Esther Inglis

Esther Inglis in a 1595 portrait.

Esther Inglis (1571–1624) wis a miniaturist, that wis skillt in areas sic as calligraphy, writin, an embroidery. She wis born in 1571 in aither Lunnon or in Dieppe an later flittit tae Scotland, whaur she wis upbrocht an mairriet. She haed mony similarities tae Jane Segar, sic as aye signin her wark an aften includin sel-portraits o hersel in the act o writing. Houaniver, unlike Jane Segar, Inglis wis successfu in makin thrift o manuscript beuks creatit fur ryal patrons. Ower the coorse o her life, Inglis componed aboot saxty miniature beuks that display her calligraphic skill wi pentings, portraits, an embroidert covers. She maistly dedicatit her beuks tae the monarchs, Elizabeth I an James VI and I, an fowk in pouer durin their ring. She deet aroond 1624, at the age o 53.

Early life

Inglis wis born tae Nicholas Langlois an Marie Pressot in 1571. Langlois wis a schuil dominie that later becam Master o the French Schuil in Edinburgh, an Pressot wis a skilled calligrapher. Baith o her parents cam frae France, tho it isna kent fur certain as tae whan thay flittit tae Edinburgh, Scotland. Some soorces claim they muived aroond 1569 efter fleein France as Protestant refugees, whiles ithers claim it wis efter the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre aroond 1574. Some soorces forby claim that Langlois becam Master o the French Schuil in Edinburgh in 1574, whiles ithers claim it wis fir actual aroond 1580. In Mairch 1580 James VI gied Nicolas Langlois an Marie Pressot £80 Scots tae help thair debts, contractit twa year earlier.

Langlois taucht baith spikken an written forms o French, as weel as scribal haundwritin, upon whilk he received a lifetime annuity frae King James VI efter becomin Master o the French Schuil in Edinburgh. Due tae his kennin an profession as a teacher, it is jaloused that Inglis wis eddicatit bi her faither in the humanities. Forby, due tae her mither's skills in calligraphy, it is awmaist certain that Inglis learnt her calligraphic skills frae her. Tho there is nae written evidence, Inglis acknawledged her debt tae her parents in ane o her earliest manuscripts, Livret contenant diverses sortes de lettres, whaur she seys: “Both parents having bidden me, a daughter has written, breaking the tedium of exile with her pen.”.

Mairriage an thrift

The cover o Argumenta psalmorum Davidis, embroidered b Inglis in 1608 (Folger Shakespeare Library, V.a.94)

Inglis's thrift wis first managed bi her faither, that wrate dedicatory verses for her early beuks. Efter Inglis mairriet Bartholomew Kello in 1596, a relation o Laird Holyroodhouse, he stairtit tae assist her insteid. Kello at times wrate dedicatory letters an poems praisin the recipients o Inglis's warks, as weel as Inglis hersel, bein sae proodfu o her skills that he'd aften sign himsel as “husband of the book’s adorner” in the beuk. The mairriage happent efter her “graduation” frae her hame schuillt lifestyle, that wis a common theme amang wummen intellectuals durin this time period. Kello haed thrift as a clerk for James VI's coort, upon whilk Inglis seems tae have haed thrift as Kello's scribe, tho ither resairch seems tae claim that King James VI employed baith as scriveners. In a warrant tae Kello frae James VI, he states that “the said Barthilmo Kello is to write or cause all the said letters by his discretion be written BY THE MOST EXQUISITE WRITER WITHIN THIS REALM.” This seems tae indicate that Inglis wud be able tae produce the items as lang as Kello owersaw her wark.

Syne Kello wis a clerk, it wis his job tae gie oot various types o documents, sic as passports, testimonials, an letters o recommendation. Whiles Inglis produced thir items for Kello, she forby uised her skills tae mak a numer o gift beuks. Kello wis in chairge o delivering the documents, an upon deliverin them, he wud include a copy o the gift beuk frae his wife, maist like howpin for a rewaird in return. Kello aften uised Inglis's beuks as a raison tae traivel agate, similar tae the wey he uised his trips as a messenger or information gaitherer tae present his wife's beuks an impose on his hosts for a rewaird. It was in thir beuks that Inglis shawed her talents an skills, introducin impressive drawins on the teetle pages an establishing creative borders on ilk page o text. The manuscripts wis seyed tae be sae brawly makit that they seemed as gin they war prentit warks, raither nor bein tot haund drawn. It wis aroond this time period that acause prent becam mair widely available as a growin technology, haund-makit manuscripts wis becomin mair valuable. Amang aw o the manuscripts durin this era, Inglis's beuks ar important acause thay war verra wee in size, wi the smawest manuscript meisurin ane an a hauf inch bi twa inch or twa inch bi three inch, sic as the Argumenta Psalmorum Davidis o Plate 8, dedicatit tae Henry Frederick, Prince o Wales in 1608. Inglis is forby ane o the three wummen leetit as penters in Scotland afore 1700, alng wi Apollonia Kickius an Mrs Morris, in the biographical dictionar bi Michael Apted an Susan Hannabuss.

