Toni Watts
ILLUMINATIONS
Exclusive Exhibition in the Chapter House of Lincoln Cathedral
TONI WATTS Toni is one of the few remaining professional illuminators in the UK. She specialises in the creation of contemporary and traditional designs using 24 carat gold and hand-made paint using skills dating back to the medieval era. Like many who painted prolifically as children, Toni was persuaded by her parents that being an artist was not a ‘proper’ job. She qualified as a doctor, working happily in the NHS for twenty one years before resigning and returning to her love of art. Toni trained at The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts in London, she creates traditional and contemporary illuminated manuscripts using medieval techniques. Artist in Residence at Lincoln Cathedral 2015 - 2016, she is also honoured to have been asked to produce a presentation piece for HRH The Duke of Gloucester. Her work is underpinned by an interest in both medieval history and the history of art: she holds a Master’s degree in the latter. She enjoys passing on her knowledge, teaching both traditional art skills and more modern techniques to individuals and groups across the country. Toni has also written and illustrated chapters in three published books.
Toni Watts
ILLUMINATIONS All framing done by Mal Reynolds GCF(APF) Adv of Harlequin Frames, Welton.
THE PROCESS 1. Sketch Design
2. Lay manuscript gesso on the areas to be gilded. The gesso is handmade from white lead, slaked plaster, seccotine glue, sugar and a little Armenian bole to make the mixture a pink colour. The ingredients are ground together on a slab until the gesso is a completely smooth, thick liquid – the process takes around two hours. This is painted on with a brush and allowed to dry. As it dries the surface becomes irregular and must be burnished until completely smooth before gilding.
3. Apply the first layer of 24 carat gold leaf. The gold is kept on a gilder’s cushion covered with suede, cut with a knife and picked up with a brush called a gilder’s tip. Breathing on the gesso makes it just sticky enough to allow the gold to adhere. Between three and five layers of gold are usually applied, then burnished with an agate burnisher until it has a high shine.
4. Apply the first layer of paint. Where possible, pigments that would have been used in the medieval era are used when re-creating existing manuscripts. Dry pigments are made by grinding up minerals such as azurite, lapis lazuli (blue), malachite (green) and cinnabar (red), sedimentary rock (browns), and extracting colours from plants (pinks, yellows). Those pigments are then mixed with egg white or gum to create paint.
5. Add details Add detailing. This example is very simple and decoration simply consists of white patterning on leaves and letter. All elements are then outlined in black with tiny brush.
THE ILLUMINATIONS Lincoln Nativity Illuminated Ds The Annunciation Noah’s Lincolnshire Ark Illuminated Letter P Illuminated Letter H Illuminated Letter M Illuminated Letter T Illuminated Letter D Illuminated Letter E Illuminated Letter S Trondheim The Dragon The Owl The Parrot The Hare The Hawk Minimorum Animalium The Flower Arrangers Eleanor of Castile The Green Man The Pilgrim St Hugh The Mermaid Illuminated Letter D The Joiners The Masons The Glaziers The Needlework Guild Psalm 42 Page from Lincoln Cathedral MS302 Page from Lincoln Cathedral Psalter The Mary Garden Thornton’s Garden The Book of Hours Mary from Lincoln Cathedral MS303 Te Deum Bishop Grosseteste
Page 7 Page 8 Page 8 Page 8 Page 9 Page 9 Page 9 Page 10 Page 10 Page 10 Page 11 Page 11 Page 11 Page 12 Page 12 Page 12 Page 13 Page 13 Page 13 Page 14 Page 14 Page 14 Page 15 Page 15 Page 15 Page 16 Page 16 Page 16 Page 17 Page 17 Page 18 Page 18 Page 19 Page 19 Page 19 Page 20 Page 20 Page 20
THE NATIVITY FRAMED SIZES: Central panel 35 x 29.5cm, side panels 28.5 x 18.5cm. The frames are handmade from a single piece of English oak.
MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf, shell gold and watercolour The design for the inner border in the stable scene was taken from the ceiling design of one of the Cathedral chapels. The shape of the three pieces is designed to match the West Doors of Lincoln Cathedral.
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ILLUMINATED Ds SIZE: 34.5 X 32.5 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf
and traditional pigments.
This pair of Ds is found in a twelfth century manuscript, a Psalter with ‘gloss’ or commentary. The D of the text has David, seated, crowned and playing the harp. The D of the gloss has a man with what is reported to be a fiddle.
THE ANNUNCIATION SIZE: 30 X 32 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and egg tempera Inspired by fifteenth century English manuscript images of the event.
NOAH’S LINCOLNSHIRE ARK SIZE: 35 X 34 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
watercolour
Inspired by the 13th century stained glass at the east end of the Cathedral
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ILLUMINATED LETTER H
ILLUMINATED LETTER P SIZE: 51 X 33.5 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
traditional pigments
SIZE: 29.5 X 21.5 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
watercolour
According to the Catalogue of the Manuscripts of Lincoln Cathedral Library this figure is St John, writing. He is being dictated to by the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove.
