The Celtic School
J.J.N. McGurk describes how Irish art can claim its own place in the history of European civilization. Undisturbed by the troubles of the Dark Ages, Irish monks long continued to produce their splendid manuscripts.
One of the most extraordinary artistic developments in the art history of the world was that of the Celtic monastic school of manuscript illumination, which by the seventh century reached its technical climax.
For a long period, the monks of Ireland were able peacefully to practise their independent artistic skill; because of their remote position, they remained undisturbed by the foreign invasions and influences that for so many years kept Britain in a constant tumult of war and social upheaval.
So it happened that by the end of the seventh century the Celtic monks had learned to produce goldsmiths’ work and manuscript illumination with a taste and skill such as has never been surpassed. It is remarkable how their designs in gold jewellery, made for the service of the Church in such objects as croziers, cope brooches, shrines, chalices, bell receptacles and crosses came to be transferred to the manuscript illuminator’s art.
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