Kello an Inglis actit as business pairtners as weel as romantic pairtners. Thay lost an investment o £4,000 Scots in 1598 tae the bankrupt ryal financiers Thomas Foulis an Robert Jousie. Inglis actit as Kello's scribe for his wark an in time he becam her publicist an business manager. Whan James becam the King o Ingland, Kello an Inglis flittit tae Essex naur Lunnon, an bidit there frae aboot 1606 tae 1615 afore returnin tae Edinburgh, whaur the twa stayed till Inglis's daith in 1624. Upon shiftin tae Ingland, Kello an Inglis maist lik haed howped tae resume thair wark as a clerk an a scribe, but James haed inheritit a coort frae Queen Elizabeth, makin this difficult. Kello forby becam Rector o Willingale in Essex in 1607 an later becam Rector o Spexhall in Suffolk in 1620.

Early manuscripts: 1605–1607

The first manuscript that Inglis presented in Ingland wis dedicatit tae Susanna Herbert in Februar 1605, a body she didnae ken personally. The manuscript compiled excerpts o religious text, an decorative alphabets, an wis pit thegither tae demonstrate her skill as a calligrapher. Syne Herbert haed juist ainnly recent-like become Lady Herbert, it is possible that Inglis presentit her wi this manuscript howpin for a poseition in Herbert's hoosehauld, as weel as a rewaird for the manuscript itsel.

Efter 1605, Inglis began approachin her dedicatees hersel, raither nor haein her husband dae it for her. In Januar 1606, Robert Sidney, Lucy Russell, Countess o Bedford, an Lady Erskine o Dirleton wis aw gien a New Year's gift beuk frae Inglis. Like Herbert, aw three o thon fowk wis strangers tae Inglis, as she didnae ken ony o thaim personally. Unlike the manuscript presentit tae Herbert houaniver, thir manuscripts shawed a new style bi Inglis. Her beuks wis smawer an oblong in size, wi ilk page o text illustratit wi a colourful flouer or a wee bird. Her teetle pages forby haed flouered borders, an the oblong size o the beuks wis unique, as they war niver fand in any ither medieval manuscripts frae this era. Juist like the manuscript gien tae Herbert, thir gift beuks wis meant tae shaw aff Inglis's skill as a calligrapher. Ilk page displayed a different style o haundwritin, tho there wis nae alphabet includit as there haed been wi the manuscript gien tae Herbert. Insteid, there wis colourfu birds, flouers, or butterflies on the tap o ilk page.

Inglis essentially uised furthset beuks as a stairt for her ain creativity. Artisans durin this period fir uisual copied text frae ither beuks bi rewritin it wi styled signatures an addin borders an sic in the form o their ain wark. Ane common practice amang airtisans wis tae create multiple copies o the same beuk but include different dedications, wi ilk addressin a different recipient. Anither common theme amangst airtisans durin this time period wis tae rewrite awready-prentit texts back intae manuscript.

In Julie 1606, King Christian o Denmark cam tae Ingland tae visit. Chancellor Christianus Friis accompanied him, that wis weel kent for his generosity. Acause o this, Inglis prepared anither flouer illustrated manuscript specifically for Friis, probably howpin for a generous rewaird. This manuscript wis maistly alike tae the three New Year's gifts, tho Inglis drew different flouers taen frae anither series, the Florae Deae. This series wis supposedly immensely faur ben at this time, as the same flouers wis later drawn on pentit glass at Lydiard Park in Wiltshire, as weel as ither ceities.

Whiles Inglis didnae seem tae be a gey inventive airtist, she aften shawed hersel as a heichly skilled yin, whase wark wis wirth employin an collectin. She wis forby assertive in acknawledgin her talents, aft includin text in her gifts that seyed “written and illuminated by me, Esther Inglis”.

Prince Henry's patronage: 1607–1614

The dedicatory page o Argumenta psalmorum Davidis, tae Prince Henry, 1608

Inglis mainly makit her flouer illustratit manuscripts in 1606 an 1607, wi ainly twa-three exceptions, an stairtit producing far less manuscripts in nummer efter 1607. It isnae clear how come, but some propone the idea that the illustrations wis simply nae as faur ben as thay uised tae be, or that thay were tae labour-intensive tae keep producing continually. There's the idea that Inglis cud hae fand patronage at Prince Henry's coort as weel. Combined wi her husband's stipend, this micht hae gien thaim enouch financial stability tae nae hae tae produce sic illustratit manuscripts, or e'en mony manuscripts avaa. Frae 1607 tae 1614, Inglis produced ainly aicht manuscripts that ar kent, wi five o thaim bein dedicatit tae aither Prince Henry or tae Sir David Murray. Forby, Inglis rarely approached ither patrons durin this time period, thus providin forder evidence tae the idea that she haed fand some form o patronage in Henry's hoosehauld, an as sic nae langer haed need tae mak sic warks, or e'en shaw her airtistic skills for advertisement.

