English

The Book of Kells

INTRODUCTION ITS weird and commanding beauty ; its subdued and goldless colouring ; the baffling intricacy of its fearless designs ; the clean, unwavering sweep of rounded spiral ; the creeping unduladons of serpentine forms, that writhe in artistic profusion throughout the mazes of its decorations ; the strong and legible minuscule of its text ; the quaintness of its striking portraiture ; the unwearied reverence and patient labour that brought it into being ; all of which combined go to mane up the Book of Kells, have raised this ancient Irish volume to a position of abiding preeminence amongst the illuminated manuscripts of the world. Many attempts have been made to reproduce its unique illuminations ; and, so far as form and outline are concerned, the reproductions have been as far as possible successful. But all such efforts have up till now failed to give a living representation of its marvellous pages — for without its colour harmonies no reproduction can be regarded as ade- quate from the point of view of art. The last important attempt at reproduction in colour was made about forty years ago ; but the scientific knowledge of the time was unequal to the strain sought to be

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