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n Therenare many contenders for the title of the ‘most beautiful book in the world’ butnfor my money the winner is most definitely the Book of Kells. The book wasnproduced just before 800 CE and currently consists of 340 folios bound intonfour volumes (some pages have been lost and it has been rebound several times).nIt is made up of the four gospels, largely from St. Jerome’s Vulgate Bible,nwith some other passages taken mainly from the earlier Vetus Latina texts. Itnis the culmination of the Insular Style of illuminated manuscripts.
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| The Beatitudes – folio 40 verso |
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nExactlynwhere the book was made is open to debate, but Iona seems to be the most likelyncandidate, with the book and other treasures being moved by the monks when thenViking raids began there in 794. It takes its name from the Abbey of Kells,nCounty Meath, where it was housed for most of the medieval period. In 1654, itnwas moved to Dublin, (as Cromwell’s troops were in Kells at the time…), andnpresented in 1661 to Trinity College, Dublin, where it remains to this day (onnshow, and well worth a visit, if you’re ever in Dublin). There are only twonsingle colour pages in the book, the rest have some decoration or other, butnthe true glories are the full-page illuminations, perhaps the greatest of whichnis the Chi-Rho page (folio 34 r), one of the treasures of Western Art.
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| Chi-Rho page |
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nThe intricate knot-work is so dense it cannonly be properly appreciated with a lens (which, at the time it was made, werennot known), and features writhing animals and human figures, interlaced withnabstract patterns and strap-work. The first mention of the book is in thenAnnals of Ulster, in the year 1007 it is reported as being stolen, “The greatnGospel of Colum-Cille was wickedly stolen in the night out of the westernnsacristy of the great stone-church of Cenannas – the chief relic of the westernnworld, on account of its ornamental cover. The same Gospel was found afterntwenty [nights] and two months, its gold having been taken off it, and a sodnover it.”
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| Annals of Ulster entry detailing the theft. |
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nIt is interesting that it was stolen from the church, rather than anlibrary or scriptorium, suggesting it was being used in worship. Thenilluminations have had an enormous influence on later Celtic art.
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nHere is anpewter pill box, made by A E Williams.
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nOf the many other things I have with Kellsnconnotations, I have a plate made by Spode.
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nAnd a plate made by Nexus Pottery,nNorthumberland, a limited edition of 5000, of which this is number 252.
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nThe plates on the wall.
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nThis isna small book with illustrations from the book, which I like very much.
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