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Images from the exhibition Painted Labyrinth: the World of the Lindisfarne Gospels

Background to the Lindisfarne Gospels
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The Lindisfarne Gospels, English, c.720 (BL Cotton Nero D.IV)
St Luke (incipit)

 

The Lindisfarne Gospels, English, c.720 (BL Cotton Nero D.IV)
Greek letter Chi

 

The Lindisfarne Gospels, English, c.720 (BL Cotton Nero D.IV)
St Mark (evangelist)

 

The Lindisfarne Gospels, English, c.720 (BL Cotton Nero D.IV)
Prefatory Carpet

  The Lindisfarne Gospels, English, c.720 (BL Cotton Nero D.IV) Greek letter Rho   The Lindisfarne Gospels, English, c.720 (BL Cotton Nero D.IV)
St John (incipit)

Background:
The Lindisfarne Gospels is one of the world's greatest books. It was probably made about 715-720, in the island monastery of Lindisfarne, by Eadfrith, a gifted artist who merged words and images to create a beautiful symbol of faith.

Lindisfarne lies off the coast of the old Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria (NE England). Surprisingly, perhaps, the book reflects many influences: native British, Celtic, Germanic, Roman, Early Christian, Byzantine, North African and Middle Eastern.

The Lindisfarne Gospels is a glowing example of a new style of 'insular' art (meaning 'from the British Isles'). The artist-scribe devised his own decorative style that fused knotwork, step or key patterns from Graeco-Roman art and Celtic La Tène, a curvaceous organic style of art that often uses stylised animal and human forms.

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