Discover how one of the National Library of Australia’s treasures – a magnificent 15th century Book of Hours from the Southern Netherlands – was created by hand.
Through this remarkable manuscript, Gemma Black reveals the craft of the medieval scriptorium, exploring the tools, materials and techniques that transformed parchment & vellum into works of enduring beauty.
Learn how pigments were mixed using everyday ingredients such as egg, how pages were ruled and written with extraordinary precision, how gatherings were sewn into robust bindings, and why these precious books have survived for almost six centuries. This is a fascinating glimpse into the artistry, ingenuity and craftsmanship behind one of the Middle Ages’ greatest achievements.
This public lecture is sponsored by the Friends of the National Library of Australia.
Attend in person
Entry to this event is free but bookings are essential.
Watch online
The presentation will also be available online. Please make a booking and the Library’s Events team will send you a direct link to the livestream event via email. Or you can join anytime through the Library’s YouTube channel.
About Gemma Black
Gemma Black is a distinguished calligrapher, arts practitioner, and independent scholar based in Canberra. Her practice focuses on the creation of formal documents on vellum and fine art paper, heraldic works, book inscriptions, and calligraphic pieces for citations, certificates, and related commissions. Drawing on more than thirty years of teaching, research, and professional practice, she lectures widely and is regularly invited to speak on art, history, the craftsmanship of lettering and the book arts.
A Churchill Fellow and Fellow of the Calligraphy & Lettering Arts Society (UK), Gemma’s work is represented in collections including Parliament House Canberra, the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (UK), the European Parliament, the Museum for International Calligraphy in Moscow, and Stanford University Libraries (USA).
Through her research, teaching, and engagement with cultural collections, she is committed to sharing the rich traditions of the written word and helping preserve the legacy of handwritten artefacts for future generations.
Image credit: Catholic Church, Book of hours, circa 1400, nla.obj-156072948
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