Anthropomorphic initial

A decorated initial which incorporates all or part of the human body into the structure of a letter within a manuscript.

A decorated initial which incorporates all or part of the human body into the structure of a letter within a manuscript. While most letters can be adapted to incorporate a human body, the most frequent are the initials "I" and "T" as well as most letters with long extenders. If a letter is composed of both human and animal parts, it may be referred to as an zoo-anthropomorphic initial. The "T" is often used in conjunction with opening to the Canon of the Mass ("Te igitur") and depicts a Crucifixion scene in which the letter is formed by the shape of the cross with the body of Jesus Christ. Anthropomorphic initials are less common in the early Middle Ages, but become more common from the twelfth century on.

  • Arabic:
    إنساني الشكل
  • Armenian:
    մարդագիր
  • French:
    anthropomorphe
  • German:
    anthropomorph
  • Italian:
    Antropomorfo (adj); Antropomorfismo (noun)
  • Portuguese:
    inicial antropomórfica
  • Spanish:
    Antropomorfo (adj); Antropomorfismo (noun)

Michelle Brown, Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts (Malibu, CA: J. Paul Getty Museum in association with the British Library, c1994).