For the act of supplying light to an area, see lighting.

Illumination is the art of decorating letters or pages with ink and embossing techniques. The art of illumination is most commonly known from medieval Christian texts, wherein the first letter of a text or section of text was enlarged, embellished, and framed with great artistry. Most illuminations from such texts are unique: the monks and scribes responsible for copying the text did so by hand.

See also

• Illuminated manuscript