Abstract:

Unpublished manuscript material is of great potential value as a source of information concerning past use of materials and techniques in the fine arts. A number of British Museum manuscripts which were written c. 1500 or later contain information on art as well as other subjects. The manuscripts are listed in three groups: those containing miscellaneous information which may date from an earlier period than the manuscript; those containing extracts from printed books; complete treatises or notebooks of known authorship. A summary of the contents of each manuscript is supplied. One of the manuscripts has been published and already has an international reputation, but others deserve to be better known.