LINDISFARNE SPIRALS © Hamish Burgess 2009.
(Of course you can’t copyright an ancient image, just my rendition of it)
Signed and numbered Limited Edition Giclée print of 300 on water-colour paper. Approx 12 x 16.5 inches, plus a white unprinted border.
Traditional Celtic art by Hamish Burgess, originally hand painted with acrylics on ragpaper.

This is a reproduction from the Lindisfarne Gospels and mixes spirals and shapes after the early Celtic La Tène style, and zoomorphic birds. The central oval of spirals is commonly seen in Celtic art reproductions, but Hamish chose to copy the piece with it’s surrounding border letter.
Colours are similar to the original work, which is unbelievably less than 2 + 1/2 inches high.
This copy of the illuminated letter ‘O’ is from the ‘Novum Opus’ page (folio 3) of the ancient book, containing decorated initials starting Saint Jerome’s letter to Pope Damasus, explaining his Latin Vulgate translation of the Gospels.
The Lindisfarne Gospels were created in the late 600s or early 700s AD, in the Lindisfarne monastery which was built on a tidal island (cut off from the mainland except at low tide) known as Holy Island, off the Northumberland coast of what is now north-east England. Historical writings state the amazing work was created by the hand of Bishop Eadfrith (628-721). The book is now in the British Library in London, where Hamish has studied it’s intricate art first-hand.

All prints signed and numbered by the artist in pencil at the bottom.
Aloha and mahalo for looking.