Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS 58

Book of Kells Facsimile Edition

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The Book of Kells holds a special place in the history of Western art as a crowning achievement of the Insular manuscript tradition. Created in the years around 800, it survived Viking raids and the theft of its jeweled covers. Named for the monastery in Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland, the book was brought there after the monastic community on Iona fled raids in the early ninth century.

No page of the gospel book is without some form of decoration, but each of the nine full-page figural illustrations are remarkable images rich in enigmatic detail. It is, however, the initials of each gospel that are the most marvelous pages of the Book of Kells. The spectacular incarnation initial, the Chi-Rho monogram page, is perhaps the most famous example of Insular calligraphy.

Thought to be made by the monastic community established by Colmcille (St. Columba) on the isle of Iona in modern-day Scotland, this Latin gospel book is a stunning manuscript in which text has transcended being words on a page to become the iconic art of a nation.

A Masterpiece of Insular Art

In the Book of Kells, it is difficult to separate the pictures from the text. Between the canon tables, the figural images and the calligraphic initials to the Gospels, there are two dozen pages of iconic art. Among the book’s illustrative pictures are the Virgin and Child, the Crucifixion, and the haunting image of the Arrest of Christ. Jesus stands with his hands cast out pointing to the crosses in the border of the page, anticipating his crucifixion. He is flanked by two men who hold his wrists as they take him into custody.

The vines of the garden of Gethsemane curl asymmetrically from the crowns of their heads. Acting as a keystone to the framing arch, monstrous heads, their tongues intertwined, echo the confronted gazes of the men arresting Christ. The figures are flattened and stylized as if made in metalwork, yet the pathos and tension of the scene remain stark and vibrant.

Bejeweled but not with Gold and Silver

The main text of the Book of Kells is written in Insular majuscule in rich black ink, yet each page is so embellished with colored and decorated initials and fantastic, brightly-colored intertwined creatures that the devotion of the manuscript’s scribes is inscribed throughout the book.

The intricacy and detail of the craftsmanship filling the pages is a testament to the dedication with which the book was made. It records the Eusebian canon tables, Jerome’s vulgate Latin version of the Gospels with accompanying Argumenta and Breves Causae and additional readings from the Old Latin translation.

A Survivor of the Vikings

When the monastic community on Iona fled to Ireland and settled at Kells with their precious gospel book, they did so to escape the devastation brought by Viking raiders, who had been a constant threat through the eighth century. Unfortunately, the Vikings came to Kells and the book was stolen, likely for its gold and jeweled covers.

The pages of the book were recovered, having been buried by its thieves. After the dissolution of the monastery, it eventually passed to Archbishop Ussher who, in 1621, sold the book to the English army. It was kept in Dublin Castle until 1661 when it was presented to Trinity College, Dublin by Charles II. It remains there today.

We have 2 facsimiles of the manuscript "Book of Kells":

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Manuscript book description compiled by Amy R. Miller.
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#1 Book of Kells

Lucerne or Munich: Faksimile Verlag, 1990

+ 1

Book of Kells, Ms. 58 (A.I.6) - Library of the Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland), Book of Kells facsimile edition by Faksimile Verlag.
Book of Kells facsimile edition by Faksimile Verlag.

+ 1

Book of Kells, Ms. 58 (A.I.6) - Library of the Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland), Book of Kells facsimile edition by Faksimile Verlag.
Book of Kells facsimile edition by Faksimile Verlag.
  • Commentary (English, German) by Fox, Peter; Alexander, Jonathan J.; Cains, Anthony; MacNiocaill, Geraoid; McGurk, Patrick; Meehan, Bernard; Von Euw, Anton; Eco, Umberto
  • Limited Edition: 1480 copies
  • Full-size color reproduction of the entire original document, Book of Kells: the facsimile attempts to replicate the look-and-feel and physical features of the original document; pages are trimmed according to the original format; the binding might not be consistent with the current document binding.

