The Book of Kells – Part 1

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

Another item at the very top of my “Must See in Ireland” list was The Book of Kells.  The Book of Kells is a Gospel Book, which means it contains the first four books of the New Testament of the Christian Bible.  These four books were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (followers of Jesus) and detail the life of Jesus from four different perspectives.

This particular Gospel Book dates from around 800 AD!

The Book of Kells is housed at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland and great pains have been taken to not only preserve what is left of the Gospel Book (the cover was made of wood and has since disintegrated), but to also thoroughly study this incredible work of art.

The image attached to this post shows a display of assorted minerals used in the making of the pigments for, not only the lettering, but also the magnificent illustrations.  What I found most interesting is that the monks who worked on The Book of Kells did not use lapis lazuli to create the color blue.  Instead, they used a dye extracted from the woad plant!

For more information on The Book of Kells, please visit…

Book of Kells

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.