Lindisfarne, the island art of illumination

Saint Jerome

Sheets 2v and 3

The first of the five large decorated openings of the manuscript introduces the letter that Saint Jerome addressed to Pope Damasus, at whose request he revised the text of the Latin Bible at the end of the 4th century.

The frontispiece includes a cross. It faces the introductory page bearing a richly decorated initial (N), introducing the Latin word “Novum” (new).

Canon table

Folio 11

One of sixteen Canon Table pages from the Lindisfarne Manuscript.

The Canon table system is a concordance device invented to indicate which passages are shared in the different gospels. It shows, for example, whether a particular passage in the Gospel of Matthew also appears in Mark, Luke and John.

Saint Matthew

Folio 19

Each of the four gospels is preceded by an introductory text which is not part of the biblical text. These passages are distinguished by small groups of decorative capital letters, which incorporate ornamentation.

Here we clearly see Aldred's interlinear translation of the original Latin text into ancient English.

Folio 25v

Each of the four evangelists is represented in a full-page illumination at the beginning of their Gospel.

Saint Matthew is represented accompanied by his traditional symbol, the figure of a man, and by a second figure placed behind a curtain.

Folios 26v and 27

The carpet page at the beginning of the Gospel of Saint Matthew is perhaps the best known from the Lindisfarne manuscript. It is a remarkable example of multi-colored interlacing composition.

On the opposite page, the gospel opens with the Latin words: “Liber generationis iesu christi” (the book of the generation of Jesus Christ).

Folio 29

The Gospel of Saint Matthew includes a second main page, marking the beginning of the story of Jesus' birth. The first three lines contain the words: “Christi autem generatio sic erat”. Which can be translated as “here are the circumstances in which Jesus Christ came into the world”

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Saint Mark

Folio 90

The preliminary text of the Gospel of Saint Mark opens with the name of the evangelist. The initial cap and the capital letters which make up the first name are part of a regular assembly of red dots, enriched with different decorative motifs.

Folio 93v

The second evangelist, Saint Mark, is here accompanied by his traditional symbol, a lion. Like Matthew, he is depicted in a habit apparently copied from a late classical model.

In this illumination, the lion is painted more realistically than in most animal representations of the medieval period. The golden color of its fur also suggests a good knowledge of the beast.

Folios 94v – 95

In designing this opening page of the Gospel of Saint Mark, Eadfrith relied heavily on a variety of purely linear motifs.

On the page containing the initial, different decorative techniques alternate within and around the letters and margins.

Saint Luke

Folio 137v

The third evangelist, Saint Luke, is represented with his traditional symbol, a bull (or young calf) . He is seated in the same position as that adopted for St. Matthew and, like him, wears a beard.

Sheets 138v – 139

The cross-mat page which introduces the Gospel of Saint Luke makes only limited use of animal ornamentation and appears overall more geometric than the previous ones.

On the right page, the gospel opens with the words “Quoniam quidem multi conati sunt ordinare narrationem” (Many having undertaken to put the story in order).

Folio 143v

This folio is an example of a typical page from the Gospel of Saint Luke. The regular writing of Aldred's gloss appears in red between the lines of the original text.

Saint Jean (reading list)

Folio 208

This page is one of the few on which Eadfrith's original writing can be admired. It is in fact almost entirely spared by the annotations added by Aldred in the 10th century. The text gives details of certain passages that should be read on specific feast days.

We can admire assured and remarkably regular writing. This particular style of writing, designed for formal use (writing official and sacred texts), is known under the name of “ insular capital ” or “semi-uncial”.

Folio 209v

Among the four evangelists, only Saint John is represented face-on, directing his gaze towards the reader. He does not write but seems to expound the contents of his scroll. It is accompanied by its traditional symbol, the eagle.

Folios 210v – 211

This mat page and the initial introducing the Gospel of John are the last illuminations of the Lindisfarne manuscript. They are exceptionally rich and complex, using the different elements of Eadfrith's decorative vocabulary in a sort of final bouquet of ornamentation.

Colophon

Folio 259

On the last page of the manuscript much of the second column of text was initially left blank. Here Aldred decided to add an important inscription in Old English specifying the details of the story of the Gospels. The names he gives can all be found in other historical sources.