![]() The location of production, Northumbria, more specifically Lindisfarne, undoubtedly influenced the manner in which illuminated manuscripts were made. Both Lindisfarne and Iona would become “…the most important centers of artistic production of the early medieval period in northern Europe” (Kleiner 288). Located on a “…small outcrop of land, now known as Holy Island” (Backhouse 7), Lindisfarne monastery quickly grew into a core of Christian learning. Saint Columba established a monastery on the Scottish isle of Iona in 563, where he converted the Picts these monks would later establish the monastery of Lindisfarne (Kleiner 288). ![]() ![]() Christian missionaries began converting the Celtic people of Ireland as early as the fifth century, and early Irish monks were among the first to spread Christianity to Britain and Scotland. The region known as Northumbria lies along the northwestern coast of Britain and Scotland, adjacent to the North Sea. Exploring Meaning – The Lindisfarne Gospels Furthermore, the Lindisfarne Gospels represent the emergence of a singular English “identity” in the illuminated manuscripts of early Christianity, reflecting both the historical and religious contexts that shaped it. This unique style demonstrates how medieval artists were able to seamlessly integrate new Christian imagery with the more established animal-interlace designs of the Scottish and British Isles the famous cross-carpet pages and the portraits of the Four Evangelists best show this technique. The Lindisfarne Gospels exemplify traditional Hiberno-Saxon illuminated manuscripts from the late seventh and early eighth centuries in the use of interlace to form abstract designs and animal patterns, in addition to Christian iconography throughout. ![]()
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