er, dodao je prevode i ilustracije. Lindisfarnska evanđelja su jedno od najvažnijih sačuvanih primjera anglosaksonske umjetnosti i književnosti. Knjiga sadrži četiri evanđelja koja su prepisana na latinskom jeziku i ilustrirana prekrasnim kapitel iluminacijama i okraćenim slovima. Tijekom godina, samostan Lindisfarne je bio meta napada Vikinga i kasnije opustošen tijekom normanskog osvajanja. Danas, preostali dijelovi samostana služe kao podsjetnik na njegovu bogatu povijest.
It states that Eadfrith, a priest of the church in Lindisfarne (698-721), wrote this book for God, Bishop St. Cuthbert, and all the saints of the island. Interestingly, the names of the priests Ethelwald and Billfrith, who decorated the now lost covers of the book, are also recorded. Aldred states that he himself added an English translation below the original text written in Latin and Greek.
Specifics of insular art
The Lindisfarne Gospels are a representative example of insular (island) art. In Ireland, the population was baptized in the 5th century, followed by the establishment of monastic communities in Great Britain, such as Iona, Lindisfarne, and Wearmouth. Thus, Lindisfarne became an important center of early English Christianity.
Subsequently, thanks to missionaries from Ireland and other parts of Europe, a cultural flourishing occurred, and a unique Hiberno-Saxon style developed in book painting. This style consists of abstract elements influenced by local traditions. The Lindisfarne Gospels are considered as some of the most exquisite examples of illuminated manuscripts from the period between 650 and 850 AD. They showcase a unique combination of flat or interwoven bands, stylized zoomorphic loops, as well as Christian symbols and figures. The influence of Roman missionaries from the Mediterranean is also evident, as the Lindisfarne Gospels are illuminated in both styles. Giraldus de Barri, a 12th-century archdeacon and historian, described these manuscripts as follows: “Carefully study them, and you will approach a true sanctuary of art. You will find loops of such delicate interweaving, tight and dense, with rich knots, in such fresh and brilliant colors that you can easily believe they are not the work of man, but of angels.” The Lindisfarne Gospels were written in Irish majuscule and minuscule scripts. Majuscule was used for the elaborate letters on the initial pages, while minuscule was more suitable for everyday use and is used for the majority of the text.
Illumination
In the visual arts, illumination is the art of decorating handwritten books; the term refers to painted or drawn initials, miniatures, and various ornaments. The name “illumination” comes from the glittering golden color in manuscripts and literally means illumination, enlightenment. The golden color symbolizes divine light, the spiritual heavens, the other world, and it was present in all holy texts. On many pages of ancient manuscripts, illuminations occupy more space than the text itself – sometimes even entire pages. Great attention was also paid to the book covers, some of which were adorned with gold, silver, and gemstones, further highlighting their value.
All the painted pages in the Lindisfarne Gospels, especially those with depictions of the evangelists, are adorned in such a way that it seems like the image is illuminating.
Lindisfarne Gospels
In this book with dimensions of 34 x 24.5 cm, which has 258 pages, sixteen The page with canonical tables, four pages with depictions of the evangelists, and five so-called carpet pages, along with dozens of pages with illuminated initials.
The canonical tables represent a comparative display of the Gospels according to Matthew, John, Luke, and Mark, allowing the reader to compare the narratives.
Carpet pages
The main innovation of this book is the depictions of the evangelists influenced by missionaries from the Italian peninsula. Mark and John are portrayed as young and clean-shaven, while Matthew and Luke are older and bearded, in the Byzantine style. Each evangelist is shown at the beginning of their respective Gospel with the corresponding symbol: Matthew with an angel (winged man), Luke with a calf, Mark with a lion, and John with an eagle. Before the actual Gospel text, there is a page with exceptionally rich ornamentation, known as a carpet page because it resembles the patterns of Oriental carpets. The most famous and beautifully painted such page can be found in Matthew’s Gospel. Its beauty is surprising, The uniqueness and diversity of these pages, and what they have in common is a discreetly designed cross in their center. The interior of the cross, as well as the remaining parts of such pages, are filled with various geometric motifs, abstract and animal interlaces, which, through the symmetry of colors and shapes, create a perfect harmony and an unparalleled expression. These pages were meant to prepare the reader for the gospel message.
From Lindisfarne to the British Library
In the 9th century, the Vikings repeatedly invaded and devastated this territory. The Lindisfarne monks fled, taking with them relics and books, including the Lindisfarne Gospels.
Ruins of the monastery in Lindisfarne
They settled in Durham in northeastern England, about 200 km south of Lindisfarne, from where they were forced to seek refuge in Lindisfarne again in the 11th century, during William the Conqueror’s invasion from Normandy, but not for long. After another period in the Romanesque cathedral in Durham, the book eventually ends up in the Tower of London in the 16th century. ndon, in the 17th century, was purchased by the art collector Sir Robert Cotton. Today, it is housed in The British Library, the national library of Great Britain. In these moves, the first decorative page of the book – the jewel cover – was permanently lost. In 1852, new covers were made based on the decorations on Eadfrith’s pages.
Today, fragments of this book are available on the internet, and there are also two facsimiles that have been made fairly faithful to the original.
The diversity and splendor of the Lindisfarne Gospels are such that their images are even awe-inspiring in reproduction. The inspirational mysticism woven into this codex makes it a valuable relic of early medieval art. It is the result of a desire to bring divine messages closer through visual means, to manifest the beauty of the Holy Scripture and to touch the hearts of monks and all others seeking the light of God even more strongly.
1 Carpet – since its interlacing ornamentation recalls Oriental carpets. I’m sorry, but the text you provided seems to be incomplete. Could you please provide a complete sentence or paragraph in Croatian that you would like me to translate?