Our 50th podcast celebrates Les Enluminures’s Ten Years in New York. Join President and Founder Sandra Hindman and Helen Allen, Executive Director of New York’s celebrated art fair The Winter Show, as they discuss all things New York-related. They explore the history of the New York gallery space, the anniversary exhibition ‘Timeless Treasures,’ pl…

Join host Sandra Hindman and Sonja Drimmer on a special episode of the Les Enluminures podcast! Sandra and Sonja sit down to discuss her most recent article in Speculum “Connoisseurship, Art History and the Paleographical Impasse in Middle English Studies,” as well as her recent work on the “rollodex,” framing the relationship between hybrid parchm…

With an effect like melted glass, enamel work creates stunning, colorful effects on sculptures, enlivening their surfaces. Today, we take a look at the history and various technical processes of enameling. Covering cloisonné, champlevé, and enamel in ronde-bosse, we also examine works in the Les Enluminures collection which demonstrate these varied…

Today we discuss the history of the Winter Show and philanthropic culture in the United States with Kristen Racaniello and Sandra Hindman. Tune in and discover the origins of the exhibition, the history of gifting in the USA, and hear about Sandra’s delightful journey to participating in the Winter Show. You can join us at the Winter Show in booth …

Join our founder and host Sandra Hindman as she discusses the monstrous, marginalia and determining the center with Sherry Lindquist, co-author of Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders. This interview coincides with the topic of our Chicago gallery exhibition, “The Margins of Medieval Art: Questioning the Center,” which is open through March …

Shocking as it may be a medieval bestseller was misery. That text, On the Misery of the Human Condition, is the subject of our podcast today. It was written by a soon-to-be Pope and remained wildly popular for five hundred years before mysteriously dropping out of favor. This text is filled with insights into the Medieval perspective through the me…

One of the most common, special objects that we have at Les Enluminures is the Book of Hours. Often, the Book of Hours is called the medieval “bestseller.” But what, exactly, does that mean? What determines if a book was “popular” or “best-selling” in the medieval world? How can we possibly know what was made most frequently in the Middle Ages? Fin…

Today we explore the gap in time between historical events and the present. Between then and now is a gap that creates desire and longing for contact. Creative attempts to close that gap produced a series of “revivalist” movements in the nineteenth century. Through our current exhibition “Ideal Jewels” we discuss the rise of art jewelry, the Pre-Ra…

Paper makers in Fabriano developed the use of wire-made signs as identifying marks in the Middle Ages. Today we call these impressions “watermarks”— the papermakers’ logo and calling card. Find out more about the history and development of papermaking and watermarks in some of the oldest medieval paper mills and discover their use in identifying th…

In this discussion of our mid-fifteenth century copy of Guido da Colomna’s Historia destructionis Troiae (History of the Destruction of Troy) we cover the history of the Sibylline Oracle, the Middle English copies of the Troiae, and the composition of our manuscript. We chat about the role of the scribe/author in creating the histories of Troy, why…

Today we will cover a fascinating early printing process, still in wide use today–– stenciling! Beginning with the history of the stencil and moving into the use of stencils in choir books, this podcast will cover the basic processes of stenciling, discussing how they developed and were used in sacred and secular settings. From the Carthusians to P…

The new year is a time that has inspired gifting and exchange throughout history in recognition of new beginnings. Yet, the date of New years has moved around frequently as calendars have shifted and it has been celebrated in many different ways. Today, we take a look at some of the different celebrations that occurred in medieval Europe, ending wi…

All around the world glittering decorations and lawn sculptures are appearing as December 25th draws near. Have you ever wondered why we associate twinkling lights, holly, or lawn sculptures with Christmas celebrations? Why are animals always included in depictions of the Nativity? Is there a reason the Virgin Mary is often depicted kneeling beside…

Christmas season is upon us and as the day approaches, we will examine a few different, special types of images associated with the Virgin Mary and the infant Christ. Today we discuss the very first major illumination in the hours of the Virgin: the Annunciation. When did annunciation images become so popular? How can these images help us see some …

Today we cover some important jewelry production basics: gemstone cutting or lapidary. Do you know the difference between a cabochon and a raw stone? Why do we continue to use cabochon stones today? And what inspired lapidarists to begin making those iconic, geometric planes we call ‘facets’? Find out today on the Les Enluminures podcast. Resources…

Fashion blossomed during the Renaissance with elaborate, fantastical costumes and luxurious jewelry. Today, we take a look at one type of wearable Renaissance artwork; the portrait pendant. What is a pendant? How was the Renaissance concept of fashion different from our own? And who made these luxurious objects? Resources Pendant with Virgin Mary a…

Winter is a time for holiday celebrations, family, and food. As the winter fast approaches in this last November episode we consider feasts and feasting. This was an important topic for medieval people that was frequently the subject of manuscript illumination. What is the origin of the term “feast,” and who could host a feast? What makes ‘feast da…

