Early Christian Manuscript Flashcards
Illuminated manuscripts
early books which combined text with decoration such as decorated initials or illustrations
Background
- Up to 15th century, books reprod. by hand
- No invention allowed for multiple copies of text/images
- Limited book numbers, in possession of religious orders + v.wealthy
- Most illiterate, depended on clerical society to produce + manage records. (Explained power church had)
- manuscripts valuable
Why were manuscripts valuable?
bc of manpower + expertise used in production, materials v valuable
Monastic context
- Monks trained in art of manuscript illumination prod. books of religious materials
- Monks roles: text, deco of text, creation of imagery
- Created in scriptorium
St. Colmcille of Iona
- Monasteries founded - renowned for manuscript production
- Earliest Irish manuscript ‘The Cathach’, believed to be written by him
- Founded monastery of Iona, site for prod. of Book of Kells
Pigments and inks
- deep blue
- deep indigo
- white
- purple + mauve
- yellow
- orange
- deep red
- green
- brown/black ink
- egg white
Deep blue
mineral lapis lazuli, mined in Afghanistan, diff + expensive to obtain
Deep indigo
oriental plant
White
chalk white + white lead
Purple + mauve
litmus plant from Mediterranean
Yellow
arsenic sulphide, create gold coloured deco
Orange
red lead
Deep red
Mediterranean insect
Green
copper
Brown/black ink
mixing iron sulphate, ground apples, glue gum, water, used to write text
Egg white
bind pigments in Book of Kells
Writing tools
- pens
- brushes
- knives
- cow horns
- compasses + rulers
- templates
Pens
text + drawing, goose/swan feathers, nib sharpened w/ blade
Brushes
applying colour, wood + natural fur fibres
Knives
trimming vellum, scrape away mistakes
Cow horns
used as ink wells
Compasses + rulers
layout + design
Templates
repeat pattersn
Pages/folios
folio
bifolio
folio
1 page in a manuscript
bifolio
double page in a manuscript
pages/folios
- paper not widely used in Europe until 15th c, animal skin most popular material
- Used calfskin/vellum
- Use of vellum advantage - smooth, tough + durable in damp Irish climate
- Prep of calfskin - extremely time consuming
turning calfskin into vellum
- Skin dipped in lime to looser hair from hide
- scraped w/ knife
- skin stretched on frame, craftsman picked out hair
- bifolio cut out of vellum to equal scale
- marks cut w/ point of knife along edges of pages to assist ruling of pages
- pages ruled w/ ruler made of wood/bone. Layout worked out using implements (set-squares, dividers, compasses, templates)
subject matter
The Cathach - copy of book of psalms from old testament
Book of Durrow + Book of Kells - copy of new testament
decorations
diminuendo red dot capital letter deco snake peacock lion fish interlace framed pages of interlace la tene mtoifs geometric patterns
diminuendo
technique at beginning o sentence,letters of a word gradually decrease in size
red dot
letter/word/image surrounded w/ small dots of red pigment
capital letter decoration
letters richly decorated, often take form of animal/zoomorphic deco
snake
symbol of everlasting life
peacock
symbol of everlasting life
lion
symbol of the resurrection
fish
letters of word fish in Greek can make up Jesus/Christ/the son/saviour
interlace
extensive use of interlace (plain + zoomorphic) (found throughout manuscripts from 7th century)
framed pages of interlace
used as it was believed that decorated fram protected image within
la tene motifs
curvilinear forms + trumpets, peltas, triskeles
geometric patterns
found in later manuscripts such as Book of Kells
text and writing in manuscripts
written in Latin alphabet + in calligraphy style
half-unical script
unical script
insular
Half-Unical script
- first Irish manuscripts written in Irish ‘half-unical’ script
- Has descenders + ascender
- small books written in ‘miniscule’ script (lower case)
Unical script
- a majuscule script (capital letters)
- large manuscripts illuminated in colour written in solemn ‘majuscule’ script
insular script
- developed in Ireland in 7th century
- related to unical
- Has British + Continental traditions and strong elements of Irish Celtic traditions
the cathach facts
- date: 6th century
- script: Celtic half-unical
- material: vellum
- language: Latin
- colours: black, red brown
the cathach - function
- copy of book of psalms, used for daily singing by monks
- decorated nature suggests - for use of abbot + head of order
the cathach - history
- ‘Cathach’ means battle book, refers to legend about St/ Colmcille
