In Egypt paper was made from the papyrus plant. Clay, wood and metal tablets were
also used. In the medieval period books were produced from animals skins which were
stretched and dried. Illustrated books had been made by Romans but by the early
Christian period they began to be produced more often. The book form we now know
with leaves (pages) that were bound together (the codex) was developed for ease in
searching through texts for certain passages. (See art and Its Context: Scroll and Codex
box in your text in chapter 7 and the Medieval Scriptorum in Chapter 14). Prior to this
time books had been produced in a scroll form (rotulus). Illuminated manuscripts were
first made in the scriptoria of the monastery by the monks who lived there. Eventually by
the late Gothic period, bookshops within cities began to produce more elaborate
versions for very wealthy patrons like kings and dukes. Until the advent of the printing
press, however, the general populace could not afford to purchase something as
expensive as a book. Since each page was made out of animal skins, it was thicker
than the pages of our books today and so an entire Old and New Testament would not
have been bound because it would have been too thick to be used. Instead portions of
the books would be bound together, such as the Book of Genesis from the Old
Testament or the four Gospels from the New Testament. The design and production of
illuminated manuscripts became one of the great art forms during this time period. As
you look at the Cross Page from the Lindesfarne Gospels you can see that one of the
most important characteristics of the Hiberno-Saxon style is its symmetrical balance. It
is incredibly complex but balanced by having the same elements of shape and color on
either side.
Some pages of these manuscripts contained text and imagery but some, like this one,
were merely design illustrations, this being an elaborate cross. You can begin to
appreciate the great works of art these pages of manuscript are if you imagine yourself
designing and then painting this on a stretched piece of parchment. They did have the
ability to scrape the paint off it a mistake was made but only in a limited sense. Artists
had to have steady hands and great imaginative and creative skills to produce what you
are looking at here. Try to follow the lines all the way through and you will see what a
complex design this is.
Lindisfarne is an abbey located just off the north-eastern coast of England. (When the
tide is out you can drive to it and see the remains of the abbey). It was one of the
important monastic sites in Britain and was founded in the 7th century by Saint Aidan.
One of the most well-known illuminated manuscripts is the Book of Kells. The Chi
Rho shown at the beginning of Chapter 14 is a great example of the Hiberno-Saxon art
style. As you look at this detail from the famous page below you will see that there are
tiny images within the whole design that are not readily discernible without careful
observation. This portion appears to show two cats with four mice, two of which are
pulling at a round object which is likely the “host” or wafer of the Eucharist or
sacrament. The cats each hold a mouse with a foot over their tails. The exact
interpretation of this is not known. The mice could symbolize evil forces which try to take
the “body of Christ” and the cats those that keep and administer the host.
Not all of the pages of the Book of Kells are letters or designs like this. There are some
with figures of Christ and Mary and others. Notice the red dots which are derived from
metalworking techniques.
One of the developments of the medieval period is Christian iconography. Various
symbols and signs were used to represent ideas or people, such as the Chi Rho
discussed above, the fish which also represented Christ, the dove which symbolized the
Holy Spirit and many others. The four writers of the Gospel books, Mathew, Mark, Luke,
and John were sometimes depicted as men—your text hasa number of examples but
they were also symbolized by the lion, eagle, ox and an angel. Look at the following
image from the Book of Kells which shows the evangelists in their symbolic form.
Observe again the symmetrical balance and the complex design of this style of
manuscript illumination.
LINDAU GOSPEL COVER
As Christian art evolved from the early centuries of the Christian era, artists and
theologians developed various representations of Christ, each of which conveyed a
different meaning to the viewer. This particular image of Christ on the cross is
called Christus Triumphans. We see Christ on the cross but his head does not hang down
and his eyes are open. He is triumphant over death, depicted as though living. Other