Medieval measurement developed as a bodily reference tool, often relying on an object’s relationship to the human body to determine its size, scale or weight. Today, measurement may seem like a natural part of our lives, but have you ever wondered how a unit of space or volume was developed? What made medieval measurement so different from the way …

Short winter days are now upon us. Usually we don’t consider the actual day to be shortened, however. There may be less daylight, but the measure of the day does not change throughout the year. Why is this? The transition between seasons often makes us more aware of time and the absurd ways we choose to apportion time during the day. Why do we stru…

Objects survive long after their original owners have passed away, living an extensive, dramatic, and often colorful life as they pass from owner to owner. This social life is often referred to as an object’s “biography.” Join us today to explore object biography and the life of a special book of hours this week in the Les Enluminures podcast. We w…

Life in the Medieval period was difficult, filled with spiritual and physical hardships. Medieval people coped with their often difficult situations through ritual and, sometimes, through magic! In this last episode of October, we return to our text manuscripts to examine charms. What are charms? How do we define them within the spectrum of verbal …

The Office of the Dead is a crucial inclusion in the Book of Hours, but it is often ignored when it comes to discussions of manuscript illumination. Today we discuss the use and history of the Office of the Dead. Why is the Office of the Dead included in Books of Hours? How is the office of the dead related to the rise of trick-or-treating on Hallo…

Continuing our October season programming, today we examine a pectoral cross and the “Talisman” of Charlemagne. Just what was a medieval amulet? Did the church accept the use of talismans and charms? Who used and wore precious stones? What is the difference between a textual amulet and a material one? Find out the answers to these questions and man…

Today, we kick off our October season programming by exploring Manuscript TM111: Dell’idea del futuro, or On the idea of Future, an unpublished treatise on chiromancy. What is Chiromancy and how is it related to fortune telling? Can you read and use this manuscript yourself? How is Chiromancy related to Carl Jung? Find out in today’s episode. Resou…

Scribes were key players in the recording and preservation of knowledge in the medieval period. But who were they? What did they do and how did they live? What distinguishes a scribe from an author, and what professions most closely resemble the role of the medieval scribe today? Find out this week on the Les Enluminures podcast. Resources: The Med…

At the core, a medieval manuscript is composed of bifolia sewn together and bound. But what materials were these pages made of and how does that affect the way you should treat your manuscripts today? Listen in as we discuss paper, parchment, papyrus, amate and wax tablet manufacture during the process of making a manuscript. We will provide some h…

Laura Light, director and senior specialist, Text Manuscripts at Les Enluminures, takes a moment today to discuss Les Enluminure’s textmanuscripts.com. What is a text manuscript, and what makes them different from illuminated manuscripts with text? Who buys text manuscripts and how are they used now? Join Laura to discover the answers to these and …

Today, Dr. Kathryn Rudy speaks with host Sandra Hindman on a fascinating range of topics related to “touching” the book as well as the innovative techniques she has developed in her forensic approach to the study of manuscripts. Kathryn Rudy pioneered the use of the densitometer to measure the grime that original readers deposited in their books, b…

Medieval jewelry was luxurious and costly. It was a treasured element of an individual’s sense of community, identity and of course a display of status. But why might medieval people conceal little fragments of bone, skin, or hair inside of these gorgeous objects? How did this container function, and what made these tiny, portable and wearable reli…

We all live with jewelry and encounter historical examples in paintings, photographs and pop culture. Yet, many types of historical jewelry are unknown because they have simply not been studied. Join Sandra Hindman today as she discusses a little known type of ring: the iconographic ring. What are these precious objects? How did they come to be nam…

In this episode we cover the basic processes around the three most important materials applied to the parchment page: gold, ink, and pigment. Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a dye and a paint? How did scribes and artists cut their quills and make their brushes? And how, exactly, did medieval artists make their manuscripts shim…

Have you ever wondered which catalogues our Founder and President, Sandra Hindman, loves the most? Find out this week as she discusses two of her most favored catalogues and their contents, discussing everything from the colors the ancient Romans preferred, rose colored glasses, Hebrew manuscripts, Dora Maar, and her work reconstructing the life of…

How did manuscript books come to be? What is a Manuscript? How does a manuscript differ from a printed book? Join us today in this introductory mini episode for an overview of the organization and production of medieval manuscripts from the monastic scriptorium to university stationers.By lesenluminures

From Roman inscriptions to digital typography, the study of handwriting and Latin scripts spans centuries and requires a deep knowledge of materials from copper plates to parchment, rings, wax and digital tablets. Join us today as our host Sandra Hindman sits down with Marc Smith, Professor of Paleography at the Ecole des Chartes in Paris to explor…

