The Book of Kells - St. John

St. John
The Book of Kells

I choose to analyze the picture of St. John from the Book of Kells.  The Book of Kells is a beautiful manuscript containing the Four Gospels. It is Ireland's most precious medieval artifact, and is generally considered the finest surviving illuminated manuscript to have been produced in medieval Europe.  My first impression of this ancient work is how stunning it is.  The use of color and design are truly unique.  There are many uses of contrast when it comes to color.  The main color red looks great next to the bright yellows and blues.  Then, the white space in the middle really makes St. John stand out.  Repetition is used all over this design.  The + shape is repeated at the top, bottom, and on each side of this picture, as well as, the rectangles that also border the picture.  Alignment is also a key component that makes this picture striking to the eye.  All of the elements on this picture are visually connected.  Nothing is placed arbitrarily.  This helps create a clean look.  The artist does a great job of using proximity to create one body of art.  Everything on the page is placed in close proximity to one another.  This reduces visual clutter, and creates a strong visual masterpiece.    Through the use of color, geometric shapes, and symbolism, the artist helps one understand the importance of this piece of artwork.