style belongs to the Italian section of the Bible of Avila. An Italian master who Garrison

called the Avila Bible Master produced the illuminated initials. The Italian initials are

characterized by framed panels that are finely ornamented. There is a tendency towards a

geometric composition, especially in the decorative patterns and there is also an

unmistakable linear quality to them. These illuminations are polished and very stylized.

The preferred hues are red, blue and yellow, and to a lesser degree green. Many initials

contain author portraits with the figures depicted in three-quarter or full length with their

hands gesturing or holding scrolls. An example of one of the Italian initials is King

Asuerus (Esther) in the Avila Bible (fol. 181v.) (Fig. 1). The king is set inside a framed

panel with a blue background. He is depicted in full length. He wears royal attire in

yellow, and a beautiful red cape falls behind him and gently covers half of his upper

body. He wears a golden crown. The style is polished and linear, just as the rest of the

examples from the Italian section of the Bible of Avila. An important observation that

needs to be made is the style of the calligraphy of the Italian section. The text appears to

be written in Carolingian Minuscule. The letters are well proportioned with controlled

ascenders and descenders to minims. The words are clearly separated and

comprehensible, and in turn, each letter is instantly recognizable. These characteristics

create an overall effect that is pleasing to the eye. 1

 In contrast to the Italian section of the Bible of Avila, the style of the

illuminations of the Spanish section reveals that there are three hands at work. The

illuminated initials with author portraits in the Psalms within the Bible of Avila present

15 Marc Drogin, M~edieval Callyguraphy: History and Technique, Montclair: Allaheld &
Schram, 1980, pp. 50-51. According to Drogin this type of script is also responsible for
the transformation from the majuscule N into a minuscule letter, a characteristic that is
present in the Italian Section of the manuscript.