Illumination of books in Croatia in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries

U drugoj polovici 15. i početkom 16. stoljeća iluminacija knjiga u Hrvatskoj doživljava svoj zlatni vijek. Najraskošnije iluminirane knjige nastale su na samom kraju 15. stoljeća kad je tiskarstvo već uvelike uzelo maha u cijeloj Europi. Rukopisne knjige naručuju visoki prelati, biskupi i opati, a iluminatori su za latinske knjige pretežito stranci, dok su iluminatori glagoljskih rukopisa domaći glagoljaši. Tiskana knjiga u organizaciji stranice imitira rukopisnu knjigu (preuzima dvostupčanost sloga pa i samo oblik slova kurzivne gotičke minuskule), a mjesta za iluminaciju ostavlja prazna, pa na tim mjestima iluminatori ručno izrađuju iluminacije, uglavnom inicijale i samo rijetko ilustracije. Istom na kraju 15. stoljeća i tiskari rade tiskane iluminacije (inicijale i ilustracije), a sadržaj iluminacija posuđuju od rukopsnih knjiga, ali pojednostavljen. Novost koju tisak uvodi jest zasebna naslovna stranica koja je i posebno iluminirana.In the second half of the fifteenth and in the begining of the sixteenth centuries the illumination of books flourished in Croatia. The most beautifully illuminated books date from the very end of the fifteenth century when the printing business has gained ground throughout Europe. Manusrcipt books were ordered by high prelates, bishops and monks. The illuminators of Latin books were mostly foreigners, while the illuminators of Glagolitic manuscripts were native Glagoites. Printed books imitated the page organization of the manuscripts. The text was printed in two columns and the lettres had the form of italic gothic minuscule. The space for the illumination was left empty. There the illuminators drew illuminations by hand, mostly initials and rarely figural decorations. It is not until the very end of the fifteenth century that the prinetrs have begun to print illuminations (initials on figural decorations). They borrowed the content from manuscript illuminations after simplifynig it. The press introduced another innovation - a separate cover page which was also specially illuminated