Lindisfarne Carpet Page

One bird situated in the upper left hand quadrant has blue and pink stripes in contrast to others that sport registers of feathers.

Lindisfarne carpet page. Church and reliquary of sainte foy france. Jerome and pope damasus i. 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. Each of the four gospels included in the manuscript begins with a so called carpet page displaying an intricate and colorful pattern followed by a so called incipit page where the first letters of the gospel are beautifully drawn.

In the lindisfarne gospels the carpet pages play a similar role preparing the reader for the the gospel message. Detailed entwined decorations with the shape of a cross. Carpet pages have been described as virtual prayer rugs intended to help create a contemplative state. The lindisfarne gospels is one of the most important books in the history of the english language and culture.

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. Bible moralisée moralized bibles saint louis bible moralized bible the golden haggadah. The book of lindisfarne opens with one of five elaborate full page decorative carpet pages cruciform geometric designs reminiscent of eastern hand made rugs. A carpet page from the lindisfarne gospels carpet pages are a characteristic feature of insular illuminated manuscripts.

Kathleen yes this is an extraordinary copy of the four gospels so the accounts of jesus life and teaching written by his disciples and followers matthew mark luke and john. Lindisfarne gospels john s cross carpet page folio 210v. The lindisfarne gospels begins with a carpet page in the form of a cross and a major initial page introducing the letter of st. The lindisfarne gospels is a manuscript that contains the gospels of the four evangelists mark john luke and matthew.

The bayeux tapestry seven ages of britain bbc one. A dense interplay of stacked birds teem underneath the crosses of the carpet page that opens john s gospel. There are sixteen pages of arcaded canon tables where parallel passages of the four evangelists are laid out. Four of the carpet pages appear alongside incipit pages that mark the beginning of each gospel.

In front of each of these four books is an extraordinary page typically referred to as a carpet page. Each carpet page contains a different form of cross stressing the different church traditions and their ecumenical relationship.