The Madonna and Child Miniature in the Book of Kells, Part II
Martin Werner
In what form was the symbolic program which persuaded painters of Kells Gospels to create images on folios 7v, 1r and 32V introduced British Isles? Precedents for architectural Canon Tables, cruciform pages, enlarged initial pages Evangelist portraits in Book are found Insular or Continental illumination.90 Of narrative scenes, Temptation may depend, perhaps indirectly, Byzantine book illustration.91 With Arrest92 (and paintings originally planned those that have been lost), it becomes part a cycle Gospel scenes. Since isolated full-page historical illustrations created before late eighth century exist,93 is likely Books with elaborate cycles were circulating Isles begun. any event, there can be little doubt miniatures based manuscript models. And indications similarly inspired. Majestas appear few pre-Carolingian codices,94 and, as we observed, Madonna Child pictures adoring angels employed frontispieces ninth-century Coptic books. Almost certainly, our three depend upon example picture pages.
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