The Book of Kells
Produced in Iona, Ireland (?) ca. 800
Dublin, Trinity College, MS A.I.6 (58)
Written around the year 800 AD, the Book of Kells is a richly decorated copy of the four gospels in a Latin text based on the Vulgate edition (completed by St Jerome in 384 AD). The gospels are preceded by prefaces, summaries of the gospel narratives and concordances of gospel passages compiled in the fourth century by Eusebius of Caesarea. In all, there are 340 folios (680 pages).
For more information on the Book of Kells, visit the Trinity College website.
Click on thumbnail for larger image.
Open to fols. 32v–33r, depicting Christ Enthroned with Angels on the left, and a Cross-Carpet page on the right.
Detail of fol. 32v, depicting the face of Christ with two peacocks.
Detail of fol. 33r, depicting part of the Cross-Carpet design.
Open to fol. 187v–188r. On the left is the end of the Gospel of Mark, and the page on the right begins the Gospel of Luke
Detail of fol. 187v, depicting a winged lion, the symbol of St. Mark.
Detail of fol. 188r, upper right corner.
Detail of fol. 188r, lower right.
Facsimile: The Book of Kells …fine art facsimile volume (Lucerne: Faksimile Verlag Luzern, 1990)
Gift of Saint Louis University Library AssociatesRETURN TO LIST OF MANUSCRIPT FACSIMILES
