DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47496#0012
PREFACE.
viii
perceive their difserence, drew the defining line between them.
The mistake, however, led to much confusion in the Continental
libraries, where even manuscripts written as well as illuminated
by Irish scribes, were frequently named Anglo-Saxon.
The term Runic, likewise, is a misnomer as applied to such
designs in Irish Art as interlaced patterns, knots, and basket-
work, which occur on crosses with Runic inscriptions elsewhere.
All comparative study of national and primitive forms of deco-
rative Art seems to show that this term, as well as the others men-
tioned, has been too ignorantly used. Such designs are found
in archaic Art in most parts of the world, and still appear in the
native work of Japan and India. They characterise Roman Art
of a certain period, and all that can be said is that certain
varieties were developed in Ireland after their introduction with
Christianity, which stamp the objects thus decorated with an
Irish character.
The peculiarity of Irish Art may be said to be the union of
such primitive rhythmical designs as are common to barbarous
nations, with a style which accords with the highest laws of the
arts of design, the exhibition of a fine architectural feeling in the
distribution of parts, and such delicate and perfect execution,
whatever the material in which the art was treated, as must
command respect for the conscientious artist by whom the work
was carried out.
The first attempt at a scientific treatment of the subject of
Irish Archaeology was made by the late George Petrie, LL.D.,
of Trinity College, Dublin. His work on “ The Ecclesiastical
Architecture of Ireland ” is still the best authority on the subject
of the origin and history of this art. His posthumous work on
the Christian Inscriptions of Ireland affords a mass of evidence
as to the date of sculptured stones in Ireland which renders
the classification of undated specimens comparatively easy. In
Ecclesiology, as in all studies of the arts practised for ecclesias-
tical purposes, he and the late Rev. James Todd, D.D., of Dublin
viii
perceive their difserence, drew the defining line between them.
The mistake, however, led to much confusion in the Continental
libraries, where even manuscripts written as well as illuminated
by Irish scribes, were frequently named Anglo-Saxon.
The term Runic, likewise, is a misnomer as applied to such
designs in Irish Art as interlaced patterns, knots, and basket-
work, which occur on crosses with Runic inscriptions elsewhere.
All comparative study of national and primitive forms of deco-
rative Art seems to show that this term, as well as the others men-
tioned, has been too ignorantly used. Such designs are found
in archaic Art in most parts of the world, and still appear in the
native work of Japan and India. They characterise Roman Art
of a certain period, and all that can be said is that certain
varieties were developed in Ireland after their introduction with
Christianity, which stamp the objects thus decorated with an
Irish character.
The peculiarity of Irish Art may be said to be the union of
such primitive rhythmical designs as are common to barbarous
nations, with a style which accords with the highest laws of the
arts of design, the exhibition of a fine architectural feeling in the
distribution of parts, and such delicate and perfect execution,
whatever the material in which the art was treated, as must
command respect for the conscientious artist by whom the work
was carried out.
The first attempt at a scientific treatment of the subject of
Irish Archaeology was made by the late George Petrie, LL.D.,
of Trinity College, Dublin. His work on “ The Ecclesiastical
Architecture of Ireland ” is still the best authority on the subject
of the origin and history of this art. His posthumous work on
the Christian Inscriptions of Ireland affords a mass of evidence
as to the date of sculptured stones in Ireland which renders
the classification of undated specimens comparatively easy. In
Ecclesiology, as in all studies of the arts practised for ecclesias-
tical purposes, he and the late Rev. James Todd, D.D., of Dublin