Facsimile and commentary volume issued together in a specially designed hand-crafted presentation case. A documentation folder containing three full-sized leaves from the Fine Art Facsimile Edition and an illustrated 16-page information brochure is available for information upon request.

Binding

White leather over wooden boards. The facsimile was handbound and fully stitched onto double cords. Leather-bound presentation box embellished with silver-plated mountings and gold embossing. The design was inspired by the medieval Irish book-shrines and ornamental elements taken from the Book of Kells.

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#2 Das Book of Kells (Collection)

Lucerne or Munich: Faksimile Verlag, 1999

+ 11

Das Book of Kells (Collection), Dublin, Library of the Trinity College, Ms. 58 (A.I.6), Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.

+ 11

Das Book of Kells (Collection), Dublin, Library of the Trinity College, Ms. 58 (A.I.6), Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.

+ 11

Das Book of Kells (Collection), Dublin, Library of the Trinity College, Ms. 58 (A.I.6), Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.

+ 11

Das Book of Kells (Collection), Dublin, Library of the Trinity College, Ms. 58 (A.I.6), Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.

+ 11

Das Book of Kells (Collection), Dublin, Library of the Trinity College, Ms. 58 (A.I.6), Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.

+ 11

Das Book of Kells (Collection), Dublin, Library of the Trinity College, Ms. 58 (A.I.6), Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.

+ 11

Das Book of Kells (Collection), Dublin, Library of the Trinity College, Ms. 58 (A.I.6), Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.

+ 11

Das Book of Kells (Collection), Dublin, Library of the Trinity College, Ms. 58 (A.I.6), Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.

+ 11

Das Book of Kells (Collection), Dublin, Library of the Trinity College, Ms. 58 (A.I.6), Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.

+ 11

Das Book of Kells (Collection), Dublin, Library of the Trinity College, Ms. 58 (A.I.6), Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.

+ 11

Das Book of Kells (Collection), Dublin, Library of the Trinity College, Ms. 58 (A.I.6), Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.

+ 11

Das Book of Kells (Collection), Dublin, Library of the Trinity College, Ms. 58 (A.I.6), Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
Das Book of Kells (Collection) by Faksimile Verlag.
  • Commentary (English, German) by Eco, Umberto
  • Limited Edition: 680 copies
  • Collection: a selection of documents associated by a common thread and collected by the publisher in a single edition.

This collection includes a selection of single leaves from the Book of Kells framed in passe-partout:

  • fol. 7r: Transcripts of Deeds of Recognition
  • fol. 7v: The Virgin and Child
  • fol. 27r: Transcripts of Deeds of Recognition
  • fol. 27v: The symbols of the four Evangelists prefacing St Matthew's Gospel
  • fol. 28v: Portrait of St Matthew (f. 28r is empty)
  • fol. 29r: Opening of St Matthew's Gospel - Liber generationis
  • fol. 29v: Matthew 1.1-9 - The Genealogy of Christ
  • fol. 34r: Christi autem generatio. Initial χρΙ
  • fol. 34v: Matthew 1.18-2.3
  • fol. 124r: The Decorated Text Page - Tunc crucifixerant χρΙ cum eo duos latrones
  • fol. 124v: Matthew 27.38-48
  • fol. 129r: Matthew 28.11-20
  • fol. 129v: The symbols of the Four Evangelists prefacing St Mark's Gospel
  • fol. 130r: Opening of St Mark's Gospel - Initium Euangelii Ih(es)u χρΙ
  • fol. 130v: Mark 1.1-14
  • fol. 188r: Opening of St Luke's Gospel - Quoniam
  • fol. 188v: The Decorated Text Page - Fruit in diebus Hero/dis
  • fol. 200r and 200v: The beginning of the genealogy of Christ in St Luke's Gospel
  • fol. 202r: Luke 3.32-38 - The genealogy of Christ (last part)
  • fol. 202v: The Temptation of Christ
  • fol. 285r: The Decorated Text Page - Una Autem sabbati ualde delu[culo]
  • fol. 285v: Luke 24.1-13

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