Angel's Scribe

Angel's Scribe
March 11, 2026
July 24, 2026
Sherman Art Library

Curated by Josie Harrison with support from Ryland Ianelli, Still Image Digitization Specialist, and Laura Graveline, Learning and Engagement Librarian for the Visual Arts

Learnings

The exhibition seeks to highlight the intricacies of the two books, encouraging viewers to look closer for hidden treasures. What differences are there between the two books? How do the pages and messages change the closer you look?

Angel's Scribe Exhibition Poster

The Decorated Devotion of Early Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts

This exhibit showcases two of the most notable books of early Celtic Catholicism, The Book of Kells and the Lindisfarne Gospels. These manuscripts were used more as objects of show and tell rather than as reading material. The books highlight how Celtic Catholic Churches of the time sought to spread the glory of God and his worship to an audience of largely illiterate folk. The flamboyant, intricate artwork and use of decorative insular majuscule (or highly decorative script) elevated these books from vessels of the Lord's gospel to examples and dedications to the grandeur of God himself. 

When viewing this exhibit, compare and contrast the imagery and style of the text and ornamentation, specifically looking at the Argumentum to Mark pages, Chi Rho pages, Carpet pages, and Icon pages (detailed below).

Plan Your Visit

 

The Book of Kells

The Book of Kells is a manuscript believed to originate from both the island of Iona, Scotland, and Kells, Ireland. The Book is an illuminated manuscript, meaning it details the life of Jesus Christ in Latin through the four Gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. At 340 folios (680 pages), it is an incredible example of craftsmanship, and even more so as it is dated to 800 CE. It showcases the style of Insular art, which was developed throughout Britain and Ireland in the Middle Ages. The manuscript is globally renowned as a masterpiece of medieval art and Catholic devotion. Devotion so great that grandeur and aesthetics may have even trumped the book's practical purposes. 

The Lindisfarne Gospels

The Lindisfarne Gospels (LG) is another illuminated manuscript originating from the island of Lindisfarne, an island off the northeast coast of England—Lindisfarne translating to "Holy Island." It contains the four gospels of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—written on 516 vellum and is dated back to early 700 CE. It's the earliest known gospel written in a variation of English.

Unlike the Book of Kells, LG has a clear purpose, created in honor of St. Cuthbert of England. While the Book of Kells is more widely known thanks to its ornate decoration, the Lindisfarne Gospels is also heavily decorated. However, a unique aspect of LG is its more practical applications, notably the addition of Middle English translations between the lines of Latin. These translations would have made the book more accessible and thus given it more practical use than the Book of Kells. 

The Icon Pages

The pages depicting the saints, Christ, and their respective gospels and teachings serve as a dedication to each figure. They are home to the main iconography and stories of the saints and Christ, serving to showcase and tell the story of each through imagery. Imagery was very important at a time when the majority of people were illiterate. 

With these pages, note the differences between the Christ Enthroned page in The Book of Kells and the Saint Luke page from the Lindisfarne Gospels. You may see how Christ’s page in The Book of Kells is incredibly ornate. It takes on a more abstract feeling compared to St. Luke in the Lindisfarne Gospels. It is also worth noting that along with the Christ Enthroned page, which depicts Christ himself, the other saints' pages throughout The Book of Kells have similar designs.

See these works in person in the Sherman Art Library.

illustration of the Apostle Luke writing the gospel

Saint Luke from the Lindisfarne Gospel

The page for St. Luke depicts him sitting and writing. It's referring to his gospel teaching about the atonement of Christ and his evangelist beliefs. Above his head a winged ox is used as a symbol of sacrifice. Oxen were the animals sacrificed in religious rituals, and the wings denote the spreading of the gospel.

Christ Enthroned in the Book of Kells

Christ Enthroned from The Book of Kells

The page of Christ Enthroned, while significantly more ornate, contains important iconography. Most notably, the book Christ is holding: the Bible. Christ Enthroned is also surrounded by angels and peacocks. The peacocks serve as a symbol of resurrection and Christ’s immortality. 

 

 

 

 

Josie Harrison '25, the curator of the exhibit, is the 2025 - 2026 Jones Memorial Digital Media Fellow at Dartmouth Libraries. A recent graduate, Josie holds a BA (Hons) in Film & Media Studies and Geography, with a minor in Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages. She earned High Honors for her film thesis project, "The Asterisk Athlete Project" where she used various media to elevate the voices of female athletes and their experiences. 

Hailing from Usk, South Wales, she has a keen interest in sports media and documentaries. Most recently Josie was awarded the James Joseph Kaplan Filmmaker of the Year Award by the Dartmouth Film and Media Department and the Bob Huke Award by the Geography Department.

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