Why is the book of kells important
Symbolism in the Book of Kells
there's only one depiction of a woman in
the entire book of kells this is found
on folio seven verso and is the earliest
known or at least the earliest surviving
image of the Virgin and Child in Western
art country to the biblical description
of Mary coming from relatively humble
origins here she's shown as an empress
she's seated on a throne that has been
encrusted with jewels of the type that
we might expect to find in contemporary
Irish metalwork the back of the throne
terminates with a lion's head possibly a
reference to the Old Testament
description of Solomon's throne which
was also decorated with Lions heads and
so like Solomon an indication of Mary's
wisdom she's dressed in purple a color
reserved for royalty and the sheer
translucent nature of her skirt showing
a hint of her legs beneath is suggestive
of silk a very high-status
imported cloth the pattern of three dots
is found on contemporary fine fabrics
from the east but some have also
suggested that it may represent a symbol
of the Trinity or even an allusion to
the Virgin's milk the little diamond
shape on her breast may represent a
brooch but might also be an allusion to
the lozenge symbol of Christ in common
with contemporary images of em presses
Mary is also surrounded by four
courtiers in this case replaced by
angels
these have been identified as the four
Archangels Michael Gabriel Raphael and
Uriel three of the angels hold flah
belly or liturgical fans and the fourth
possibly an instrument for sprinkling
holy water the Christ child is seated on
her lap with his hand placed on the
Virgin's clearly visible breast an
allusion to Mary is Mother of God and
perhaps also to the milk of Christian
instruction the elaborate frame around
the image may reference the artwork that
inspired the bull cows artists the
composition and symbol as
of the image find some close parallels
in panel paintings of the Virgin and
Child from the Byzantine East its
appearance so far Northwest seems to
coincide with the growing cult of the
Virgin Mary that was being promoted by
the Colombian churches around the time
the book of kells was made six small
heads in profile are set into the frame
of the image these direct the viewers
gaze across to the next page this
contains the synopsis of events
recounted in Matthew's Gospel and more
particularly the passage that announces
the birth of Christ
[Music]
![The Book of Kells - commented by Bernard Meehan [Thursday Review]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EZmLeBWoPls/mqdefault.jpg)
