Illuminating the Law

Legal Manuscripts in Cambridge Collections

By (author) Susan L'Engle By (author) Robert Gibbs

Book cover: Illuminating the Law

Extent: 272, 272 pages

Publisher: Harvey Miller

Subjects: Art & Art History, Medieval Studies

Series: Studies in Medieval and Early Renaissance Art History

Series volume number: 33

Language: English

(Hardback) (Published)

(March 2002)

ISBN: 9781872501536

Price: $107.00

In stock

This catalogue offers introductory essays on the making and the use of medieval legal manuscripts in Cambridge collections, in order to call attention to the illuminated legal texts as splendidly decorated medieval manuscripts.


Illuminated legal texts rank high among the most splendidly decorated medieval manuscripts. Their historical and artistic significance has largely escaped even specialists in art and legal history. The long-recognised discrepancy between the importance of the material and its relative inaccessibility, as well as the rich Cambridge collections, provided the incentive for an exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum. With the intention to bring this splendid material to the attention and the understanding of a wider audience, this catalogue offers introductory essays on the making and use of medieval legal manuscripts, detailed descriptions and analysis of representative examples, and rich illustrative material, aesthetically pleasing and thought-provoking.

  • By (author) Susan L’Engle
  • By (author) Robert Gibbs