Celtic Ornament: Art of the Scribe - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0304359629 ISBN 13: 9780304359622

Publisher: Cassell, 2001

Synopsis

Noted artist and best-selling author Courtney Davis celebrates the intricate artistry of the great Celtic Christian scribes. Early Celtic artists drew upon ancient traditions to design exquisitely patterned jewelry, metalwork, and carvings. With the arrival of Celtic Christianity, their focus turned to the glorification of God, seen in magnificently illustrated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells. Drawing upon these two historical traditions, Davis offers a fresh look at Celtic ornamentation, using examples from famous manuscripts, gospels, and other works. "A very useful source for artists."--Library Journal.

About this title

From Library Journal:

Celtic design, rich and mysterious, surrounds us in the Western world. The resurgence of Celtic music, interest in illustrated manuscripts like The Book of Kells and the Lindisfarne Gospels, and the success of all things New Age have made zoomorphic ornaments, key patterns, and interlaced knot-work part of the artist's visual vocabulary. Born in South Wales and renowned as an artist and expert on Celtic art, Davis gives us ways of interpreting Celtic imagery, a description of its tools and methods, and an understanding of the monastic lives of the scribes who created it. Less a how-to book than an appreciation of the art form, this will be a very useful source for artists. Though it lacks color illustrations, it is more useful than Andy Sloss's narrowly focused How To Draw Celtic Key Patterns (LJ 3/15/98). For a more traditional workbook, see Aidan Meehan's Celtic Design: A Beginner's Manual (Thames & Hudson, 1991).
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cassell
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0304359629
• ISBN 13: 9780304359622
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 96
• Illustrator: Davis Courtney