Carpet Page Lindisfarne Gospels

A carpet page from the lindisfarne gospels carpet pages are a characteristic feature of insular illuminated manuscripts.

Carpet page lindisfarne gospels. 793 ce vikings pillaged the monastery but the monks were able to keep the lindisfarne gospels safe. Produced in the british isles between 500 900 ce. Lindisfarne gospels john cross carpet page f 210v british library the book is a spectacular example of insular or hiberno saxon art works produced in the british isles between 500 900 c e a time of devastating invasions and political upheavals. Jerome and pope damasus i.

Made in italy. In the lindisfarne gospels the carpet pages play a similar role preparing the reader for the the gospel message. The lindisfarne gospels begins with a carpet page in the form of a cross and a major initial page introducing the letter of st. There are sixteen pages of arcaded canon tables where parallel passages of the four evangelists are laid out.

The lindisfarne gospels is a manuscript that contains the gospels of the four evangelists mark john luke and matthew. Lindisfarne island off the coast of northumberland in england. Time of social upheaval and devastation invasions. British library a dense interplay of stacked birds teem underneath the crosses of the carpet page that opens john s gospel.

They are pages of mainly geometrical ornamentation which may include repeated animal forms typically placed at the beginning of each of the four gospels in gospel books.