The Book of Kells (Lecture)

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

Last week I hosted my final Zoom lecture of 2021 – The Book of Kells. This was the third presentation in my current lecture series The Artist as Alchemist: Spirituality, Science & Magic in Art. This lecture series will conclude in January 2022 with a Zoom presentation of epic proportions, so stay tuned for more info!

In the meantime, let’s take a look at The Book of Kells!

Housed in the library at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, The Book of Kells is more than just a religious object. It is in fact a source of national pride for the Irish because it offers an immense amount of information regarding what life was like in Ireland in the 9th century AD.

This illuminated manuscript dates from the early 800’s AD and has survived the past twelve hundred years in astonishingly good condition. Having lost its protective (and probably highly decorated) cover centuries ago, the remaining 600+ pages of The Book of Kells depict some of the most fascinating illustrations of scenes from the New Testament of the Christian bible. The Book of Kells is a Gospel book, meaning it includes only the first four books of the New Testament. These are the accounts of the life of Jesus by four of his followers: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The authors of the four gospels are often depicted as their symbolic references: Matthew as a man or angel, Mark as a lion, Luke as a calf or ox and John as an eagle.

What makes The Book of Kells so interesting is that the illustrations included do not depict scenes from the gospels as visually exact interpretations of recorded events. What historians have found is that these illustrations often act as educational “visual aides” for explaining extremely multi-layered theological concepts, often connecting the events of the New Testament with events found in the Old Testament of the Christian bible.

This has lead historians to question the true purpose of The Book of Kells with some suggesting that it was a sort of training tool for explaining the elaborate concepts of conversion to the Christian faith to the remaining unconverted pagans of Ireland. Other historians suggest that it was an instrument for religious meditation and contemplation of the more elevated theologies studied by the monks, clerics and scholars of the day.

Regardless of its exact purpose, The Book of Kells is like a time travel device that allows those living in the 21st century a glimpse at 9th century life in Ireland. It is the perfect combination of spirituality and magic in one very special book.

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

https://www.tcd.ie/visitors/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.