Irish Art in the Romanesque period 1020-1170 AD

398 Pages·1970·61.695 MB·English

by  Henry, Françoise, 1902-1982

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Although the Romanesque period in
Ireland covered less than two centuries,
it yielded an extraordinary wealth of art
of all kinds. In this third and final vol-
ume of her series, Françoise Henry once
again demonstrates her prodigious
knowledge and special insights as she
discusses Irish art of the eleventh and
twelfth centuries. Illuminated manu-
scripts, metal objects, carved stone
crosses, and churches are her principal
topics. She notes the appearance of new
decorative styles combining native orna-
ment with borrowed elements. The
Norman invasion of 1169-1170, she de-
clares, virtually ended the development
of truly native Irish art.
While most ofthe manuscripts that re-
main from the Romanesque period are
poorly preserved, Miss Henry describes
three notable exceptions: the Gospel-
book of Corpus Christi College, the
Book of Leinster, and a small, late-
twelfth-century psalter of surpassing
brilliance and perfection. The crowning
glory of the era, however, was the work
of craftsmen in metal, the magnificence
of which is evidenced by a series of
nearly complete objects: three croziers,
the reliquary-cross of Cong, and the
shrines of St. Lachtin's Arm and St.
Manchan.
(continued on back flap)
ART
IRISH

ART
IRISH
in the Romanesque Period (1020—1 1 70A.D.J
FRANÇOISE HENRY
Cornell University Press
ITHACA, NEW YORK
©
Copyright 1970 by Françoise Henry
Allrightsreserved. Exceptforbriefquotationsin areview, thisbook, orparts thereof, mustnotbe
reproducedin anyformwithoutpermission in writingfrom thepublisher. For information address
Cornell University Press, 124 Roberts Place, Ithaca, New York M850.
Firstpublished 1970
SBN 8014 0526 2
Library ofCongress Catalog Card Number: 76-82117
Text printed in Great Britain by W. & J. Mackay & Co. Ltd, Chatham, Kent
Colour and monochrome plates printed by Les Presses Monastique and
L'Imprimerie Darantière, Dijon, France
Monochromegravureplatesprinted byL'Imprimerie Braun, Mulhouse, France
Contents
Abbreviations used in the text page vi
List ofmaps and drawings vii
List ofcolour plates ix
Preface xiii
1. Historical Data 1
2. The Sites 26
3. The Decoration of Manuscripts a.d. 1020-1170 46
4. Metalwork A.D. 1020-1170 74
5. The Crosses A.D. 1020-1170 123
6. The Churches A.D. 1020-1170 148
7. Conclusions 190
Index of bibliographical abbreviations 211
General Index 217
List of Monochrome Plates 236
List of Documentary Plates 240
ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE TEXT
B.L. Bodleian Library, Oxford
Br.M. British Museum, London
N.M.D. National Museum ofIreland, Dublin
O.P.W. Office ofPublic Works in Ireland
R.I.A. Royal Irish Academy, Dublin
St.M. Stockholm Museum
T.C.D. Trinity College, Dublin
V.L. Vatican Library
..
List of Maps and Drawings
MAPS [drawn by J. Leuridan)
Principal sites page x
Counties xi
Churches, towers and crosses 129
DRAWINGS
1 Plan of the cemetery ofClonmacnois 37
2. Plan of Inis Cealtra 43
3. Capitals from the Drummond Missal 52
4. Capitals from the Liber Hymnorum (Franciscan Library) 58
5. Capitals from the Rosslyn Missal 70
6. Foliage on metalwork 84
7. Decoration ofone ofthe short sides ofthe Cumdach ofthe
Cathach 92
8. Details of the ornament on the shrine of the arm of St
Lachtin 105
9. Detail ofthe ivory crozier from Aghadoe 115
10. Daniel in the Lions' den, base of the Dysert O'Dea cross 133
11. Cross near Temple Brecan (Aran) 135
12 FragmentofaScandinavianweather-vanefromWinchester 136
13. Reconstruction ofthe Killeany cross (Aran) 137
14. Fragment of a stone cross found at Cong 142
15. Floral motifs on crosses 144
16. Portal ofDysert O'Dea, detail 161
17. Portal of Dysert O'Dea, detail 163
18. Carved heads 164
19. Detail from the window of tlie church at Dysert O'Dea 165
20. Tuam portal, detail 166
vii
LIST OF MAPS AND DRAWINGS
21. Killaloe portal, detail 167
22. Capital from the portal at Inchagoill 169
23. Section and plan of Cormac's Chapel at Cashel 171
24. Tympana of English churches 174
25. Foliage from the portal at Killeshin 177
26. Killeshin portal, detail 179
27. Plan ofSt Saviour's Priory, Glendalough plan of Ferns
;
Priory 82
1
28. Plan of the Cistercian monastery at Mellifont 186
29. Detail ofDysert O'Dea portal 187
30. Animal-interlacings 193
31. Animals 194
32. Fohage 199
33. Capital, Ms. 155, Municipal Library, Amiens 200
34. Serpents 201
35. Detail, Book ofKells 202
36. Animal from a Gotland runestone 203
37. Crozier ofthe abbots of Clonmacnois, details 204
38. Capital, Ms. 228, Municipal Library, Le Mans 205
39. Arches with animals 206
40. Friezes ofanimals 208
41. Inisfallen crozier, detail ofcrook 209
viu