Book of Kells
An Irish manuscript containing the Four Gospels, a fragment of
Hebrew names, and the Eusebian canons, known also as the "Book of
Columba", probably because it was written in the monastery of Iona
to honour the saint. It is likely that it is to this book that the
entry in the "Annals of Ulster" under the year 1006 refers,
recording that in that year the "Gospel of Columba" was stolen.
According to tradition, the book is a relic from the time of
Columba (d. 597) and even the work of his hands, but, on
pal=BEographic grounds and judging by the character of the
ornamentation, this tradition cannot be sustained, and the date of
the composition of the book can hardly be placed earlier than the
end of the seventh or beginning of the eighth century. This must
be the book which the Welshman, Geraldus Cambrensis, saw at
Kildare in the last quarter of the twelfth century and which he
describes in glowing terms (Topogr. Hibern., II, xxxviii). We next
hear of it at the cathedral of Kells (Irish Cenannus) in Meath, a
foundation of Columba's, where it remained for a long time, or
until the year 1541. In the seventeenth century Archbishop Ussher
presented it to Trinity College, Dublin, where it is the most
precious manuscript (A. I. 6) in the college library and by far
the choicest relic of Irish art that has been preserved. In it is
to be found every variety of design typical of Irish art at its
best.
Some small portions at the beginning and end of the manuscript
have been lost, but otherwise it is in a very good state of
preservation. It was apparently left unfinished, since some of the
ornaments remain only in outline. It is written in part black,
red, purple or yellow ink, and it has been thought that the hands
of two scribes, neither of whom is known to us by name, are
discernible in the writing and illumination of the manuscript. The
most characteristic ornaments of the Book of Kells, as of other
illuminated Irish manuscripts of the period, are the closely
coiled spirals connected with each other by a number of curves and
terminating in the so-called "trumpet pattern". Almost equally
characteristic are the zoomorphic interlacements, coloured
representations of fanciful beings, or of men, animals, birds,
horses, dogs, and grotesque, gargoyle-like human figures, twisted
and hooked together in intricate detail. Other frequently
occurring designs are a system of geometrical weaving of ribbons
plaited and knotted together, and a simpler ornamentation by means
of red dotted lines. The versatility and inventive genius of the
illustrator surpasses all belief. Lines diverge and converge in
endless succession, and the most intricate figures, in lavish
abundance and with astounding variety of ornament, are combined
and woven into one harmonious design. In spite of the extent of
the work and its thousands of exquisite initials and terminals,
there is not a single pattern or combination that can be said to
be a copy of another. The artist shows a wonderful technique in
designing and combining various emblems, the cross, vine, dragon,
fish, and serpent. The drawing is perfection itself. It has been
examined under a powerful magnifying glass for hours at a time and
found to be, even in the most minute and complicated figures,
without a single false or irregular line. Some of the most
accomplished of modern draughtsmen have attempted to copy its
elaborate designs, but, such is the delicacy of the execution,
that they had to abandon the task as hopeless. In a space of one
inch square were counted no less than 158 interlacings of white
ribbon with a black border on either side. On the other hand, the
pictures of the personages delineated are feeble and primitive and
show but a limited knowledge of the human figure and its relative
proportions.
No words can describe the beauty and the extreme splendour of the
richly coloured initial letters, which are more profuse in the
"Book of Kells" than in any other manuscript. The only thing to
which they can be compared is a bed of many coloured crocuses and
tulips or the very finest stained glass window, which they equal
in beauty of colouring and rival in delicacy of ornament and
drawing. The artist possessed a wonderful knowledge of the
proportion of colour and the distribution of his material --
sienna, purple, lilac, red, pink, green, yellow, the colours most
often used -- and he managed the shading and tinting of the
letters with consummate taste and skill. It is remarkable that
there is no trace of the use of silver or gold on the vellum.
Sometimes the colours are laid on in thick layers to give the
appearance of enamel, and are here and there as bright and soft
and lustrous as when put on fresh more than twelve hundred years
ago. Even the best photographic and colour reproductions give but
a faint idea of the beauty of the original. Especially worthy of
notice is the series of illuminated miniatures, including
pictorial representations of the Evangelists and their symbols,
the Blessed Virgin and the Divine Child, the temptation of Jesus,
and Jesus seized by the Jews. These pictures reach their
culminating point in what is, in some respects, the most
marvellous example of workmanship that the world has ever
produced, namely the full page monogram XPI which occurs in the
text of the Gospel of St. Matthew. It is no wonder that it was for
a long time believed that the "Book of Kells" could have been
written only by angels.
JOSEPH DUNN
Transcribed by Paul Knutsen
From the Catholic Encyclopedia, copyright � 1913 by the
Encyclopedia Press, Inc. Electronic version copyright � 1996 by
New Advent, Inc.
Taken from the New Advent Web Page (www.knight.org/advent).
This article is part of the Catholic Encyclopedia Project, an
effort aimed at placing the entire Catholic Encyclopedia 1913
edition on the World Wide Web. The coordinator is Kevin Knight,
editor of the New Advent Catholic Website. If you would like to
contribute to this worthwhile project, you can contact him by e-
mail at (knight.org/advent). For more information please download
the file cathen.txt/.zip.
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