The Book of Kells – Part 2

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

While taking photos of The Book of Kells is forbidden (photos are not even allowed in the room where the book is displayed), it was an amazing experience, even if there is no photographic evidence, as is required for life in the 21st century.  That said, this museum nerd confirms that the exhibition space was superb and provided an overwhelming amount of fascinating information.

For example, one of the things I learned is that there were approximately four scribes who worked on The Book of Kells and that sometimes the scribe contributed his own illustrations.  From studying the information provided, it appears as though the monks had quite a lot of artistic freedom in the creation of the illustrations.  This surprised me since it is a religious text and uniformity would be emphasized.  This freedom in creativity somewhat acknowledged the individual creative contributors and was uncommon for most illuminated manuscripts.

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.