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Carol Ann Farr

The Book of Kells: Its Function and Audience (British Library Studies in Medieval Culture) Paperback – February 7, 1998

by Carol Ann Farr (Author)

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Created between the seventh and ninth centuries AD, The Book of Kells is one of the great cultural icons of the medieval West. In the past, it has received a great deal of popular and scholarly attention, but only recently has its labyrinth of meaning and references begun to be explored.

In "The Book of Kells: Its Function and Audience," Carol Ann Farr builds on the work of liturgists, palaeographers, historians, and art historians to go beyond basic analysis to place The Book of Kells in the wider context of use and audience.

Farr situates The Book of Kells as part of an evangelical tradition that used the physical appearance of the gospels as a tool of conversion. By examining the manuscript in its political, social, historical, and religious contexts, she provides a fresh perspective on this most famous of insular illuminated texts. In particular, Farr offers new and convincing readings of two of the most difficult images, the 'Temptation' and so-called 'Arrest'.

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About the Author

Carol Ann Farr is a member of the Department of Art and Art History, University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Toronto Press (February 7, 1998)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 252 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802081576
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0802081575
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.27 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.91 x 0.55 x 9.66 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #5,622,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,552 in Calligraphy Guides
- #5,504 in Medieval Literary Criticism (Books)
- #11,940 in Book Publishing Reference

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John C. Hough

The Book of Kells: Its Function and Audience

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 25, 2007

Farr's book is a well-written and important contribution to the study of the Book of Kells. Her analysis of image placement, image detail, liturgical context, and historical context provides a comprehensive base for her arguments. Moreover, the arguments are supported by contemporary Kells scholars as well as early exegetical writers such as Bede, Tertullian, Tyconius, Augustine, and Maximus of Turin. Farr certainly breaks new ground in her analysis of Folio 114r and provides a believable explanation for its placement and function. Farr also revises older liturgical interpretations of the manuscript and extends them to consider the manuscript's use during the office as opposed to its use during the mass. The style and language that Farr uses indicates that this work is intended for medieval scholars with some background in the insular tradition. I would add that a less experienced scholar should be able to understand the material, although he should have ready access to a Latin dictionary, an English dictionary, and perhaps Michelle Brown's Understanding Medieval Manuscripts: A Guide to Technical Terms. Nevertheless, Farr's book presents a fascinating analysis of a manuscript that has mesmerized the world for hundreds of years. I would recommend this book to any one interested in the Book of Kells, insular manuscripts, and/or illuminated texts. Additionally, I would recommend it to anyone interested in early church history and practice. I believe that Farr has more than accomplished her stated goal and has comprehensively expanded the collective understanding of a text traditionally considered to be a mystery.

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