It would certainly be the quickest way of explaining the matter. But as
this is out of the question for many reasons, and as the present little
guide aims rather at showing the way than marching through it, the
reader must be content to take its advice about where to look for
examples which it cannot reproduce.
Regarding the letter L as an index of time and style, first we may take
the Irish L of the Book of Kells on p. 17, pt. 1, of Miss Stokes' _Early
Christian Art in Ireland_. Note first the form of the letter, then the
way it is filled up with ornament. Compare this, which dates from the
seventh century, with a similar L in the Ada-Codex in the Town Library
at Tr?ves, No. 22. A black and white copy of this is given in taf. 6 of
Lamprecht Initial Ornamentik. This carries up the work to the second
half of the eighth century. Next, say the L in the Town Archives at
Cologne, No. 147. This belongs to the second half of the ninth century.
The chief departure here is towards the knotted band work which figures
so largely afterwards both in German and Italian book ornament, the form
is still unchanged. But with the tenth century comes change of form as
well as of mode of filling, as for example taf. 19 of Lamprecht, in
which there is a complete alteration of treatment.
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