Margins of Meaning: Whimsy and Wonder in Medieval Manuscripts

Margins of Meaning: Whimsy and Wonder in Medieval Manuscripts

By Ruth Warhurst

Have you ever noticed the weird and whimsical figures and decorations around the edges of medieval manuscript pages and wondered why they are there?

These are known as marginalia, and though they often seem bizarre, they are filled with meaning. They offered medieval readers another way to engage with the text. In a time when books were handmade, illuminated with decorative illustrations and designs, and deeply valued, even the margins became meaningful spaces for reflection and imagination

What makes the margins of these manuscripts so fascinating?

Is it their beauty? or their strangeness? Or even their ability to disrupt and expand the meaning of the text?
Artists sometimes used the edges of the page to respond to what was written, or to veer off in entirely different directions. The decoration could challenge, echo, or playfully distort religious themes, allowing readers to engage with these sacred texts in surprising ways.

This page comes from an Antiphoner, which is a book filled with prayers and musical scores, made around 1350 in Cologne. It is part of the V&A’s collection, and its history reveals something especially remarkable: it was created by Sister Loppa de Speculo, who worked as both the scribe and the illuminator. This means she was responsible for both the writing and the decoration, offering us a rare glimpse into the skilled artistic work carried out by women in religious communities.

The page immediately captivates the eye. Three sides are bordered with intricate patterns in gold and blue, a design that would have been costly to produce. The edges shimmer with gilding, showing just how precious this book was to its makers and its readers.

Mirrored at the top and bottom of the page, two small dragons sit, facing one another. Dragons had lots of meanings in the medieval period – they could represent spiritual evil, but were also symbols of wisdom and protection. These dragons don’t look especially fierce, menacing or wise. In fact, they’re a little funny, even sweet. With their curling tails and gentle expressions, they feel more like characters in conversation than symbols of fear.

In the bottom right corner, a long-necked bird perches delicately on a winding vine. It’s drawn with careful detail and just enough exaggeration to make it delightful. Birds like this often appeared in devotional manuscripts, sometimes as symbols of the soul, sometimes simply as expressions of beauty and imagination.

This mix of whimsical creatures, precious materials, and spiritual music all on one page shows us how layered and expressive these books could be. The manuscript was a sacred object, but also a work of art.

Marginalia were more than decoration. They were a vital part of the manuscript, capable of unsettling, amusing, and provoking thought, as well as supporting the message of the text. In working on the Barber’s online exhibition, Fragments of Devotion, I’ve come to see that the edges of the page often hold the most surprising insights. The corners offer a glimpse into a world where art, devotion, and imagination were never far apart.