色彩丰富、图案繁复的首字符装饰出现在每一页、每一章,有时甚至是在段落的最前面,常常要比其它文字占据更大的空间。它们不经意地进行着从文字到插图的转换。最早对字符的装饰起源可追溯至公元4世纪。在之后的几百年间,各种图案式样和文体不断被发明和发展。例如,法国Meroving The colorful, well-curated first character decoration appears on every page, every chapter, and sometimes even the front of the paragraph, often taking up more space than other text. They inadvertently make the transition from text to illustration. The earliest decorative origins of the characters can be traced back to the fourth century AD. In the ensuing hundreds of years, a variety of patterns and styles continue to be invented and developed. For example, French Meroving