The Lindisfarne Gospels and the Early Medieval World by Michelle P. Brown (review)

The volume known as the Lindisfarne Gospels (British Library, Cotton MS Nero D.iv), one of the greatest and best-known treasures of the British Library, needs little if any introduction. It is famous for its remarkable decoration and illumination, especially the intricate 'carpet-pages', 'Incipit' pages, and portraits of the four Evangelists, which are astonishing works of art in their own right. Images from the manuscript have been reproduced numerous times, and two full facsimiles have been published. The most elaborately decorated pages are now available for viewing on the British Library's web site. And yet there is much that is still unknown or unclear about the origin and history of the Lindisfarne Gospels. Scholars continue to debate where and when this manuscript was made, and by whom.

Michelle Brown brings a wealth of knowledge about the Lindisfarne Gospels to this new volume, including her experience as a former Curator of Illuminated Manuscripts for the British Library. Extensively illustrated, this looks at first glance like a coffee-table book, but it is much more than that. After an initial introduction to the historical context, Brown examines the Lindisfarne Gospels from every possible angle: its history, the Gospel texts it contains (Latin and Old English), the scripts and the art, and the techniques used to make such an elaborate book. Sections intended for a scholarly audience are distinguished from those aimed at a more general audience by a differently coloured typeface - an approach that works surprisingly well. Brown gives a clear and thorough account of the intricacies of the scholarly debates around the Gospels, with extensive references and detailed discussion. She incorporates her own contributions to these debates and sets out her own conclusions clearly and persuasively: 'the book was made by a single artist-scribe - probably Bishop Eadfrith - on Holy Island around 715-20.'

Scholars will no doubt continue to debate the origins and history of the Lindisfarne Gospels for years to come. In the meantime, Michelle Brown has produced an exceptional book that combines an excellent summary of the scholarly debates with an attractive and detailed overview of this extraordinary manuscript.