Routledge Medieval Images and English Literary Texts Book

Explore the relationship between visual art and poetry in this academic study by Routledge. This book examines the function of images within major illustrated English poetic works, spanning from the Anglo-Saxon period through the early fifteenth century. Author Hilmo challenges modern perspectives that often judge medieval art based on artistic merit or how closely it follows a text. Instead, this work provides a historical understanding of how these illustrations functioned. The research demonstrates that medieval artists were deeply engaged with their craft, using images to represent an invisible order of reality. By examining works from the Ruthwell Cross to the Ellesmere Chaucer, the text reveals that artists possessed a strong familiarity with vernacular poems and were innovative in their approach. This book is a valuable resource for students and scholars interested in the history of English literature, medieval art, and the role of visual storytelling in historical texts.