The Art of Illumination

How images are used to support text

The painting above was created following practices common of of the Medieval Age.  Egg yolks are mixed with natural powder pigments and placed in layers over home-made paper (using natural plant materials).  But it goes much farther than that. The simple Greek text is made the more stronger by the images surrounding it. 

"Blessed are the poor in spirits for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven", it reads.  The focal point is the Divine hand that breaks through the heavy clouds and directs the attention to the a downtrodden human being.  Behind him a path reaches out from the heavenly city.  On the left one can see the Christ uttering these words to the spellbound crowd.

In the inferior part of the painting you find the coat of arms of the Count of Lorne, where the name Lorna is thought to originate from.