The Illuminators of the Hooked-g Scribes: The Production of Copies of Middle English Literature c.1460-c.1490

This article integrates an art historical perspective into previous paleographical and linguistic approaches to manuscripts copied by the “hooked-g scribes.” By identifying the work of the illuminators in manuscripts outside of the hooked-g context, it is possible to reconstruct a tentative chronology for the fifteen undated manuscripts of the hooked-g scribes (a group inclusive of multiple copies of works by Chaucer, Lydgate, and Gower). Furthermore, a study of the illuminators reveals regular collaboration between one hooked-g scribe and two border artists, indicating that sustained cooperation between book craftsmen was considered a viable method of book production during the second half of the fifteenth century.