In the course of the past few weeks I have been struck by the incredible beauty and intricacy of the illuminated manuscripts. Though they are often directly intended to convey part of the written narrative, it seems clear that they go beyond. After all, most of the patrons (The few that could afford such works) who commissioned illuminated texts could not read. They needed to inspire awe and religious feelings without words. I did not realize before how important such a task was nor the dedication required to execute.
The Secret of Kells helped get across not only the amount of detail but also the intricacy of the designs. They were intricate but always enhanced the story in surprising ways. The scene with three panels of Aedan and Brenden walking and growing older was one of my favorites. The film also helped illustrate the environment these works were often created in as monasteries, especially in England, were preferred targets for viking raids. The message in the film seemed to be that people should not be so consumed by fear that they forget to keep making beautiful things.
