Each bookstore will act as a concierge, recommending "the book you should read now" to FASHION HEADLINE readers. Every Thursday, each branch of the art bookshop "NADiff" will introduce a recommended book. This time, we'll be looking at the Shibuya branch, NADiff modern (Bunkamura, 1F, 2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo).

■ "Illuminated Manuscripts of Medieval Paris" by Kumiko Maekawa

When did the "books" that are so familiar to us begin? Printing of text and images began in Western Europe in the 15th century. Before that, books were copied by hand and were called "manuscripts."

Manuscripts produced in Paris from the 13th to 15th centuries were often ornate and luxurious, featuring not only text but also elegant decorative paintings, making them extremely expensive for the citizens of the time. This book features chapters dedicated to representative illuminated manuscripts, including the "Book of Hours of the Marquis of Berry," considered one of the most lavish and artistically rich works produced over the 200-year period from the 13th to the early 15th centuries. This book serves as an introductory guide to illuminated manuscripts, exploring their evolution across social contexts and art history with numerous illustrations. It also serves as a fascinating insight into the history of reading through bibliography. Currently on view at Bunkamura The Museum is the exhibition "The Birth of Landscape Painting from the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna." The exhibition features commentary on books of hours and lunar calendar paintings, depicting the lunar cycle, which could be considered the original European landscape, along with reference materials such as the "Book of Hours of the Marquis of Berry" (a facsimile edition). This valuable exhibition, which explores the history of the unique genre of "landscape painting," runs until December 7th.

【Book Information】
"Illuminated Manuscripts of Medieval Paris"
Author: Kumiko Maekawa
Publisher: Kousakusha
Hardcover / 256 pages / A5
Published: June 2015
Price: 3,800 yen