Learn Latin in Medieval Art

Christ Blessing (c. 1310) by Grifo di Tancredi: Ego Sum Lux Mundi

One of the best reasons to learn Latin is—to all lovers of ancient art—a familiar one: reading the thousands of Latin inscriptions that adorn medieval and Renaissance paintings.

But the challenge is twofold: first, the language itself, requiring Latin grammar; and second, the paleographic skill needed to decipher the stylized scripts. These inscriptions are often so ornate that they can be difficult for the untrained eye to read. I’ve encountered this many times in museums, and it’s inspired me to create a series of posts to help bridge that gap.

In each poster, you’ll find: (1) an artwork from the medieval period; (2) the Latin transcription of its inscription; (3) an English translation; and (4) brief information about the piece itself. I suggest taking your time with each inscription, carefully “mapping” each letter with my transcription. Paleography, like any skill, comes with practice!

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If you enjoy this kind of content, please let me know. With your enthusiasm, I can continue this series—and perhaps even develop a course based on this approach.

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