Ecriture de Luxeuil: a French Merovingian script

Tutor: Jerome Manceau

“A passionate calligrapher and historian, Jerome has studied illuminated manuscript and medieval bookmaking in Angers, France. His deep interest in history and art has led him to create personal works in historical scripts and to present at conferences on medieval history. He is particularly drawn to Merovingian culture and the scripts of its monasteries. His professional background is in website development and web analytics - currently working at the Australian National University in Canberra."

Description

Workshop participants will be introduced to the Merovingian history and background of the Luxeuil minuscule. We will then explore the ductus and letter proportions of this script, initially practicing with a large nib before moving to a smaller nib to focus on writing. By the end of the workshop, participants will have created their own page displaying the alphabet in Luxeuil minuscule. They will also have learned to draw decorated initials, using one as decoration for their final page.

Material list:

• Brause Banzug Nibs (1mm and 2mm) with holders.
  
• Practice paper of your choice, any size, smooth if possible.
•  Paper 200 or 300gsm (similar to Fabriano or Arches): 2 large sheets (21 x 29.7cm), 2 small sheets (14.8 x 21cm)
• Black ink of your choice (Example: Rohrers, Kuretake black ink 60, Windsor & Newton)
• A very fine brush (example: Windsor & Newton 0000, Royal & Langnickel 3/0 etc... )
•  Usual water and rinsing bottles
•  Ruler (300 mm at least) and 5H pencil
• Slope board if you use one