The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-08-04
SPECIMENS OF ANCIENT IRISH ART
Finest Examples of Ornament In
Civilized Countries.
STYLE IS DISTINCTlYELY NATIONAL
What an English Critic Says of
the Book Of Kells.

In recent lecture at Sydney, N. S.
w., on "Ancient Irish Art" Rev. DR..
O'Donnell said in part:
"When nation develops an original
and distinct type of art, it is a sure sign
that it has already made considerable
progress in civilization; and if no other
proofs had come down to us than the
marvellous relics we possess Of ancient
Irish art, they alone would constitute
overwhelming evidence that Ireland
once led the van of nations in the pur-
suit of hunanizing studies. 1t is only
within comparatively recent period
that early Irish art has received the at
tention it deserves; and this is strange
when it is remembered that the Irish
style of art was carried to an almost
miraculous degree of excellence. In
deed, the best works that remain of this
style are for inventive power, sound
principle and mastery execution, the
finest examples of ornament that ever
were executed; and the style is in it.
self as distinctively national as that OF
Greece, Assyria, Egypt, or any other
country that has ever been distinguished
in art.
"The influence OF ancient Irish art
was by no means confined to ireland.
MIR. w. ]. Lotus, an English writer,
says in his Lessons on the Art of H.
luminating,' There can be no doubt that
the Irish missionaries brought witt,
them to Iona and Lindisfarnc the ira
ditions and grace OF art and that they
taught it with Christianity to the heath
ems OF England might add that not
only did the Irish system of ornamental
ton extend throughout the British,
Isles, but throughout civilized Europe,
from the Baltic to the Mediterranean
and some OF the most celebrated i11um-
mated works in the various libraries
of Europe are now known to have
emanated from the ancient Irish school
need only mention St. Boniface'
Book of the Gospels, which is still pre-
served as a relic at Fulda, in Germany
the Books of St. Kilian, still preserved
at Wurtzburg; those of St. Gall, in the
public library of St. Gall in Switzerland
and those of St. Columbanus, who
founded Bobbio, in Ita1y-the principal
portion of which is now to be seen in
the Ambrosian library at Milan. The
popularity of the style consists, speak.
ing roughly, in the most artistic and
ingenious dispositions of Interviewing
threads, bands, or ribbons, varied b,
the introduction of extremely attenuatet
lizard-like reptiles, or sometimes birds
dogs and other animals similarly inter.
laced. In three main forms have speci
mems of the ancient Irish art been pre-
| served to the present day. (1) On vel
lum in the form of manuscript illumina
tons of the gospels and psalms. Thi:
is the Oldest form, and dates back tc
the sixth century. (2) On stone, in thu
form of a Celtic sculpture, as on crosses
baptismal fonts, church doorways, etc
90 On metal, as in the case of gold
smiths and silversmiths' handiwork
The specimens of the last two form.
date from the beginning of the tentt
to the middle of the twelfth century.
Taking first ancient Irish art as ex
emplified on vellunl, for it is not onl,
| the Oldest form in which it has come
down to us, but also because it is the
most exquisite in elaboration and finish
the language of eulogy fails every au.
thor who has attempted to do justice
to these old manuscripts. Digby Wyatt
says: In delicacy of handling and mi.
mute but faultless execution, the whole
! range of photography offers nothing
comparable to these early Irish manu-.
scripts. When in Dublin some years
ago I had the opportunity of studying
very carefully the most marvellous o.
ALL the Book of Kells l attempted tc
| copy some of the ornaments, but broke
down in utter despair Westwood says
ireland may justly be proud of the
Book of Kells. It is unquestionably the
most deliberately illustrated manuscript
of early art now in existence. I have
examined the pages OF the Book Of
| Kells with magnifying glass withou,
| detecting a false line or irregular inter.
lacement, and when it is considered that
| many OF these details consist of spiral
lines, and are so minute as to have beer
impossible to have been executed with