Tags
Abbey of Kells, Book of Kells, Dublin, Hiberno-Scottish Mission, Insular art, Trinity College Library, Vetus Latina, Western calligraphy
Book of Kells, folio 34r containing the Chi Rho monogram
Dear friends,
I am forwarding a blog I wrote on 18 November 2011. It is about the Book of Kells, a Gospel Book. In order to read it you need simply click on the link below. In order to see the entire book, please click on the link that will take you to Trinity College Library, in Dublin. The Book of Kells is also called the Book of Columba, which means the Book of the Dove and is the name of a beatified monk, St Columba. The calligraphy is magnificent. It is one of the great masterpieces of Western art, and Irish.
You are now familiar with illuminated manuscripts. However I have provided more information.
To see all illuminations go to Book of Kells (Trinity College Library, Dublin) or to explore Irish illuminations, click on Irish.
One may also view the Book of Kells here:
http://digitalcollections.tcd.ie/home/index.php?DRIS_ID=MS58_003v.
Its Irish name is Leabhar Cheanannais It is a Gospel book It was made in the early part of the 9th century (c. 800) It was made by Celtic monks It is an illuminated manuscript It is a masterpiece of Western Calligraphy It is the finest example of Insular Art (See also: Hiberno-Scottish Mission and Anglo-Saxon Mission) (See Insular Script [majuscule]) Most Insular Art originates in Irish Monasticism Work on the manuscript was interrupted by Viking raids The manuscript comprises 340 folios (pages) It has been bound in four volumes since 1953 The parchment used was vellum (calfskin), the best The font is Vetus Latina or Vetus Itala (Old Italic) The ink is Iron Gall Ink It was kept at the Abbey of Kells (forty miles from Dublin) until 1650 The Manuscript is housed at Dublin’s Trinity College Library, MS A. I. (58) It resembles the Lindisfarne Gospels (please click on the smaller images to enlarge them)
The Book of Kells, (folio 292r), circa 800, showing the lavishly decorated text that opens the Gospel of John.
© Micheline Walker
17 March 2013
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