Pen and parchment : drawing in the Middle Ages ; [this catalogue is published in conjunction with the Exhibition "Pen and Parchment: Drawing in the Middle Ages", held at The Metropolitan Museum of art, New York, from June 2 to August 23, 2009

What is distinctive about medieval drawings? How do they differ from Renaissance drawings, which have shaped our definition and perception of the form? Why were drawings so often chosen to illustrate manuscripts and how did they evolve throughout the period? Who were the artists responsible for them? These and other questions are addressed in this volume, which accompanies a major exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York that is the first to consider the accomplishments of the medieval draftsman in depth. 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. (20090619) In the Middle Ages, artists explored and tested the medium of drawing, producing whimsical sketches, illustrated treatises, and finished drawings of extraordinary refinement. This title examines and celebrates the achievements of medieval draftsmen. It presents leaves from more than fifty manuscripts dating from the 9th to the early 14th century. Examines drawing and illustrators in the Middle Ages, from illustrated treatises and sacred drawings to whimsical, secular sketches, and details the techniques, uses, and aesthetics of medieval drawings. Discusses the techniques, uses, and aesthetics of medieval drawings; and reproduces work from more than fifty manuscripts produced between the ninth and early fourteenth century