Medieval Irish Art

The Ardagh Chalice (8th century)

• One of the greatest treasures of the early Irish church 

• Part of the objects found in the 19th century by a man digging for potatoes in Ardagh Co, Limerick 

• Used for Dispensing Eucahristic wine during Mass 

• https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/early-medieval-art/x4b0eb531:ireland/v/the-ardagh-chalice

• Bowl and Foot are made of spun silver 

  • Decorated with applied gold, silver, glass, amber, enamel 

  • Underside of foot highly decorated 

    • Rock crystal in the center 

  • Recalls the late Roman tableware 

  • The names of 11 apostles and St. Paul are inscribed below the band of gold filigree 

  • Incensed animals decoration below the handles 

• Represents a high point in Medieval craftsmanship 

Cross of Cong (1123)

• Made to encase a fragment of the True Cross that was brought to Ireland (cross Jesus was crucified on) 

  • Designed for professional use, possibly just used as an altar cross though 

• Oak core covered by cast bronze 

  • Decorated with gold filigree, silver sheeting, silver inlay, glass, and enamel 

  • Large rock crystal (quartz) in the center 

• Fragment inside has been lost over time 

• https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/early-medieval-art/x4b0eb531:ireland/v/cross-of-cong

• 

  One of the greatest European art works of the time 

• Culmination of the earlier celtic style of decoration of the 8th and 9th century 

  • With added enrichment of the Viking style of the 11th and 12th
    century 

• Another cross is found incised on the oak core 

  • Symbol of the true cross 

    

  Commission by Turlough O'Connor, High King of Ireland, when he received the fragment of the true cross from the pope 

• Was housed at the Church on Cong for a long time 

• Prayers inscribed on the cross 

  • All in Irish except one that is in Latin 

    

Muiredach's Cross (9th-10th century) 

• High cross from the 9th or 10th century Located at ruined monastic site 

  • Locally known as the South Cross 

• Most impressive surviving example of early medieval Irish stonework 

  • Made of Sandstone - soft stone leading to the rounded appearance of carvings over time 

• https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/early-medieval-art/x4b0eb531:ireland/v/the-muiredach-cross

  

Muiredach had the cross made (inscription says so) 

• Either one of the monastery's most celebrates abbot or a King whose territory included the monastery 

• Cross is divided into panels 

  • All are decorated with carvings 

    • Biblical themes are dominant 

    • Geometric shapes and interlace ornaments also present 

• 124 people on the cross 

  • Only one is not bare headed - Goliath who is wearing a helmet 

  • 4 people with beards - Adam, Cainm Moses, Saul 

• East Face of Cross panels 

  • 1. Two hermit saints holding bread (Anthony and Paul) 

  • 6. Not sure, maybe soul being carried by angel? 

  • 7. Last Judgement 

  • 8. Devil (Michael) and Human weighing a soul 

  • 9. Adoration of Magi (visitation of the wise men) 

  • 10. Moses drawing water from rock 

  • 11. Battle of David and Goliath 

  • 12. Double panel 

    • Adam and Eve 

    • First Murder: Cain and Abel (Adam and Eve’s sons) 

      • Cain kills Abel 

        

• West Face Panels 

  • 1a. Moses on Mount Sinai 

  • 11. Crucifixion 

  • 13. Ascending Christ? 

  • 14. Doubting Thomas

  • 15. Seizure of Christ 

    

Book of Kells

• Illustrated manuscript and celtic gospel in latin 

  • Contains 4 gospels of the New Testament with various prefatory text and tables

• Illustrations and ornamentation surpass those of other gospel books in extravagance and complexity 

  • Combines traditional Christian iconography with motifs of Insular Art (interlacing bands…) 

• Pages made of calf vellum (skin) 

  • Lettering in iron-gall ink 

• https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/early-medieval-art/x4b0eb531:ireland/v/the-book-of-kells

  

St. Patrick’s Bell and Shrine

• Bell Shrine reliquary (holds relics) 

  • Made to contain a c.500 hand-bell associated with the Irish Patron Saint Saint Patrick 

• Both objects are historically significant 

  • Bell - very early medieval artifact

  • Shrine - high point of Irish metalwork from Insular and early Romanesque period  

• https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/early-medieval-art/x4b0eb531:ireland/v/saint-patricks-bell-and-shrine

• Bell 

  • Dates to c.500 

  • Formed from two sheets of iron riveted together 

    • Dipped in melted bronze 

• Shrine 

  • Split between upper crest and main body 

Decorated by complex open work and geometric
cross patterns

• Crest and Front 

  • Top of crest in lined with hollow gilt bronze cap with extending wings terminating in animal heads 

    • Two comforted birds 

  • Main body built from silver panels 

    • Once held 30 panels of gold filigree 

      • Many have been damaged or lost 

• Sides and Reverse 

  • Sides contain a pair of openwork silver and gilt panels filled with interlace 

    • Each have a perforated cube and rings that had carrying chains attached 

  • The base plate is loose and could be slid open to remove the bell 

  • Back lacks bilateral symmetry like the sides and front 

    • Lacks “circle and cross” patterns like the front