The Work of Angels
- The Book of Kells and Its Contemporaries
| Click here to see photos of the day! |
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Blue skies and sunshine greeted
us to All Saints Centre Hoole. As usual we were treated to coffee and
biscuits on arrival, followed by what we hoped would be a very exciting
Day! We were not disappointed!
Tom was educated at Trinity College Dublin.
He studied History of Art, Ancient History and Classical Archaeology.
After a Masters degree in the U.S. he went to England and completed his
PhD in 1984.
Tom took us on a wonderful journey back through the centuries and
created for us , though his power point presentation and easy manner of
delivery, a picture of the conditions in which the Book of Kells was
created. We learnt about the arrival of Christianity in Ireland and how
it brought about a fusion of cultures. Tom described to us the twin use
of the then new technologies of iron and a distinct new form of
ornamental embellishment. After a break for lunch, provided by Annie, we
went on to learn of the rise of Irish missionary activity and the
consequent foundation of Irish monasteries in Scotland, Northern England
and Europe.
Tom then dazzled us with the pictures of some of the folios (pages) from
the Book Of Kells. Scholars have decided that the book was worked on by
3 artists and 2 scribes, their work divided by being a goldsmith, story
teller or portrait painter, the scribes divided the script between them.
The Book of Kells was understood to have been created by the monks on
Iona.
The book did not arrive in Dublin until after the Reformation.
Even though the day was so bright outside I think we were all happy to
have given it up for such a spell binding study Day!
The day ended at 3.30pm,
Review compiled by Judi Potter
Tom recommended two books:
- The Golden Age of Irish Art, P Harbison, Thames & Hudson, 1999
- The Book of Kells: An Illustrated Introduction to the Manuscript in Trinity College Dublin, B Meehan, Thames & Hudson, 1995