It was created using the most vibrant pigments of the time: indigo, sienna, lilac, red, pink, green, yellow and white, derived from crushed stones, metals, plants and shells. The text and illustrations were copied by hand onto sturdy vellum using fine brushes. The monks created intricate initials, mysterious beasts and foliage, and portraits, as well as geometric designs, spirals and mazes that were the basis of the modern Celtic knot. Imagine 158 lacings of a single ribbon in a square inch with no errors of overlap, and tiny lions, eagles, snakes otters and even playful mice. No illustration is repeated.
The manuscript is resplendent with artwork of almost all of the styles known at the time, often on a scale that cannot be appreciated by the naked eye. It was said that it was so complex that it must have been created by angels. In the ninth century, the Book of Kells was moved to the Kells Monastery in Ireland, where it was eventually stolen, relieved of its jeweled cover and then found in a ditch. The book was given to Trinity College of Dublin in 1661. Today it is on display, and librarians turn to a new page each day. The amazing work gives a glimpse into the past, leaving one to ruminate not only on the work's scope of artistic influence but also on the mysterious essence of its beauty.
