Scribes and Scribal Tools
in the Middle Ages and Renaissance

This webpage demonstrates some of the tools used by writers, scriveners, and scribes, both by showing illustrations of them at work, as well as by linking to examples of the tools (ink containers, pens, pen-boxes, and writing-desks) in museum collections and other websites with related artifacts.

• Blanche of Castile and King Louis IX of France and Author Dictating to a Scribe, Moralized Bible (Morgan Library M.240, fol. 8), c. 1230
• Peter Comestor (fol. 1) and St. John (fol. 192), Bible Historiale (BNF Fr. 155), beginning of the 14th century
• A scribe copies from an exemplar, L'Estoire del Saint Graal (British Library MS Royal 14 E. III, fol. 6v), c. 1300-1315
• Peter Comestor (fol. 1), Moses (fol. 105), and Ezekiel (fol. 224), Bible Historiale (BNF Fr. 156), first half of the 14th century
• Jerome (fol. 297v), St. Paul (fol. 484), St. James the Lesser (fol. 498), St. John (fol. 501v), and St. John (fol. 506), Bible Historiale (BNF Fr. 152), 14th century
• St. John in a missal c. 1320-1330 (V&A E.378-1911)
• Gautier Map in the Death of King Arthur (BNF Fr. 122, fol. 272), 1344
• Philosophy, The City of God (BNF Fr. 170, fol. 334v), fourth quarter of the 14th century
• Machaut (BNF Fr. 1584, fol. Fv), c. 1377
• Tailor in the Liber de Moribus hominum (BNF Fr. 1166, fol. 34), end of the 14th century or beginning of the 15th century (note inkhorn and pencase hanging on belt)

But I, alas, that am of wytte but dulle And have no knowyng of suche mater For to discryve and wryte at the fulle The wofull compleynt which that ye shul here, But even like as doth a skryvener That can no more what that he shal write But as his maister beside dothe endyte A Complaynte of a Lovers Lyfe, ll. 190-196

• St. Matthew (fol. 426), St. Mark (fol. 440), St. Luke (fol. 451), St. John (fol. 478v), St. Paul (fol. 486v), St. James the Lesser (fol. 525), St. John (fol. 529), and St. John (fol. 531), Bible Historiale (BNF Fr. 159), 14th-15th century
• Boccaccio (fol. 4v), Erythraea (fol. 31), Demophile (fol. 37), and Cornificia (fol. 126), De mulieribus claris (BNF Fr. 598), beginning of the 15th century
• St. James the Lesser (fol. 585v; note that the bag is a pilgrim's scrip), St. Peter (fol. 586v), St. Peter (fol. 588), St. John (fol. 589), and St. Jude (fol. 591), Bible Historiale (BNF Fr. 10), beginning of the 15th century
• Several images in Les cas des nobles hommes et femmes (Bibl. Sainte-Geneviève MS 1128, c. 1425-1449) imagine Boccaccio in the company of the characters he is writing about; see fols. 10v, 14, 24v, 36, 44v, 55, 101, 105, 112v, 182v, 187, 196, 206, 223, 223v, 233, 260v, 271v, 278v, 283v, 308, 319, and 338
• A scrivener, The Mendel Hausbuch (fol. 62r), 1438
• A copyist in his workshop from Mare historiarum (BNF Latin 4915, fol. 1), c. 1440-1455
• St. Jerome by Jan van Eyck, 1442
• St. Martin, St. Barbara, and St. Luke by Stefan Lochner, 1445-1450
• A copyist in his workshop, Histoire des nobles princes de Hainaut (BNF Fr. 20127, fol. 2v), mid-15th century
• Scribal apprenticeship, Facta et dicta memorabilia (BNF Fr. 287, fol. 1), second part of the 15th century
• A scribe and his apprentice, Chroniques de Hainault (BNF Fr. 20128, fol. 1), c. 1450-1475
• Laurent de Premierfait writes a translation in The Decameron (BNF Fr. 129, fol. 4), third quarter of the 15th century
• Boccaccio, De casibus (BNF Fr. 130, fol. 233v), third quarter of the 15th century
• The author Titus Livius (or the translator Pierre Bersuire?) at work (also here), Ab urbe condita (BNF Fr. 273, fol. 7), c. 1475
• Flavius Josephus in The Wars of the Jews (BNF Fr. 15, fol. 41v), fourth quarter of the 15th century
• St. Matthew by Gabriel Maelesskircher, 1478
• St. Augustine by Sandro Botticelli, 1480
• St. Jerome in his Study (detail) by Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1480
• St. Jerome in his scriptorium, c. 1480-1490
• The author writing his book, Le Roman de la rose (British Library, Harley 4425, fol. 133), c. 1490-1500
• An inkhorn in a Viennese altarpiece with The Annunciation, c. 1490-1500
• Inkhorn and penner of St. Ambrosius, from an altarpiece at Kremsmünster, c. 1490-1500
• An inkhorn and penner in 12-Year-Old Jesus in the Temple (part of the altarpiece at the Church of St. Nicholas in Presov, Slovakia)
• Inkhorn, penner, and writing-slope of St. Jerome by Georg Stäber, c. 1495-1500
• Carmenta, De mulieribus claris (BNF Fr. 599, fol. 22v), 15th-16th century
• Ovid's Heroides (BNF Fr. 873), 15th-16th century: Oenone (fol. 27v), Hypsipyle (fol. 35v), Dido (fol. 42v), Canace (fol. 68v), Medea (fol. 74v), Hypermestra (fol. 90v), Helen (fol. 106v), Hero (fol. 125v), Acontius (fol. 133v), Cydippe (fol. 140v)
• Vision of St. Augustine by Vittore Carpaccio, 1502
• An inkhorn and penner in Jesus praying at the Mount of Olives from an altarpiece at Passau, c. 1510-1515
• St. Jerome in his Study by Albrecht Dürer, 1511
• St. Gregory (an open penner next to his inkhorn) from an altarpiece at Grades, Austria, c. 1515-1520
• Signboard for the schoolmaster Myconius by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1516
• Signboard for the schoolmaster Myconius by Ambrosius Holbein, 1516
• Portrait of Erasmus by Quentin Massys, 1517
• Portrait of Erasmus by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1523
• Portrait of Laura Pisani, c. 1525
• St. Mary Magdalene at her writing desk, first half of the 16th century
• Portrait of Sir Thomas Godsalve and his son John (detail) by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1528
• Portrait of Georg Gisze by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1532
• Portrait of Dirk Tybis by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1533
• Portrait of Thomas Cromwell by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1533
• Self-portrait of Romanino, 1535-1540
• The Tax Collectors by Marinus van Reymerswale
• The Tax Collectors by Marinus van Reymerswale
• Self-portrait of Simon Bening, 1550s
• The scribes' room in the Schwazer Bergbuch (Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum Cod. Dipl. 856, fol. 121v), 1556
• The scribes' room in the Schwazer Bergbuch (ÖNB 10852, fol. 85v), 1561; another scribe (fol. 114v)
• Taddeo in the Sistine Chapel Drawing Michelangelo's 'Last Judgment' and Taddeo in the Belvedere Court in the Vatican, Drawing the Laocoön by Federico Zuccaro, c. 1590
• Portrait of Sir Thomas Overbury, 1613

