Historiated initial
A letter containing an identifiable scene or figures, sometimes relating to the text.
A letter containing an identifiable scene or figures, sometimes relating to the text. Historiated initials, first encountered in Insular illumination of the first half of the eighth century, became a popular feature of medieval illumination. Borders can also be historiated.
- Armenian:պատկերագիր
- German:historisierte Initiale
- Portuguese:inicial historiada
Michelle Brown, Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts (Malibu, CA: J. Paul Getty Museum in association with the British Library, c1994).