The student may take
for similar comparison also the I of "In principio" of St. John's
Gospel, and the B of the first psalm in the Psalter, and carry the
comparison on to the end of the fourteenth century, by referring to the
MSS. in the British Museum and other public libraries, or in the
numerous illustrated works to be found in those collections.
CHAPTER X
FIRST ENGLISH STYLES
Transition from Iona to Lindisfarne--Influence of Frankish art--The
"Opus Anglicum"--The Winchester school and its characteristics--Whence
obtained--Method of painting--Examples--Where found and described.
The succession of the school of Iona shows us in the first examples of
English illumination the type exemplified in the Book of Kells,
modified, but not very much, by its transference to Lindisfarne.
Whatever doubt may be felt as to the influence of Byzantine or
Romanesque models on pure Irish work, such as the Book of Kells, there
can be none as regards the Lindisfarne Gospels. In the first place we
have gold both in the lettering and ornament. This MS., known also as
the Durham Book (Brit. Mus., Nero D. iv.), was the work of Abbat
Eadfrith, of Lindisfarne. It has been often described, as it is really a
most precious example of eighth-century art in this country.
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