Object #5: English Herbal Manuscript – Cotton MS Vitellius C III

Object #5: English Herbal Manuscript – Cotton MS Vitellius C III

Illustrated Herbal

This illustrated herbal exemplifies the differences between the ways in which plants are illustrated depending on the context of the text. In this herbal, plants are drawn with accuracy and attention to detail, in an attempt to correctly portray aspects of the plants.
For example, when illustrating an herbal, an illuminator would pay close attention to the anatomy of the plant (i.e. how many leaves, colors, branches, roots, etc.) in order to correctly depict the plant for reference.

Plant based remedies were very common in the medieval ages, and so these herbals not only contained visuals for reference, but text detailing treatment, aspects of the plant, locations, and preparation methods per plant. This would help people use the plants for health remedies, treatments, and injuries.

Christ Church Canterbury or WInchester; Anglo-Saxon

Bibliotheque Nationale de France, The Polonsky Foundation, The British Library

Bibliotheque Nationale de France, The Polonsky Foundation, The British Library

1000-1025

[no text]

Copyright © The British Library Board

Herbal