Flowers in Medieval Manuscripts

Plant and flower motifs were originally used in manuscript borders for ornamental and symbolic reasons, but during the fifteenth century, illuminators in Ghent and Bruges achieved such botanical realism and variety that their fascination with the flowers themselves is evident. Each section of Flowers in Medieval Manuscripts includes relevant details of the manuscripts from which the illustrations are taken, and the concluding section discusses manuscript production in relation to these margins. Celia Fisher looks at all kinds of flowers, from the conservative lily and rose, to the lesser known cranesbill, dianthus, and even cannabis.