An assortment of images from model books and sketch books used by calligraphers, illuminators & illustrators, and even painters from the Middle Ages to the 17th century. These are useful resources for understanding how medieval artwork (especially calligraphy and illumination) was done.

Where noted, facsimiles of some of these modelbooks are available for sale.

This list focuses on the modelbooks and sketchbooks used for elements in illuminated manuscripts, rather than covering the entire field of pre-17th century drawings and sketches.

• Many of the illustrations from the Reiner Musterbuch (ÖNB Cod. Vindobonensis 507), c. 1200-1220, are available by searching REALonline (facsimile)
• The sketchbook of Villard de Honnecourt (BNF MS Fr. 19093), c. 1230, can be found using Mandragore – enter Français 19093 in the blank that says “Cote,” and then click the link that says “Chercher” (facsimile)
• The Wolfenbüttel Musterbuch, 13th century, fols. 78r, 78v, 89r, 89v, 90r, 90v, 91r, 91v, 92r, 92v, 93r, 93v (facsimile)
• The Braunschweig Sketchbook, c. 1380-1420: fols. 1r, 1v, 2r, 3r, 3v, 4r, 4v, 5r, 5v, 6r, 6v, 7r, 7v, 8r, 8v, 9r, 9v, 10r, 10v, 11r, 11v, 12r, 12v, 13r, 13v, 14r, 14v, 15r, 15v, 16r, 16v, 17r, 17v, 18r, 18v, 19r, 19v, 20r, 20v, 21r, 21v, 22r, 22v, 23r, 23v, 24r, 24v, 25r, 25v, 26r, 26v, 27r, 27v, 28r, 28v, 29r, 29v, 30r, 30v, 31r, 32v
• The modelbook of Giovannino de Grassi (Bergamo MS VII. 14), 1390 (facsimile)
• Pepys Library Model Book, c. 1400
• The Wiener Musterbuch (KHM KK_5003), c. 1400-1425 (see also this blurb)
• The Sloane Notebook (British Library MS Sloane 1448A), c. 1425-1475; see also A medieval pattern book
• The modelbook of Guinifortus de Vicomerchato (Ricketts MS 240), 1450
• The Göttingen Model Book, c. 1450 (facsimile)
• The Fantastic Alphabet of Master E.S., 1465
• The Musterbuch of Stephan Schriber (BSB Cod.icon. 420), c. 1494 (facsimile)
• The Macclesfield Alphabet Book, c. 1500
• Alphabet Book (Walters W.200), 16th century
• The Scribal Pattern Book of Gregorius Bock (Beinecke MS 439), c. 1510-1517; see also index
• Letters from The Tudor Pattern Book, Bodleian MS Ashmole 1504, c. 1520-1530 (facsimile)
• Mira calligraphiae monumenta (Getty MS 20), Georg Bocskay, c. 1561-1562, with later illustrations by Joris Hoefnagel (some of the calligraphy bits are in The Art of the Pen and An Abecedarium, if you don't want the complete facsimile)
• Opera nella quale vedrete molte caratteri di lettere, c. 1600-1615
• Trevelyon Miscellany (Commonplace Book) of 1608 (Folger MS V.b.232) (facsimile); also includes several embroidery patterns
• A New Booke ..., 1611