Medieval Rural Life in the Luttrell Psalter - Softcover

Janet Backhouse

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0712346635 ISBN 13: 9780712346634

Publisher: British Library, 2000

Synopsis

The Luttrell Psalter is one of the best-known English manuscripts. Written and illuminated in the early 14th century for Sir Geoffrey Luttrell, it is celebrated for its series of attractive marginal illustrations showing scenes of life in mediaeval England. The most celebrated sequence of pictures in the manuscript represents the annual cycle of growing crops, including ploughing, sowing, weeding, harvesting, threshing and the delivery of the grain. Animal illustrations include domestic boars, geese, pigs, cattle, ferrets, rabbits, birds, cats and mice. Many scenes depict women playing a full part in rural life. In this study of these illustrations, Janet Backhouse reminds us that although The Luttrell Psalter was designed to provide a reflection of the status of the Luttrell family, its preservation has given a supremely emotive pictorial source for the daily life of rural England.

About this title

About the Author

Janet Backhouse is an internationally respected manuscript expert and former Curator of Illuminated Manuscripts at The British Library.

Edition details

• Publisher: British Library
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0712346635
• ISBN 13: 9780712346634
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 64