The Illuminated Alphabet Advent Calendar

The hand-written books of the Middle Ages were often decorated lavishly by an illuminator, sometimes a monk working anonymously in a monastery. At the beginning of the text, the artist often painted an enlarged letter called a decorated initial and within that letter might paint a miniature portrait of a saint or a narrative scene from the Bible. Woven into the letter's frame could be jewel-like flowers, intricate vines, and exotic birds - art for beauty's sake that also made the manuscript easier to use. The letters in this Illuminated Alphabet Advent Calendar are taken from antiphonaries (liturgical books containing the music for Divine Office), books of hours (prayer books for private devotion), psalters (books containing all 150 psalms), and graduals (liturgical books, texts and music of chants sung by the choir in response to the celebration of the Mass) found in the rich collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The painting on the front of the calendar depicts the Annunciation and the letter M. Open the 24 windows in sequence and you will see the letters of the alphabet and catch a glimpse of the medieval world. The 12 1/2 x 14 1/2 calendar has an easel back. It comes in a resealable poly bag.