Flouer illustration theories

Inglis's uiss o flouers in her wark wis primar uised tae produce attractive manuscripts, that wid create thrift or rewaird opportunities. Houaniver, this micht nae hae been the ainly raison Inglis decidit tae uise flouers. In mony o her dedications, Inglis pit stress on the fact that whit she wis daein wis “a wumman's wark”. This shaws that she wis awaur o the poseition she ws in as a wumman in a patriarchal society. As a wumman, she ws limitit in her chyce o texts, that is maist likely whit wye she focussed mainly on biblical or devotional texts.

There is forby the theory that she uised flouers in her warks tae shaw a form o symbolism, wi ilk flouer representin summat in particular. In an independent portrait o her, makit in 1595, a wee knot o flouers can be seen in the tap left-haund corner. Componed o lavender sprigs an carnations, this seembolises luve an chastity, an a year later Inglis wis mairriet tae Kello. Houaniver, there is nae substantial evidence tae support this theory.

Personalisation o beuks

Early in her thrift, afore her signature flouer themed manuscripts, Inglis teuk her inspiration frae the designs o prentit beuks, eften copyin engraved teetle borders, ornaments, an initials. Twa o whit is thocht tae be her maist bonny beuks frae this period ar the C.L. Psaumes de David, dedicatit tae Prince Maurice o Nassau in 1599, an Le Livre de l'Ecclesiaste, dedicatit tae the Viomtesse de Rohan in 1601. Baith warks mell elements frae a wheen o soorces, that aw wark thegither tae mak gift beuks wi the chairacter an personality o the recipient in mind. For ensaumple, in the beuk gien tae Prince Maurice is a drawin o a corslet, shield, an wappens, as the Prince spent maist o his time in the field fechtin for the Protestant cause. Autho it disnae seem that aw o Inglis's beuks ar designed in sic weys for the recipient, it dis seem that this wis the case for thon tw beuks.

Later in her thrift, Inglis stairtit drawin in colour an illustrating different flouers, fruits, or wee ainimals that aften shawed in the borders o Flemish manuscripts. Een later in her career, she turnt back tae makin recreatit prentit beuks, sic as reproducing fifty-ane o the Emblemes ou devises chrestiennes bi Georgette de Montenay for Prince Charles.

Awtho creative borders an colourful illustrations wis pairt o Inglis's technique, she embroidert her wark an aa. Inglis makit jewel-like covers for her ryalty warks, fir usual embroidert wi seed pearls an gowd an siller thread on reid velvet. The cover o ilk beuk complements her beuks' inner display o skilled calligraphic style, teetle pages, sel-portraits, ornaments, ink drawins, an emblems.

Protestant involvement

Inglis' parents wis practicin Protestants, an thay flittit frae thair hame in France durin the Protestant persecutions, that maks it likely that Inglis ws brocht up Protestant as weel. Inglis an her husband wis kent tae be supporters o the Protestant religion. Mony o Inglis's beuks wis e'en gien as gifts tae memmers o the Protestant commonity aroond Elizabeth I an James VI.

Oot o aboot saxty different manuscripts that hae been identified as the wark o Inglis, maist ar copies o Protestant religious texts. Thir manuscripts includit psalms frae the Geneva Bible, as weel as ither versions o the Bible, verses frae the Proverbs an Ecclesiastes, an the Quatrains o Guy Du Faur, Seigneur de Pibrac, an Octonairs o Antoine de la Roche Chandieu, twa renount French saxteent-yearhunner religious writers.

Bairns

Inglis haed fower survivin bairns. The ainly bairn that's name is kent is Samuel, that succeedit his faither as Rector o Spexhall in Suffolk during his lifetime, an possibly again his will. Twa ither sons, Isaac an Joseph, are beerit in Willingale Kirk, Essex, whaur thair faither Bartholomew wis rector. Twa brass plaques in the chancel, datit 1614, commemorate thaim wi a simple epitaph.

Fremmit airtins

• Esther Inglis
• Calligraphy Books Archived 2021-01-21 at the Wayback Machine
• New Year's Gift Books
• Embroidered Books
• http://womenshistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa021223a.htm Archived 2009-01-24 at the Wayback Machine
• http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101015292/
• http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/journal_of_medieval_and_early_modern_studies/v032/32.3frye.html Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
• British Library, catalogue entry for Esther's manuscript poems o Guy de Faur, 1614 Archived 2023-04-25 at the Wayback Machine written for David Murray o Gorthy