The Illuminators of the Hooked-g Scribe(s) and the Production of Middle English Literature, c. 1460–c. 1490

Abstract

Abstract This article integrates an art historical perspective into previous paleographical and linguistic approaches to manuscripts copied by the “hooked-g scribes.” By identifying the work of the illuminators in manuscripts outside of the hooked-g context, it is possible to reconstruct a tentative chronology for the fifteen undated manuscripts of the hooked-g scribes (a group inclusive of multiple copies of works by Chaucer, Lydgate, and Gower). Furthermore, a study of the illuminators reveals regular collaboration between one hooked-g scribe and two border artists, indicating that sustained cooperation between book craftsmen was considered a viable method of book production during the second half of the fifteenth century.