The Peterborough Psalter

The penwork initials

Artists' Materials

Two types of large penwork initials mark the major text divisions. The simplest ones, executed in ultramarine blue and vermilion red ink, are flourished and filled with scrolling patterns in the contrasting colour. The more ornate ones, also executed in ultramarine blue and vermilion red ink, are filled with foliate ornament in multicoloured washes with occasional touches of gold. Pigments identified in these initials include verdigris, an organic yellow and a tan-coloured mixture, which probably contains lead white, an organic dye and possibly small amounts of other pigments.

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1
Detail of the painted initial under magnification (20x).
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2
The FORS spectrum of a tan-coloured area shows two absorbance minima at 544 and 577 nm, suggesting the presence of an organic colourant.
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3
An XRF spectrum of the brown ink used to trace the thin penwork lines reveals the elemental content of iron gall ink. Iron (Fe) and sulphur (S) are the main components, while most calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) are present in the parchment support.

Red initial P filled with foliate ornament in multicoloured washes (Psalm 118)

The initial P, painted in vermilion, is filled with foliate ornament in verdigris green, vermilion red, an organic yellow and a tan-coloured mixture of lead white and an organic red (hotspots 1 and 2). Small amounts of other pigments may also be present as suggested by traces of iron, copper and mercury identified by XRF.

The thin penwork lines are traced in vermilion red, ultramarine blue and brown iron-gall ink (hotspot 3).

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