• Pottery inkwell, 1st-3rd century Roman Britain
• Writing materials, including an inkwell, found in France, c. 1st century Roman Gaul
• Glass inkwell, Egypt?, 9th-11th century
• Inkwell with silver inlay decoration (with lid off), late 12th-13th century Khorasan
• Bronze inkwell (more views here, here, here, here, here, and here) with decorations of musicians and drinkers, 12th-13th century Khorasan
• Stoneware inkwell found on a riverbank in Dunbartonshire, dating from the 13th-15th century
• Lead inkwell, 14th-16th century
• Cuir-bouilli box for an inkwell, 15th century
• Cuir-bouilli box for an inkwell, 15th century Italy
• Inkwell with three compartments (more views here, here, here, and here), copper with gold and silver inlay, 15th century Iran
• Ink pot, northern Italy, c. 1425-1450
• Jade pen and inkwell, Istanbul, c. 1450-1500
• Rectangular inkwell made in Padua c. 1480-1500
• Satyr with inkstand and candlestick, late 15th century
• An inkwell in the shape of a sea-monster, c. 1500; the shallow shell (at right) for blotting-sand, the other (at left) for ink. See also this sea-monster designed by Severo da Ravenna, 15th century.
• Inkwell in pressed horn, decorated with the Madonna and child, St. George, and other saints, 16th century London
• Bronze inkwell made in Padua c. 1500
• Bronze inkwell made in Padua c. 1500
• Inkstand with sleeping knight made in Faenza in the early 16th century
• Inkwell: a man holding a dead tree, bronze, made in Padua c. 1500-1520
• Inkwell: a satyr holding a torch, bronze, made in Padua c. 1500-1520
• Inkwell: a boy supporting a shell in bronze, sculpted by Severo de Ravenna c. 1500-1525 (V&A A.65-1956)
• Inkstand: a boy holding a bucket, c. 1500-1525 (V&A A.65-1956); see also this bronze inkwell made in Padua c. 1500-1520
• Maiolica inkpot in the shape of a tortoise, made in the Po Valley or Veneto, c. 1500-1550
• Inkwell in the shape of a buffet, made in 16th century Nuremburg
• Ink pot in brass, engraved and inlaid with silver, Safavid Persia (Tabriz, Iran?) c. 1510-1520 (V&A 254-1864)
• Inkstand: a woman playing music in bronze, mid-16th century (V&A A.101-1910)
• Inkstand in engraved brass, damascened with silver, 16th century Italy (V&A 8867-1861)
• Inkstand: a reclining bull, 16th century northern Italy (V&A A.130-1910)
• Inkstand: a grotesque elephant, Florence c. 1550-1600 (V&A 4702-1859)
• Inkstand: Woman holding an anchor, supported by three lions, in bronze, second half of the 16th century (V&A 567&A-1865)
• Inkstand: Woman holding an anchor, supported by three boys, second half of the 16th century (V&A 5908-1859)
• Inkstand: a reclining woman, in bronze, France or Flanders c. 1600 (V&A A.38-1939)
• Container, thought to be an inkhorn, from the Gunnister find, late 17th century

• Goose-feather quill pen (also here), 1633
• Quill pen from the Gunnister find, late 17th century

• Pen box, inlaid with a verse from the Qur'an and symbols of the planets and the zodiac, Mosul, northern Iraq, c. 1230-1250
• Pen box, brass inlaid with gold and silver, 13th century western Iran or northern Iraq
• Pen box in cast brass decorated with astrological scenes, western Iran, 1281
• Writing casket from the workshop of Severo da Ravenna, c. 1525; interior divided into compartments for storing writing implements and blotting-sand

• Writing desk made in the court workshops of Henry VIII, c. 1525 (V&A W.29:1 to 9-1932)
• Writing-cabinet (also here, here, and here), c. 1570
• Table desk, probably made in Southwark c. 1580-1620 (V&A W.4:1, 2-1911)
• Duke of Urbino Writing Desk, in walnut with engraved ivory, c. 1600 (V&A W.1-1958)