Benedictional of St. Aethelwold

Anglo-Saxon art

Also known as: “Benedictional of St. Ethelwold”

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June 22, 2026

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The Benedictional of St. Aethelwold is a masterpiece of Anglo-Saxon art, specifically from the Winchester school, which flourished in the 10th and early 11th centuries. This style is known for its bold, incisive designs and rich ornamentation, often featuring heavy borders with acanthus motifs. The Benedictional itself showcases these characteristics with its dominant borders and vibrant colors like purple, green, gold, and blue. While the style treated both figures and ornament with a monumental quality, it was later influenced by a trend of more agitated drawing, leading to a synthesis of active figures and grand decoration. This style represents a significant development in manuscript illumination during the Anglo-Saxon period.12

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Winchester school
…in this period is the Benedictional of St. Aethelwold (10th century; British Museum), in which heavy borders dominate the page designs, creating a low-relief ornamental effect. The colours are rich: purple, green, gold, and blue. The limitation of the style was that it treated both ornament and figures in the…
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…in this period is the Benedictional of St. Aethelwold (10th century; British Museum), in which heavy borders dominate the page designs, creating a low-relief ornamental effect. The colours are rich: purple, green, gold, and blue. The limitation of the style was that it treated both ornament and figures in the…
Read More