History of the Book

Day 14

If Irish books interest you, please look at the following web sites:

http://www.austinc.edu/Academics/English/kells/KELLSarticle.html
http://www2.tcd.ie/Library/kells.html
http://portico.bl.uk/diglib/treasures/lindisfarne.html
http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/christ.html
http://www.usu.edu/~history/norm/columb~1.html

 

When considering Insular books, please understand the following words:

 
scriptoria
amarius
medallions
miniaturist
prototypes
Vatican Virgil
Vienna / Juliana Anicia Dioscorides
zoomorphic
Insular
Cathach
Columba (Columcille)
Carpet page
Cuthbert
Book of Durrow
evangelist symbol page
Lindisfarne
architectural ornament
Codex Amiatinus (Jarrow)
Book of Kells
Stonyhurst Gospels
half uncial
diminuendo
incipit
head under the wing or turn in the path
"To every cow her calf: to every book her copy."
 
 
 

Images related to transitional early European books:

Roman citizens knew books such as these two Egyptian scrolls( one & two) and this book of Euclid's writings
 
In the 4th century production began to drop, however books such as the Joshua scroll were made
 
Byzantine books would use Greek and a flat, stylized look such as these two books of Terence (one & two)
 
A more Hellenistic branch with more detail and depth remains in the West
 
Books on medicine continue to be written even as Rome is fully in decline: one, two (note medallions)
 
Books by Discorides dealt with herbs among other topics. Note the framed portrait of him and the detailed illustrations.
 
A book like the Vatican Virgil could contain work by many illustrators: one, two, three.
 
Books like the Codex Amiatinus show us what Western, writers and books look like.

 

Images related to Insular books:

Map one and map two for reference
Ogham script on rock and modern metal
Cathach
Examples of metalwork: one, two, three & four
Irish monastaries at home (green tending to red) and in Italy (white)
Scribal activities: selecting parchment, cutting folios, inscribing lines, writing(various poses), common two handed writing/erasing
Bone practice 'sheet' for designs
Book of Durrow: text, carpet page, evangelist symbol page, illustration page and decorated text
Lindisfarne Gospel: cover, virtual book, evangelist illustration
Stonyhurst Gospel: cover, text page, re-discovery
Book of Kells: carpet page, illustration page, cannon tables with architectural decoration
Kells: cannon tables plain, decorated text page, Mathew, evangelist symbol page
Kells: second evangelist symbol page, Gospel illustration with Monemost Reliquary in it
Kells: zoomorphic apostrophe, head under the wing
typographic illustrations: one and two
the fall of the Insular book

 



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