Seán Ó Séaghdha

Detail from 15th century copy of King Alfred's will
That moment when you realise your doodling is threatening to take over the page…

Actually, what’s fascinating in this manuscript is the unfinished decoration allowing an insight into how it was done in the 15th century. On folio 23v only the gilding has been done, but later everything’s only sketched in. The feather-work pattern seems to have been such an obvious thing it wasn’t even sketched in, only the larger details (e.g. flowers) it connected.

Detail of folios 12r and 23v from 15th century manuscript
Comparison of the bottom of folios 12r and 23v.

See also: Fully bordered page (folio 1r)