15th Century French Trompe l'Oeil

About the Source:

Time period: 1490-1500

Country: France

Modern source: Gullick, Michael. A Treasury of Decorative Calligraphy. Wakefield, R.I., Moyer Bell, 1996. ISBN: 1-55921-152-0. Plate 14.

Historical Source: The Romance of the Rose by Guillaume de Lorris

Script: formal insular majuscule

About the Scroll:

Type of scroll: two illuminated manuscript pages

Date of Completion: May 1996

Paper: 2-ply Strathmore Bristol paper, 400 series

Ink: Platignum permanent black

Paint: Windsor-Newton water color set, Winsor-Newton gold gouache

Dimensions: 11x14

Additional Notes: This was my first calligraphy and illumination piece done for the SCA, and my first attempt at a color piece.

It is a fairly good representation of trompe l'oeil (fool the eye), also known as "the squashed bug" style.