The Book of Kells is a splendid example of medieval manuscript art. Of its 680 surviving pages, only two have no decoration at all. Although most pages have merely a decorated initial or two, there are also many "carpet" pages, portrait pages, and heavily-decorated chapter introductions that have little more than a line or two of text. Most of it is in astonishingly good condition, considering its age and history.
Here are some highlights from the Book of Kells. All images are in the public domain and are free for your use. For more information about the Book of Kells, be sure to visit this introduction by your Guide. And if you think these images are just amazing, don't forget to check out the Book of Kells on CD ROM.
Images 1-9 of 9
- Canon TableDirectory to passages in multiple Gospels
- Christ EnthronedGolden Portrait of Jesus
- Decorated InitialA close-up of the book's fine detail
- Incipit to the Gospel of MatthewFirst page of the Gospel of Matthew
- Portrait of JohnGlowing Golden Depiction of the Evangelist
- Madonna and ChildEarliest depiction of Mary and Jesus
- Four Evangelist SymbolsSymbols for Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
- Incipit to MarkThe First Page to the Gospel of Mark
- Portrait of MatthewRichly-Textured Representation of the Evangelist
- Graphic Index
- Text Index
