Book of kells illumination of the chi rho page

One such example of an isolated description can be found in a recent edition of gardners art through the ages, which discusses the chirhoiota xpi page, folio 34 recto of the book of kells c. Book of kells the library of trinity college dublin. The book of kells is an illuminated manuscript of the four christian gospels. In insular gospel books, at the end of the genealogy of christ in matthew 1. Of its 680 surviving pages, only two have no decoration at all. The page precedes the nativity story as related by st matthew.

This page occurs in many other insular manuscripts, but they cannot compare to the intricate decoration of the book of kells. An angel, butterfly, and spirals in the book of kells a detail of the chi rho illumination in a manuscript of the gospels. The chi rho monogram from the book of kells elixir of. The chi rho page consists of the greek letters chi and rho that were used in medieval times to abbreviate the word christ. The most famous page is known as chi rho, which are the first. The year was ad 410, and the roman lighthouses, or pharos, along britains channel coast went dark. The book of kells contains the four gospels in latin based on the vulgate text which. The book of kells is a masterwork of western calligraphy. Book of kells the library of trinity college dublin trinity college. The book of kells was probably produced in a monastery on the isle of iona, scotland, to honor saint columba in the early 8th century. Both letters are divided into compartment which are lavishly decorated with knot work and other patterns. In the book of kells, the chi rho monogram has grown to consume the entire page. The letters xpi are the greek abbreviation for the word christi or christ. The book of kells and the chirho page by lisa spangenberg december 25, 2010 april 28, 2017 medieval manuscripts thanks to the lovely film the secret of kells, large numbers of people who have never taken an art history class or studied paleography now know about the book of kells.

Medieval monks spent years copying elaborate manuscripts. This volume today comprises 340 vellum leaves, or folios, now measuring 330 x 250 mm after being cropped in the eighteenth century for rebinding. Monks from the original monastery founded by st columba also set up other monastic communities including. As part of our discussion of the book of kells, we will contemplate the famous chi rho page from the book of kells.

Book of kells chi rho illumination of ancient christogram monogram in name of jesus christ christian religious woven tapestry wall art hanging 100% cotton usa 72x51. The letter chi is very large, followed by a smaller rho looks like the letter p, and this is entwined with the letter i. Its fame rests not on the text the vulgate version of the gospels but from its. The book of kells is a splendid example of medieval manuscript art. The chi rho page folio 34r, introducing matthews account of the nativity, is the single most famous page in medieval art. This page has become known as the chirho monogram page. The annals of ulster, describing it as the chief treasure of the western world, record that it was stolen in 1006 for its ornamental cumdach shrine. What is perhaps a butterfly radiates with red dots. The book of kells isnt the only illuminated manuscript in the socalled insular style. The page is rich in multilayered symbolism intended to engage its monastic audience with a range of eucharistic and christological themes. The chi rho page in the book of kells volume 36 suzanne lewis. The chi rho iota page has much the same swirling design as the cross page from the lindisfarne gospels, and there are parallels to contemporary jewelry like the tara brooch.

The book of kells is an illuminated manuscript of the four gospels, created around 800 a. Book of kells illumination of the chi rho page poster print, 24x36. The book of kells housed at trinity college in dublin was one of. The book of kells is an illuminated manuscript gospel book in latin, containing the four. The book is written on vellum prepared calfskin in a bold and expert version of the script known as insular majuscule. Chi is written as an x while rho is roughly written. The hibernosaxon manuscript style reached a climax in the book of kells. An illustrated introduction to the manuscript in trinity college dublin. Chi and rho are two letters of the greek alphabet, the first two letters of. This page opens account of jesus in gospels of saint matthew. The chi rho iota page from the book of kells shows a. It is probable that the illumination was begun in the late 8th century at the irish monastery on the scottish island. The chi rho page in the book of kells is perhaps the most elaborate and enigmatic illumination in the manuscript. An leabhar cheanannais dublin, trinity college library, ms a.

The chi rho monogram from the book of kells rajkumar r. Medieval music medieval books medieval manuscript medieval art illuminated letters illuminated manuscript book of kells illumination art beautiful calligraphy. The legionnaires who had for 300 years trudged up the stone stairways to keep great bonfires lit were abandoning britain. Initial letters of christ in greek xpi chirhoiota, nearly all page. Plate lx from the book of kells book of kells, celtic. The book of kells has a second chirho abbreviation on folio 124 in the account of the crucifixion of christ, and in some manuscripts the chirho occurs at the beginning of matthew rather than midtext at matthew 1. After a viking raid, the book was moved to kells, ireland, sometime in the 9th century. The book of kells is one of irelands greatest treasures, and over 500,000 people from all over the world go each year to view its beauty. The book was created about 800 by irish monks in the monastery of iona, off the western coast of scotland.

The letter rho is snuggled underneath the arms of the chi. The greatest achievement of irish medieval art, the book of kells, was formerly held to be earlier than the lindisfarne gospels which are dated approximately from 700 ce but is now generally assigned to the late eighth or early ninth century. This picture is a recreation of a famous chi rho from the book of kells. The letter chi dominates the page with one arm swooping across the majority of the page. It was made in ireland, or possibly england, about ad800, by monks belonging to the columban movement. It was stolen in the 11th century, at which time its cover was torn off and it was thrown into a ditch. It remained at kells throughout the middle ages, venerated as the great gospel book of st colum cille, a relic of the saint, as. One of the most sublime examples of medieval painting ever seen, the monogram chirho page is the most important page in the late 8thcentury book of kells, arguably the finest of all illuminated manuscripts of the middle ages and famous for the intricate swirling patterns of its celtic art. The letters chi, rho and i are an abbreviation of christ. The book of kells, chirho or incarnation page kathy. Illuminated chirho page of the book of kells about richly illuminated manuscript on parchment, dimensions. The word made flesh click here for a smaller 72 dpi image as part of our discussion of the book of kells, we will contemplate the famous chi rho page from the book of kells. The chirho page consists of the greek letters chi and rho that were used in medieval times to abbreviate the word christ.

Compare, for example, the incipit pages of the gospel of matthew in the lindisfarne gospels and in the book of kells, both of which feature intricate. The book of kells contains two other fullpage miniatures, which illustrate episodes from the passion story. Trinity college library, dublin that is a masterpiece of the ornate hibernosaxon style. Three angels arise from one of the cross arms of the chi.

They were used universally as a shorthand for writing christs name, and the abbreviation is used throughout the book of kells. This is beautifully exemplified by the book of kells, a copy of the four gospels in the southeastern ireland between 769 and 820. Book of kells chi rho illumination of ancient christogram. The page dwells almost entirely on the name of christ, or rather on its. Throughout the book of kells, there are very few names that are abbreviated. Chi and rho written x p in greek are the the first two letters of the word christ in greek xpi. Monks created an illuminated bible of astonishing beauty sometime between. The book of kells seldom comes to view in the historical record. Book of kells digital collections tcd trinity college dublin. The chi rho page is one of the most widely pictured of the illuminated pages in the book of kells. Work of eadfrith, monk and later bishop of lindisfarne. This miniature is the largest and most lavish extant chi rho monogram in any insular gospel books and is the culmination of a tradition that started with the book of durrow.

Book illumination in the british isles, 600800 new york 1977 117. Leabhar cheanannais dublin, trinity college library, ms a. The cross page from the book of kells shows many of the same fantastic beasts as the earlier cross, but now it has broken out of its little circle and looms large and conquering over the beasts. This book is his exemplar, the codex a bound matthew detail, second initial page, early century british library by louisa woodville adjunct professor of medieval history george mason univers.