One of the great pleasures in examining manuscript illumination is the joy of experiencing the colors on the page and the wonder at the extraordinary technical skills employed by the artist in realizing the image. These masterpieces demonstrate a refinement of technique and a great mastery of materials, some used only for manuscript painting and some used in standard practice in at different times and in different localities.

In this talk, Cheryl Porter will examine the various red colors available to medieval artists - both Islamic and Western - and discuss what factors influenced their choices. Refreshments will be served.