This ‘P’ is taken from MS6, a manuscript dating back to the thirteenth century. Reproduced actual size, the base of the P is decorated with a monkey playing a fiddle, watched by an owl.
ILLUMINATED LETTER M SIZE: 33.5 X 27.5 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
watercolour
This ‘M’ is taken from MS6, a manuscript dating back to the thirteenth century, and is reproduced here with a shortened first downstroke of the letter.
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ILLUMINATED LETTER T SIZE: 33 X 25 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
traditional pigments
Recreated from a twelfth century manuscript, this illuminated T is said to be a fine example of the ‘Winchester style’ with its foliage, peeping heads, birds and dragons.
ILLUMINATED LETTER D SIZE: 26 X 23 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and traditional
pigments
“It was the most complex illuminated letter I attempted for this exhibition and took me three attempts to achieve the necessary accuracy to align the concentric circles – a fact which makes the achievement of the original illuminator, working in much worse conditions than I, all the more remarkable.”
ILLUMINATED LETTER E SIZE: 33 X 24 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
traditional pigments
MS152 dates back to the twelfth century, was probably made in England and was at Lincoln Cathedral by c1300.
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ILLUMINATED LETTER S SIZE: 35 X 25 cm MEDIUM: Shell gold, pigments and ink
on vellum
The largest of a pair of S’s in the form of serpents from Lincoln Cathedral MS174.
TRONDHEIM SIZE: 33 X 32 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
watercolour
There are two pillars in Lincoln Cathedral which are remarkably similar in design to those in Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Norway. This illumination celebrates medieval trade between England and Norway, trade items being incorporated into the design.
THE DRAGON SIZE: 32 X 28 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
watercolour
‘Draco the Dragon is the biggest of all serpents, in fact of all living things on earth…its strength is not in its teeth but in its tail and it inflicts injury by blows rather than stinging.’ (Words from T.H. White’s translation of a Latin prose bestiary, copied in the twelfth century by Jacobus Thomas Herison at Revesby Abbey in Lincolnshire).
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THE OWL SIZE: 30 X 32 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and egg tempera ‘Noctua the Owl is called a Noctua because it flies about by night. It cannot see by day, because its sight is weakened by the rising splendour of the sun’. (Words from T.H. White’s translation of a Latin prose bestiary.)
THE PARROT SIZE: 33 X 27.5 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf,
shell gold and watercolour
Parrot taken from the West Front of Lincoln Cathedral.
THE HARE SIZE: 27 X 26 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold
leaf and watercolour
‘The hare (lepus) is called light-footed (levipes) because it runs so swiftly. It is a swift creature, and fairly timid. The hare represents men who fear God and who put their trust not in themselves but in the Creator.’
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(Words from MS Bodley 764, Oxford).
THE HAWK SIZE: 31 X 26 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and egg tempera ‘Accipiter the Hawk is a bird which is even better equipped in its spirit the in its talons, for it shows very great courage in a very small body. For it is an avid bird at seizing others, whence it is called Accipiter, ie Raptor – the ravisher, the thief.’ (Words from T.H. White’s translation of a Latin prose bestiary, copied in the twelfth century by Jacobus Thomas Herison at Revesby Abbey in Lincolnshire).
MINIMORUM ANIMALIUM SIZE: 35.5 X 34 cm MEDIUM: Shell gold and watercolour Lincoln Cathedral has in its possession a printed book called 'Insectorum, sive Minimorum Animalium Theatrum'. Published in London, 1634, this is the earliest known book on entomology. This study of bees with a honeycomb border was inspired by its contents.
FLOWER ARRANGERS SIZE: 34 X 30 cm MEDIUM: Shell gold and watercolour This illumination features the flowers arranged beautifully for a wedding in the Cathedral last year, inspired by naturalistic Flemish manuscript borders.
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ELEANOR OF CASTILE SIZE: 42 X 34 cm MEDIUM: Shell gold and watercolour The story of Eleanor of Castille. Her visceral remains were buried in Lincoln, her body carried to London. The nightly resting places on this journey were marked by a series of stone crosses, the last being at Charing Cross. Their sites are written in shell gold in the inner border.
THE GREEN MAN SIZE: 38 X 34 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf
and watercolour
Inspired by a beautifully carved green man in the slype.
THE PILGRIM SIZE: 35 X 34 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat
gold leaf and watercolour A painting of a Cathedral stone carving, thought by some to represent a pilgrim, flanked by two gold pilgrim badges.
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ST HUGH SIZE: 41 X 32 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and traditional
pigments on vellum.
The central image is the familiar depiction of St Hugh from an altarpiece painted in c.1490. The illuminated border was inspired both by Lincoln Cathedral MS 307 and The Wardington Hours, held in the British Library.
MERMAID SIZE: 34 X 25 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf, white gold,
green gold, shell gold, shell palladium and watercolour
“The original image was not gilded – the addition of the white gold tail with inscribed scales, 24 carat gold hair, green gold fish and border are my own.”
ILLUMINATED LETTER D SIZE: 28.5 X 25 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf, shell
gold and traditional pigments
This letter is reproduced from the twelfth century Petrus Lombardus in Psalterium MS30.
