Hugo Pictor E

I have always been impressed by early illuminated manuscripts and was inspired by reading Christopher De Hamel’s book Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts (ISBN:978-0-241-00304-6) recently. The image of the letter E by Hugo Pictor from the 11th century Exeter Jerome commentaries (now in the Bodleian Library, Oxford) tempted me to try to copy it and to make a wood cut block of the outline. I was relieved to read that the ancient scriveners usually copied from previous images and Hugo Pictor’s E seemed a possibility for me.

My first task was to copy the outline and then reverse the image (as it is going to be the printing block).

Then colour this in by hand

Then after transferring the outline to the wood block, carefully cutting out what would eventually be the white or coloured area

Then complete the cut and try the first black ink print but this is how the block looks now (as you seen I couldn’t resist adding the self portrait that Hugo Pictor included in his manuscript and a much cruder view of me cutting the block next to my press)

This is how the first print looked

Then the relaxing and mindful colouring in to reach the final image

If you would like to practice your mindfulness colouring-in, then you can see the black and white outline print on a new tab by clicking here and you will be able to download or copy that image for your own pleasure (please don’t sell it!)