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“Illuminated manuscript” isn't just another term for an illustrated book.
Many luxurious manuscripts incorporated real gold leaf into their pages.
A sticky preparation was applied where the gold was supposed to appear.
Extremely thin sheets of gold were then laid over those areas and burnished until they became shiny.
The resulting surface reflected light as the reader moved or turned the pages.
Colors surrounding the gold could be made from ground minerals, plants, insects, and other substances.
In a world without electrically illuminated screens, a richly decorated manuscript could genuinely shimmer as it was handled.
The physical movement of reading was therefore part of experiencing the artwork.
© J. Paul Getty Museum