Books are not often thought of as an art form. Then again, these are not mere books.

The compendiums slaved over by monastic scribes in candlelit halls were not merely text upon paper. Illuminated manuscripts were carefully crafted, elaborately decorated pieces of medieval artwork. And while these European gilded texts were crafted for elite patrons, they’ll soon be on display for all to see at the Chazen Art Museum.

Illuminated manuscripts were pre-print press books, usually of a religious nature, that were ornately decorated with gilded pages of goldleaf, painted illustrations and flourishes around the borders or initials of the pages. Instead of paper, most were crafted on animal skins such as parchment or vellum.

“Nowadays, we look at paintings and sculptures; paintings were much less expensive than it would be to acquire,” said Maria Saffiotti Dale, curator of the Chazen Art Museum. “These would have been deluxe works of art.”

Despite their age, the illuminated manuscripts are some of the best preserved pieces of art from the middle ages, producing colors and gold leaf shimmers that retain much of their vibrancy today. However, it’s also extremely rare to see them displayed in large quantities outside the Midwest.

Dale, who studied illuminated manuscripts during her graduate studies, said she’s had the idea of planning an exhibit of the treasured tomes for nearly a decade, but has always been faced with the challenge of bringing them into one place.

“They’re not the kind of thing that are readily available for viewers, unless you go to the Getty or Morgan library,” Dale said. “There are less than a handful of places with substantial collections. These are just wonderful treasures that are sort of buried that live very quietly for their lifespan.”

The 40 exhibit items – which range in date from the ninth century to the 16th and have their origins from France, Italy, Germany, England and the Netherlands – were culled mostly from university collections in the Midwest, along with a few privately held collections. The Chazen contributed only one of the pieces: An initial used in a manuscript which depicts highly detailed depiction of Pope Clement I.

While most books will be placed in glass cases and any initials framed and matted, Dale said there will be one leaf of a traditional “Book of Hours” available for patrons to touch, just to get a sense for the toughness of the animal skins scribes used for their canvas.

And while this intensely time-consuming practice has laid largely dormant since late antiquity, that does not mean technique is dead. To prove this point, the Chazen will be hosting Valerie Weilmuenster, an artist specializing in the creation of illuminated manuscripts. For five days, Weilmuenster will demonstrate the process for creating an illuminated manuscripts, in the hopes that visitors will stop by on different days to see how different steps in the process take place.

Although the history of the illuminated manuscript (and the book in general) is often tied with the spread of Christianity, Dale emphasized that many of the offerings in the Hidden Treasures exhibit will represent more secular uses for the elaborate art form. Manuscripts dedicated to historical, literary and even legal purposes would often be decorated to serve more than just a utilitarian purpose.

“They’re rare works of art that people will be really awestruck to see and realize they’ve been made so many centuries ago and retain their brilliance and fascination today,” Dale said.

The Hidden Treasures exhibit will be open to patrons Jan. 18 through Feb. 27, with a preview lecture Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m. Guest artist Valerie Weilmuenster will be demonstrating the creation of illuminated manuscripts Jan. 26-30 in the Chazen.