CARPET PAGE BOOK OF KELLS SKIN

The section for work was rubbed with clay or isinglass or with ‘a mixture of ox-bile and egg-albumen or else by rubbing the surface with cotton-wool dipped in a diluted glue-and-honey solution.’ Once the surface was prepared, the monk set to work previously he would have readied his brushes made of the hair of squirrel tails pressed into a handle-as well as his pens or paints.

Those illuminators began with a sheet of vellum, on which text had been written previously. Scholar Guilia Bologna explained the term ‘miniture is derived from mininare, which means to colour in red.’ Artists who painted those works were known as miniaturists then later as illuminators. Other colours are lilac, pale blue, a neutral green and a tint that resembled burnt sienna.’ The black is lamp black or possibly fish-bone black, the bright red is realgar (arsenic disulphide), the yellow is orpiment (arsenic tersulphide ) the emerald green madachite, the deep blue is possibly lapis lazuli., the reddish-purple was either a finely ground glass coloured with gold or a preparation obtained from a solution of gold by the action of tin. There is however a painting of blue over a ground of green. According to Professor Hartley 1885 in his published paper on Proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society N S vol 1V: ‘a very careful examination of the work shows that the pigments used were mixed with gum, glue or gelatine laid on somewhat thickly. spiral interlacing, zoomorphic & animal forma, phyllomorphic or leaf plant forms & figure representations. The ornamentation of the Book of Kells when broken up into compositions was made of four main divisions: geometrical combinations i.e. IlluminationĪs many as ten different colours were used in these illuminations, several were rare expensive dyes that had to be imported from the Continent. The whole manuscript was given a protective cover of wood or leather. The pages of the Books of Kells were selected in order, then stacked into an unbound book shape. The ‘ d ‘ was penned with both the perpendicular stroke also with the stroke thrown back. A preference was shown for the Capitol ‘ R.’ Three forms of ‘ a’, ‘ b’ & ‘ l ‘ were always bent. There were two forms of ‘ S ‘ used: the round capitol & the tall half-uncial. There were occasional deviations from the standard forms of the Roman half-uncial letters. Kelly believed that the early Irish quills were made from geese, swans, crows or other birds feathers. ‘The actual lettering of the Book of Kells is in itself the embodiment of an early Irish School of Calligraphy, which sprang into being in circumstances for which it would be difficult to find a parallel in the history of handwriting in any part of the world.’ The lettering was written with iron gall ink. First the parchment was smoothed with pumice, the margins were ruled as guidelines. The sheets were folded in half prior to the scribe’s work.

CARPET PAGE BOOK OF KELLS SKIN

The size of the skin determined the size or the shape of the eventual manuscript. The skin was initially soaked with the hair removed, folded then stretched over a frame with a tool ( a lunellum) It was left to dry out then cut into sheets. The Book of Kells was written on vellum, ( a parchment made from the skin of lambs or calves) it was the most durable material available at that era. Two of these volumes are on permanent display at Trinity College one showing a page of text also a page of illustration.

in 1953 Robert Powell was responsible for its rebounding in four separate Volumes to help its preservation. According to Thomas Cahill ‘ The Irish Monks combined the Roman alphabet with their own Ogham script to produce the opening capital letter, the headings or to frame the miniatures.’ Bishop Henry Jones ( 1605-1682 CE ) a Trinity College Dublin alumnus donated it to the College’s Library during 1661 CE where it remains to this present day.

They were six-hundred individual pages of three-hundred folios. The main purpose of the manuscript was for liturgical practice to commemorate the four gospels. The Book of Kells was again transferred during the seventeenth century invasion of Ireland by Oliver Cromwell to Dublin. It was stolen from Kells during 1007 CE with the resultant loss of the cover & several folios. It was purported to have been transferred to Kells in Ireland for safekeeping during 809 CE when Viking raids occurred on Iona. It was possibly produced circa 800 CE partly in Iona, Scotland by St. It is lavishly illustrated with Celtic motifs also has deep symbolism. This manuscript’s date or place of production has been the subject of considerable debate, yet it is acknowledged as the most famous illuminated manuscript from the Medieval era.

Carpet page book of kells