Book of kells chi ro page

The book of kells glory of glories the most famous page is known as chi rho, which are the first letters of the word christ. It was made in ireland, or possibly england, about ad800, by monks belonging to the columban movement. A page from the book of kells ireland or britain, c. This video is a quick introduction to the world famous book of kells and the chi rho page. Portrait of john from the book of kells, 8th century ink on calf skin, trinity college, dublin, ireland. The latin verse begins christi autem generatio sic.

The decoration on the pages which mark the incarnation of christ is even more spectacular. These carpet pages like the chi ro page boast finely detailed designs of patterns, spirals, scrolls, and more. 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. After a viking raid, the book was moved to kells, ireland, sometime in the 9th century. The chi ro iota page xpi what does the name of the page mean. The chirho can represent either christ or christianity and is also known as a christogram. Chi and rho are the first two letters of the word christ in greek. Most of this was filmed around the reed marshes at snape, suffolk close to the home of. There is no better example from the book of kells that portrays these words of art historians better than the chirho monogram page. The chi rho page in the book of kells by suzanne lewis the book of kells was probably made at the monastery of iona at the end of the eighth century. The chirho pronounced keeroe is a christian symbol consisting of the intersection of the capital greek letters chi. The chi rho page in the book of kells traditio 36 1980. In the book of kells, the chi rho monogram has grown to consume the entire page.

When it is the most beautiful page of the most beautiful book in history, i think. Matthews account of the nativity best known page in the whole book. There are word written in the bottom right, and it starts with matthew 1. Book of kells illumination of the chi rho page poster. The book of kells remained in kells, ireland until 1654. The page is rich in multilayered symbolism intended to engage its monastic audience with a range of eucharistic and christological themes. The book was created about 800 by irish monks in the. This intricate artwork depicts the christian symbol of the chirho. Product information product dimensions 36 x 24 x 36 inches item weight 12 ounces shipping weight 1 pounds view. Book of kells the library of trinity college dublin trinity college. 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. You can see a highres copy of the book of matthew, for example, with folio 34 here. Still of the book of kells chi ro page, as animated in the secret of kells. Book of kells illumination of the chi rho page is that perfect piece that matches your style, interests, and budget.

The book of kells is an illuminated manuscript of the four christian gospels. Since it is very faded and worn at spots, i colored. Its fame rests not on the text the vulgate version of the gospels but from its absolutely. The book of kells was probably made at the monastery of iona. The book of kells seldom comes to view in the historical record. The book of kells is available online as a digital copy through the trinity college library in dublin which has the book in its permanent collection. As part of our discussion of the book of kells, we will contemplate the famous chi rho page from the book of kells. The letter chi dominates the page with one arm swooping across the. Colmcille columba and the monks at iona looks like an illumination taken right from the pages of a manuscript. Matthew, following the book of generation, which gives the genealogy of jesus christ, there is a highly decorated which contains a large x, a smaller p, and a smaller i.

So this piece is about christs first appearance in the gospel. The greek letters xpi abbreviated for the word christ. A few months later the book was found in a ditch under a sod. Shop for book of kells art prints from our community of independent artists and iconic brands. The chirho is one of the earliest forms of christian symbols, formed by superimposing the first two capital letters of chi and rho, or x and p, from the greek word for christ. 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. Want to see how medieval illumination inspired the secret of kells for. The force of ripping the book free from its cover probably accounts for folios pages missing from both the beginning and the end of the book of kells.

The most fascinating thing about the book of kells is that everything was done by hand with such precision and detail. Its a beautifully illuminated version of the four gospels. Book of kells the library of trinity college dublin. I knew of chi ro pages as a thing, thinking them as just sort of title pages but i had. View image of the most famous page is known as chi rho credit. The book of kells holds a special place in the history of western art as a crowning achievement of the insular manuscript tradition. The chi rho page in the book of kells is perhaps the most elaborate and enigmatic illumination in the manuscript. It is the chirho, a symbol still used in the roman catholic church, that symbolizes christs name as it is the first two letters of the word. It was stolen in the 11th century, at which time its cover was torn off and it was thrown into a ditch. The chirho page consists of the greek letters chi and rho that were used in medieval times to abbreviate the word christ. Two notes on the book of kells and its relation to other insular gospel books scriptorium 9 1955.

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. Meath, ireland, the book was brought there after the monastic community on iona fled raids in the early ninth century. Its the first time christs name is written in the gospel so they wanted to make it super intricate and beautiful to signify its importance. It is an illuminated manuscript which is a manuscript where the text is supplemented with lavish decoration. One of its finest pages illuminates the gospel according to st matthew, chapter 1, verse 18. 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.

The site for celtic studies, and the medieval celtic studies blog scela. The format of the monogram page is similar to the examples in the lindisfarne and lichfield manuscripts, but the sheer profusion of detail is astonishing. Created in the years around 800, it survived viking raids and the theft of its jeweled covers. Animal figures spill out of linear designs and gambol through its pages alongside humans, making for a rich book reflecting its creators and time. This page is one particular illuminated page from the book of kells. An animal miniature on the monogram page of the book of kells mediaevalia 3 1977. The chi rho page folio 34r, introducing matthews account of the nativity, is the single most famous page in medieval art. Hidden away among the loops and spirals, there are vignettes of cats and mice fighting over a communion wafer, an. The chi ro iota are the first three letters of the word christos. Each book of kells art print is produced using archival inks, ships within 48 hours, and comes with a 30day money back guarantee.