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THE JOINERS SIZE: 44 X 39 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and egg
tempera
Wood plays a vital role within the Cathedral, from huge roof timbers to beautiful choir stall carvings. This design combines young oak trees with some of the carvings found in the Cloisters and Medieval Library.
THE MASONS SIZE: 39 X 41 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf, white gold and
watercolour
Here ‘M’ for mason is constructed from stonemasons’ tools: the image beneath the letter is inspired by a medieval manuscript illumination of stonemasons at work.
THE GLAZIERS SIZE: 48 X 24.5 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and watercolour
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This illumination is a tribute to the work of glaziers across the centuries, based around the production of a single image from the great east window – Jonah and the whale.
THE NEEDLEWORK GUILD SIZE: 42.5 X 31.5 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf
and watercolour
Lincoln Cathedral has a small team of highly skilled needleworkers who make and maintain vestments, altar linen and other textiles used both in the cathedral and elsewhere.
PSALM 42 SIZE: 42.5 X 35 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and pigments
Choral music has been a vital part of Lincoln Cathedral for more than 900 years.
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PAGE FROM LINCOLN CATHEDRAL MS302 SIZE: 39 X 30 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
watercolour
MS302 is a book of penitential psalms, written and decorated in the fifteenth century, possibly in France. One of the most beautiful of the Cathedral manuscripts, each page is exquisitely decorated with detailed flowers and gold ivy leaves. Image size 16 x 10.5 cm - the size of the original manuscript page.
PAGE FROM LINCOLN CATHEDRAL PSALTER MS247 SIZE: 27.5 X 23 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
watercolour
This is a recreation of a page of the smallest of the Cathedral’s manuscripts, a beautiful fourteenth century psalter. The mount aperture delineates the page size, the text and illumination being reproduced actual size.
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THE MARY GARDEN SIZE: 42 X 34.5 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold and watercolour Lincoln Cathedral cloisters, centre, once had flower beds. They were filled partly with sweet-smelling flowers and partly with plants associated by tradition and legend with the Blessed Virgin Mary, in whose name the Cathedral is dedicated. The border alone took more than 100 hours to produce.
THORNTON’S GARDEN SIZE: 45.5 X 32 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf
and egg tempera
An illustration of plants needed for a herbal remedy in MS91.
BOOK OF HOURS SIZE: 29 X 22 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and watercolour MS307 is a small Book of Hours, written in France in the fifteenth century. Amongst the text there are nine folios with beautifully decorated borders of which this is one, re-created actual size.
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TE DEUM SIZE: 50 X 37.5 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
watercolour
An early English hymn of praise. The words are accompanied by musical angels based on those in Lincoln Cathedral's Angel Choir and St. Hugh’s Choir.
MARY FROM LINCOLN CATHEDRAL MS303 SIZE: 35 X 34 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
watercolour
IThis image is taken from Lincoln Cathedral MS303, f.1. Written in Italy for Dominican use, there is no record of the manuscript’s date of production.
BISHOP GROSSETESTE SIZE: 6.4 X 4.5 cm MEDIUM: 24 carat gold leaf and
watercolour
Reproduced from Chasteau d'Amour LPL MS 522, f.1 with kind permission of Lambeth Palace Library.
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A YEAR TO REFLECT ON Toni Watts
ILLUMINATIONS A year ago I arrived at Lincoln Cathedral not knowing a soul. The welcome from the Cathedral ‘family’ has been truly wonderful and the months since have been filled with laughter, friendship, music, art and worship. I have had the privilege of turning the pages of medieval manuscripts, have learnt a little about the Cathedral and its history and have been awed by the craftspeople whose skills both conserve this beautiful building and develop it for the enjoyment of future generations. My aim – to create a series of work using the skills and materials of medieval illuminators – would not have been possible without the wholehearted support of Julie Taylor, Cathedral Librarian, and Claire Arrand, Special Collections Librarian. A huge thank you to them for showing me some of the treasures we have here in Lincoln. Thanks also to the vergers and volunteers, many of whom went out of their way to share information and show me interesting aspects of the Cathedral. I am grateful to the Dean and Chapter for giving me the opportunity to spend the past year at the Cathedral – a year which will provide me with enough inspiration for a lifetime.
HOW TO BUY The majority of pieces from the exhibition are for sale. To make a purchase please contact the artist, Toni Watts to discuss payment. The exhibition runs from 3 September 2016 to 30 September 2016 in the Chapter House of Lincoln Cathedral. The Exhibition is a celebration of the time Toni Watts has spent at the Cathedral and the work she has produced during her residency. Toni has taken inspiration from the building itself, the woship and events which happen within the Cathedral and the people she has met in her time here.
COMMISSIONS During her year at Lincoln Cathedral, Toni has been approached on numerous occasions to create custom pieces of art for members of the Cathedral Community. If you have a project in mind Toni would be pleased to hear from you. Please visit her website below.
www.ToniWattsArtStudio.com www.LincolnCathedral.com
TONI WATTS
Artist in Residence 2015 - 2016 www.ToniWattsArtStudio.com
Inspiring people in different ways www.LincolnCathedral.com