- Colmcille copied a book lent to him by St. Finnian -> earliest disputes about copyright (disagreement about ownership of copy)
- Dispute ended w/ battle (claimed lives of many)
- St Colmcille exiled to Iona
the cathach - deco
- Not as lavish in deco/colour as later manuscripts
- Use of red dots surrounding letters seen on many initials
- Use of diminuendo seen at beginning
- No decorative interlace, number of capitals decorated w/La Tene motifs of spiral + curvilinear forms, trumpets, peltas
- Use of zoomorphic motifs
- Main colours: black, white, small amounts of red
the cathach -pages
letter ‘g’
letter ‘i’
the book of durrow - pages
The Carpet Page
The Man Symbol
The Chi Ro Page
The ‘Initium’ Page
the book of durrow - facts
- date: 7th century
- script: insular majuscule
- material: vellum
- height: 26cm
- language: Latin
- colours: black, red, green, yellow, brown
- location: Trinity College, Dublin
the book of durrow - function
- copy of the four gospels
- used during high mass for reading from lectern
- size, rich colouring + decoration indicates -> used for display + decoration
the book of durrow - layout
- opens w/ 2 decorated pages, carpet page, divided cruciform page w/ symbols of the 4 evangelists (matthew, mark, luke, john)
- then follows the canon tables surrounded w/ decorative interlaced frame
- at beginning of each gospel -> framed page w/ symbol of individual evangelist against bg of bare vellum followed by carpet page
- text of each gospel begins w/decorated capital
carpet page
page solely made up of deco
canon tables
history of the church
The Book of Kells - pages
Chi Rho Portrait of St. John Temptation of Christ The Virgin and Child The Arrest of Christ The Four Evangelists page
The Book of Kells - facts
- date: late 8th century
- Insular majuscule
- material: vellum
- height: 33cm
- pages: 339 pages (some missing)
- language: Latin
- colours: black, red, green, yellow, brown, blues, purples, oranges, pinks, white lead
- location: Trinity College Dublin
The Book of Kells - function
- altar book for special occasions
- size, rich colouring, deco indicates used for display + devotion
- copy of the four gospels
- like Book of Durrow, includes canon tables
The Book of Kells - layout
- opens w/ cruciform patterned carpet page followed w/ canon tables
- follows page of the symbols of four Evangelists followed by four gospels
- each gospel has page of symbols of Evangelists
- opening words of each gospel highly decorated + dominate entire text
- every page has extensive deco
The Book of Kells - history
- believe produced at monastery of Iona in Scotland
- Iona suffered VIking attacks, never to recover
- Kells founded in 804AD, mother church after fall of Iona
- book completed/begun on island of Iona, brought to Kells + completed
The Book of Kells - scribes
idk whatever
The Book of Kells - artists
goldsmith
portrait painter
illustrator & storyteller
The Book of Kells - goldsmith
- credited w/ the eight circles carpet page, the chi Rho page, opening words of gospels of Matthew, Mark and John, other smaller pieces of deco
- responsible for metalwork effects + microscopic details such as in Chi Rho page
- colours he uses: silver, blue, soft green, yellow, purple, red
- uses abstract design, strapwork, spirals, twisted bodies + beasts to decorate
- given his name bc of metallic colours he used + similarity of his designs to Irish metalwork
- Chi Rho Page, Eight Circle Carpet Page
The Book of Kells - portrait painter
- responsible for portraits of Christ, Matthew, John
- interested in basic shapes
- anatomy far from accurate
- uses curves in material + hair to camouflage lack of knowledge
- introduced variety of pattern into hairstyles + clothes
- work shows concern for symmetry
- Portrait of St. John
The Book of Kells - illustrator & storyteller
- responsible for zoomorphic + humanforms decorating text at random
- sense of playfulness to his work
- liked bright colours + washes of blue and green
- responsible for figures such as virgin and child page
- borders and frames were outlines to present his figures
- The Temptation of Christ, The Virgin and Child, The four Evangelists page, The Arrest of Christ
The Book of Kells - decoration
- richness + complexity of design displayed, not seen in Book of Durrow
- interlace distinguished by finesse + complexity of design
- plain interlace made up of fine threadlike ribbons
- direct comparison between intricate deco of Tara Brooch + Book of Kells
- text decorated w/ decoration of capital letters + complete lines of script using colour, diminuendo, red dot, small images
