calligraphy, font design, sans serif, typefaces
- writing systemsalphabet, vowel, alphabets, Cyrillic alphabet, consonant
- manuscriptscodex, codices, folio, folios, papyri
illuminated, illuminate, illuminates, illuminating, illumination, illuminations, illuminator, illumine, lumens