Leaves from a Bible
A leaf from a ninth-century manuscript Bible, made in an unknown scriptorium around 845 and probably meant for a monastic or church reader, now held by the J. Paul Getty Museum. The picture shows a large decorated initial letter in the left margin, built from interlaced bands, scrolling acanthus-like leaves and checkered patterns in red, blue and ochre, beside neat columns of dark Carolingian minuscule text; a designer might take its dense interlace and tonal pattern-making for borders, initials or lettering layouts.