- some pages dedicated to simply one sentence of deco text (folio 34r Chi Rho Page)
- New techniques such as marbling, found primarily in border frames of illustrated pages
- number 3 is referred to regularly
scribes and calligraphy
- main body of text written in ‘Insular Majuscule’ (capital letter)
- wide rounded letters, vertical ascenders + descenders
- Triangular serifs (ends) on ascenders
- written mainly in lower case miniscule
- 4 diff scribes
Scribe A
wrote plainly w/ dark brown ink
Scribe B
- wrote w/ coloured inks + in fancier style
- exaggerated length of his descenders
Scribe C & D
- used miniscule script w/ brown ink
- decorated between lines w/ small cartoon-like drawings
Book of Durrow - Folio 3V, carpet page
- 3rd page of book (folio 3v) is a carpet page
- shows extensive use of La Tene decoration incl triskeles, trumpet forms, peltas, spirals
- framed w band of broad ribbon interlace
- design outlined w areas of baclk to allow decoration to appear bold
Book of Durrow - Folio 21V Man Symbol
- Folio 21V depicts ‘the man symbol’ at beginning of gospel of St Matthew
- framed w protective panels of broad ribbon interlace
treament of figure:
- area around figure undecorated so attention drawn to figure
- features symmetrical, drawn w aid of template
- nose extended from eyebrows with large oval eyebrows + segment mouth
- hairstyle like a monk’s
- feet drawn freehand, show no knowledge of perspective/anatomy
- cloak covered in small multicoloured squares likened to effect of millefiori glass
Book of Durrow - Chi Rho Page
- appears in St Matthews gospel at point in text when Christ born
- Greek letters X, P I are first three letters of Greek word meaning ‘Christ’
- monogram takes up about 4 lines of text
- ‘X’ is decorated with La Tene motifs + extensive use of red dot
- red curvilinear lines in between each paragraph
- ‘P’ decorated with panels + La Tene motifs, rest of text highlighted with red dot
- Treatment likened to stipling effect on Ardagh Chalice that highlights names of apostles
- word Joseph is decorated w red dots + diminuendo at bottom
Book of Kells - Chi Rho
- Packed with detail
- last and finest page of book
- heralds birth of Christ in text
- monogram dominates entire page, decorated with minute detail + rich colouring
- Surrounding ‘X’ - disks of coloured La Tene design, on left side are stylised decorative angels
- ‘P’ decorated with continuous interlace + bright red border, curve ends with stylised human head
- Beneath ‘P’ - otter w/ fish in its mouth
- Left of that, image of cats + mice w/ eucharist in their mouth
- Tiny details make it so memorable
Book of Kells - Portrait of St John
- Portrait painter
- St John’s role as evangelist indicated by long quilt in right hand, book in left hand, horn ink well at right foot
- Double halo behind head
- Alternating use of red, yellow, blue frames
- Empty negative space behind figure gives him commanding presence
- Two hands extend out towards at both sides, two feet appear at bottom, shoulders + head appear at top
- Perhaps symbolise divine inspiration/Christ on the cross
Book of Kells - Temptation of Christ
- Colours incl blue, green, brown, red
- frame of interlace surrounds image
- dominated by depiction of a building believed to be early wooden church
- figure in doorway believed to represent an abbot
- above building - stylised figure of christ, symbolically largest figure on page
- at head of Christ - 2 angels
- To right of Christ - winged figure of satan in black
- Bottom: may represent monks of the order
- Left of Christ: some of apostles
- figures - highly stylised, no concern for anatomy
Book of Kells - Virgin and Child
- Made by Illustrator
- Earliest known representation of the Virgin
- Mary - 3/4 pose holding Jesus
- Head much larger than Child Jesus’s
- Style + pose may derive from a Mediterranean icon
- not a common subject during the period
Book of Kells - Four Evangelists
- Man = Matthew, Lion = Mark, Ox = Luke, Eagle = John,
- colours blue + purple dominate composition
- frame border treated w/ marbling effect
- each of symbols treated in highly stylised fashion, elaborate wings
- correct perspective/anatomy not concern
- use of white lead for faces + features of symbols
Book of Kells - Arrest of Christ
- enclosed in arch representing garden of Gethsemane
- 2 figures grab Christ
- at top, two fierce monsters snarl facing each other, suggesting violence + evil of occasion
- Jesus portrayed as calm + solemn w/ arms outstretched in surrender
- red gown, face, hands, hair perfectly symmetrical
- scene stylised, no attempt made at realistic human depiction