Filled with high quality paintings by notable Renaissance artists, the outstanding Burke Collection of Italian miniatures is the subject of this podcast. Sandra Hindman sits down to discuss her work on the newly published Burke Collection catalogue with her co-editor Federica Toniolo and with Gaudenz Freuler. Federica Toniolo is Professor of the hi…

They were the bestsellers of the Middle Ages. In this episode, our host Sandra Hindman of Les Enluminures sits down with Richard Davies of AbeBooks to discuss books of hours. Sandra explains the contours of the bestseller: what books of hours contained, who owned them, how they were decorated and the purpose they served. These paraliturgical manusc…

Who is Christine de Pizan? Most know of her as a prolific medieval author, or at least know that she found a seat at Judy Chicago’s table. But how did she work and procure materials? Who worked for her and with her? How did she select her illuminators? Did she deal directly with the Queen? Find out with author and art historian Inès Villela-Petit a…

Today host Sandra Hindman speaks with the president and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Daniel Weiss. How has his development as a scholar, medievalist and author affected his work as a businessman and CEO? What is the future of museums and institutions following this virtual shift to art in the age of COVID-19? Weiss gives listeners insight …

In this episode Dr. Nina Rowe discusses her latest book The Illuminated World Chronicle: Tales from the Late Medieval City with our host Sandra Hindman. They discuss some of the thrilling and often titillating stories found in World Chronicle manuscripts including the tale of the Devil on Noah’s Ark. Dr. Rowe has uncovered the deep connections thes…

Today our host Sandra Hindman, founder and President of Les Enluminures, checks in with Chairman of the Masterpiece Fair Philip Hewat-Jaboor from his residence in the Channel Islands. They discuss his early love of art and youthful career working for Sotheby’s, as well as the burning question on all of our minds: how will art fairs survive and thri…

Renowned jewelry historian Diana Scarisbrick discusses the origins of her interest in jewelry with host Sandra Hindman in this podcast recorded between London and Chicago. They discuss her early, formative interactions with rings through S. J. Philips, the antique jewelry shop founded in 1869. From there they move into a discussion of the importanc…

Budding spring gardens and May flowers inspired our host Sandra Hindman to sit down with Marc Montefusco, the Managing Horticulturist of the Medieval Gardens at the Met Cloisters. In today’s conversation, they discuss the three gardens at the Cloisters (the Cuxa Cloister garden, the Bonnefont Cloister garden, and the Trie Cloister garden) the histo…

Richard Davies of AbeBooks, the pioneering ecommerce bookseller, interviews Sandra Hindman for Les Enluminures' first crossover podcast with Behind the Bookshelves. His interesting profile of her includes questions and answers such as: Does she think of herself as an academic, a bookseller, an art expert, or what? When and why did she start her bus…

Jan van Eyck has “never not been famous.” The most gifted Flemish court painter is the subject of today’s podcast, prompted by the recent exhibition Van Eyck: An Optical Revolution at the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent. Host Sandra Hindman sits down with two leading scholars working on van Eyck; Dominique Vanwijnsberghe and Lieve de Kesel. They discu…

Sensory studies and the immersive experience of art is a budding topic among contemporary scholars. Herbert Kessler’s recent publication Experiencing Medieval Art offers readers of all levels easy entry to the most complex topics in current medieval art history. An unusual exploration of the triumphs and the faults of the traditional Medieval surve…

From the shoemakers of the Black forest to J.P. Morgan’s mansion, today William “Bill” Voelkle reflects on his fifty-year career at the Morgan Library and Museum with host Sandra Hindman. They discuss his early interest in science and mathematics as well as the Northern Renaissance course that changed his life. Voelkle’s early work at Columbia Univ…

For centuries, the power of love has been expressed through the bestowal of objects conveying deep affection, eternal commitment, or passionate desire. Today, Sandra Hindman and Beatriz Chadour-Sampson discuss The Power of Love, Chadour-Sampson’s new book on the history of amorous inspirations for novel jewelry vocabularies and historical revivals.…

For their final discussion of Diamonds, Sandra Hindman and Benjamin Zucker consider their roles and relationship as dealer and collector in bringing this historical exhibition to fruition. Beginning with childhood recollections of stamps and postcard collecting, it quickly becomes apparent that the space between dealer and collector is uniquely blu…

"Carat (or weight), Cut, Color, and Clarity” are the topics of discussion in today’s Les Enluminures podcast. Host and Les Enluminures President Sandra Hindman introduces John King, the Chief Quality Officer of the GIA (the Gemological Institute of America). They cover how the classification system used for diamonds now differs from considerations …

Today, Sandra Hindman is in conversation with Benjamin Zucker— a leading New York based dealer of diamonds and precious stones. They discuss his creative journey from youthful writer to prominent collector after becoming enamored by the dazzling nature of diamonds. From colored diamonds to Charles II’s bodkin (a gift to his mistress Nell Gwyn), thi…