DOCUMENTARY: Illuminations - The Private Lives of Kings

I just found on YouTube a documentary called "Illuminations: the Private
Life of Kings" which examines illuminated manuscripts commissioned by
English royalty from the Saxons to the Tudors.

The first manuscript up was commissioned by Edward IV. I don't know yet if
any of Richard's books are in here, but the illuminated book Edward
commissioned is on parchment, bound on cords, and is absolutely gorgeous.
It's like a doorway into his mind as well as his world.

Incidentally, the host is handling the parchment pages without gloves
because parchment is impervious to being damaged by oils on skin, as
parchment is itself skin.

Part one of the documentary is here: http://youtu.be/_Wl7gPDAelY

~Wednesday


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- *Friend:* Are you upset about the outcome of the election?
- *Me:* I'm upset about the outcome of the War of the Roses.