Description
Exclusive facsimile limited edition containing 12 leaves from the Book of Kells, featuring:
- Edition details: Das Book of Kells (Lucerne: Faksimile Verlag, 1999)
- Commentary: German and English abstract/description of each leaf by Umberto Eco
- Notes: the collection contains 12 leaves (recto and verso) from the masterpiece Book of Kells. The folios are presented in passe-partout.
- Case: green linen-covered box
Leaves from Ms. 58 (A.I.6) included in the box
- f. 7r: Transcripts of Deeds of Recognition
- f. 7v: The Virgin and Child
- f. 27r: Transcripts of Deeds of Recognition
- f. 27v: The symbols of the four Evangelists prefacing St Matthew’s Gospel
- f. 28v: Portrait of St Matthew (f. 28r is empty)
- f. 29r: Opening of St Matthew’s Gospel – Liber generationis
- f. 29v: Matthew 1.1-9 – The Genealogy of Christ
- f. 34r: Christi autem generatio. Initial χρΙ
- f. 34v: Matthew 1.18-2.3
- f. 124r: The Decorated Text Page – Tunc crucifixerant χρΙ cum eo duos latrones
- f. 124v: Matthew 27.38-48
- f. 129r: Matthew 28.11-20
- f. 129v: The symbols of the Four Evangelists prefacing St Mark’s Gospel
- f. 130r: Opening of St Mark’s Gospel – Initium Euangelii Ih(es)u χρΙ
- f. 130v: Mark 1.1-14
- f. 188r: Opening of St Luke’s Gospel – Quoniam
- f. 188v: The Decorated Text Page – Fruit in diebus Hero/dis
- f. 200r and 200v: The beginning of the genealogy of Christ in St Luke’s Gospel
- f. 202r: Luke 3.32-38 – The genealogy of Christ (last part)
- f. 202v: The Temptation of Christ
- f. 285r: The Decorated Text Page – Una Autem sabbati ualde delu[culo]
- f. 285v: Luke 24.1-13
The Book of Kells
Irish monks, once the storms of the mass migrations had quietened down, took to spread the Christian faith all over Europe by their dedicated mission during the 5th, 6th and 7th centuries. The age-old Irish-Celtic culture began to fuse with the impressions gathered by the monks during their extended dangerous travels.
At that time, also called The Time of Scholars and Saints, the Irish monasteries were influential cultural and spiritual centers of Europe. At the height of Irish monasticism its most precious work was created, the Book of Kells.
The Book of Kells is thought to be the work of a number of unknown genius-artists living in the monastery of Iona around the year 800. It is first mentioned in an account of a theft in the church of Kells in 1007, which describes the book as “The great gospel book of Columcille, the holiest relic of the western world”.
Soon after that the manuscript was found buried at Kells. And it would remain there until, during the reign of Cromwell, it was brought to Dublin for safety reasons. Around 1661 Henry Jones, bishop of Meath, donated it to the library of Trinity College where it is kept to this day.
There are very few other works which express a similar symbolic power and magical radiation as this magnificent Gospel Book. Its mysticism lies in its rich and complex decoration. The impression of the holiness of the text is enhanced by its decorative apparatus which seems truly supernatural.
Get in touch with us for further information!
