Marguerite Makes a Book - Hardcover

Bruce Robertson

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 089236372X ISBN 13: 9780892363728

Publisher: J. Paul Getty Museum, 1999

Synopsis

The spirited adventure of a young Parisian girl in the fifteenth century who learns the art of illuminating manuscripts from her father.

This delightful book, brought to life by the finely detailed, evocative art of a renowned children's artists, was inspired by an illuminated manuscript in the collection of the Getty Museum.

Paris in the 1400s. A young girl named Marguerite delights in assisting her father, Jacques, in his craft: illuminating manuscripts for the nobility of France. His current commission is a splendid book of hours for his patron, Lady Isabelle, but will he be able to finish it in time for Lady Isabelle's name day?

In this richly illustrated tale, Marguerite comes to her father's aid. She journeys all over Paris buying goose feathers for quills, eggs for mixing paints, dried plants and ground minerals for pigments. Then she expertly finishes the illumination of Lady Isabelle's book, to the delight of her father and his patron. 

About this title

About the Author

Bruce Robertson is professor of art history at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Kathryn Hewitt has illustrated numerous volumes for children, including Lives of the Artists and Lives of the Presidents.

Reviews

Grade 2-5-Careful attention to detail is demonstrated in this artful presentation of the story of a young French girl who carries on her father's book-painting tradition in 15th-century Paris. Papa Jacques is unable to complete a commissioned prayer book for his patron, Lady Isabelle. In four chapters, readers follow Marguerite as she assembles the needed materials: the parchment made from calfskin, the goose feathers used for pens, the eggs used for mixing paints, and apothecary roots and herbs for paint colors. Marguerite's ultimate success gains her the gratitude of her proud father and the attention of Lady Isabelle herself. The process of producing the vivid pigment used in manuscripts is described in a four-page center foldout. Brilliant gold highlights, originally produced by the delicate process of gluing gold leaf onto parchment, are reproduced in luminous decorated margins and page frames. Oversized illustrations are richly hued and realistically rendered; page color simulates parchment. This elegant picture book provides a wealth of educational detail and successfully conveys the spirit and beauty of medieval manuscripts. It's a useful and attractive addition to studies of medieval times and to the art of early manuscripts.
Mary Ann Carcich, Suffolk County Community College Library, Riverhead, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In his first book for children, art historian Robertson imparts a wealth of information on 15th-century book illumination via a sweet if somewhat hackneyed story. Papa Jacques is the most admired book illustrator in all of Paris, but he is growing old; his shaking hands and poor vision have delayed his work on an important prayer book. And when his glasses break, daughter Marguerite realizes that she must be the one to complete Papa's work. Robertson's descriptions of the materials used in creating an illuminated manuscriptAanimal skins dried for parchment; goose feathers plucked for pens; madder root, parsley, saffron, vermilion and lapis lazuli mixed to make the vivid paints (shown in a four-page gatefold)Aare sandwiched into transparently didactic prose ("Lapis lazuli stone!... To think these came from over mountains and deserts, across rivers..."). Departing from the sly caricatures she created for Lives of the Artists, Lives of the Writers, etc. Hewitt offers realistic watercolors that give a lively sense of the bustling Paris of nearly 600 years ago. Best of all are the illuminated borders she creates for chapter openers, portraying the illustration style described in the text, and the judicious use of gold ink to set off her compositions and her projections of Marguerite's manuscript. Ages 8-up. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: J. Paul Getty Museum
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 089236372X
• ISBN 13: 9780892363728
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 44