Detail of elaborate interlace from the Book of Kells.
Intricate braided and interlaced patterns, called plaits in British usage, first appeared in late Roman art in various parts of Europe, in mosaic floors and other media. Coptic manuscripts and textiles of 5th- and 6th-century Christian Egypt are decorated with broad-strand ribbon interlace ornament bearing a "striking resemblance" to the earliest types of knotwork found in the Insular art manuscripts of Ireland and the British Isles.[1]
Interlace is a key feature of the "Style II" animal style decoration of Migration Period art, and is found widely across Northern Europe, and was carried by the Lombards into Northern Italy. Typically the long "ribbons" eventually terminate in an animal's head. By about 700 it becomes less common in most of Europe, but continues to develop in the British Isles and Scandinavia, where it is found on metalwork, woodcarving, runestones, high crosses, and illuminated manuscripts of the 7th to 12th centuries. Artist George Bain has characterised the early Insular knotwork found in the 7th-century Book of Durrow and the Durham CathedralGospel Book fragment as "broken and rejoined" braids.[2] Whether Coptic braid patterns were transmitted directly to Hiberno-Scottishmonasteries from the eastern Mediterranean or came via Lombardic Italy is uncertain.[1] Art historian James Johnson Sweeney argued for direct communication between the scriptoria of Early Christian Ireland and the Coptic monasteries of Egypt.[3]
This new style featured elongated beasts intertwined into symmetrical shapes, and can be dated to the mid-7th century based on the accepted dating of examples in the Sutton Hoo treasure.[1] The most elaborate interlaced zoomorphics occur in Viking Age art of the Urnes style (arising before 1050), where tendrils of foliate designs intertwine with the stylized animals.[4]
The full-flowering of Northern European interlace occurred in the Insular art of the British Isles, where the animal style ornament of Northern Europe blended with ribbon knotwork and Christian influences in such works as the Book of Kells and the Cross of Cong.[1] Whole carpet pages were illuminated with abstract patterns, including much use of interlace, and stone high crosses combined interlace panels with figurative ones. Insular interlace was copied in continental Europe, closely in the Franco-Saxon school of the 8th to 11th centuries, and less so in other Carolingian schools of illumination, where the tendency was to foliate decorative forms. In Romanesque art these became typical, and the interlace generally much less complex. Some animal forms are also found.
Geometric interlacing patterns are common in Islamic ornament. They can be considered a particular type of arabesque. Umayyad architectural elements such as floor mosaics, window grilles, carvings and wall paintings, and decorative metal work of the 8th to 10th centuries are followed by the intricate interlacings common in later medieval Islamic art. Interlaced elaborations are also found in Kuficcalligraphy.
Southern Europe
Interlace and knotwork are often found in Byzantine art, continuing Roman usage, but they are not given great prominence. One notable example of a widespread local usage of interlace is the three-ribbon interlace found in the earlymedieval Croatia on stone carvings from the 9th to 11th centuries.
Interlaces were widely used in times of Serbian Morava architectural school from the 14th to 15th century. They were used on and within churches and monasteries, as well as in religious literature.[5]
Mitchell, G. Frank, Peter Harbison, Liam de Paor, Máire de Paor, and Roger A. Stalley (1977). Treasures of Irish Art, 1500 B.C. to 1500 A.D. : From the Collections of the National Museum of Ireland, Royal Irish Academy, & Trinity College, Dublin. Metropolitan Museum of Art & Alfred A. Knopf, New York. ISBN0-394-42807-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interlace in art.
Illustrated article by Peter Hubert on the origins of interlace sculpture. 2016-11-18 at the Wayback Machine
January 25, 2023
interlace, other, uses, interlace, visual, arts, interlace, decorative, element, found, medieval, interlace, bands, portions, other, motifs, looped, braided, knotted, complex, geometric, patterns, often, fill, space, interlacing, common, migration, period, nor. For other uses see Interlace In the visual arts interlace is a decorative element found in medieval art In interlace bands or portions of other motifs are looped braided and knotted in complex geometric patterns often to fill a space Interlacing is common in the Migration period art of Northern Europe in the early medieval Insular art of Ireland and the British Isles and Norse art of the Early Middle Ages and in Islamic art Detail of elaborate interlace from the Book of Kells Intricate braided and interlaced patterns called plaits in British usage first appeared in late Roman art in various parts of Europe in mosaic floors and other media Coptic manuscripts and textiles of 5th and 6th century Christian Egypt are decorated with broad strand ribbon interlace ornament bearing a striking resemblance to the earliest types of knotwork found in the Insular art manuscripts of Ireland and the British Isles 1 Contents 1 History and application 1 1 Northern Europe 1 2 Islamic art 1 3 Southern Europe 2 Gallery 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksHistory and application Edit Interlace and rotational symmetry Iron Age Torque de Foxados Museo de Pontevedra Galicia Northern Europe Edit Interlace is a key feature of the Style II animal style decoration of Migration Period art and is found widely across Northern Europe and was carried by the Lombards into Northern Italy Typically the long ribbons eventually terminate in an animal s head By about 700 it becomes less common in most of Europe but continues to develop in the British Isles and Scandinavia where it is found on metalwork woodcarving runestones high crosses and illuminated manuscripts of the 7th to 12th centuries Artist George Bain has characterised the early Insular knotwork found in the 7th century Book of Durrow and the Durham Cathedral Gospel Book fragment as broken and rejoined braids 2 Whether Coptic braid patterns were transmitted directly to Hiberno Scottish monasteries from the eastern Mediterranean or came via Lombardic Italy is uncertain 1 Art historian James Johnson Sweeney argued for direct communication between the scriptoria of Early Christian Ireland and the Coptic monasteries of Egypt 3 This new style featured elongated beasts intertwined into symmetrical shapes and can be dated to the mid 7th century based on the accepted dating of examples in the Sutton Hoo treasure 1 The most elaborate interlaced zoomorphics occur in Viking Age art of the Urnes style arising before 1050 where tendrils of foliate designs intertwine with the stylized animals 4 The full flowering of Northern European interlace occurred in the Insular art of the British Isles where the animal style ornament of Northern Europe blended with ribbon knotwork and Christian influences in such works as the Book of Kells and the Cross of Cong 1 Whole carpet pages were illuminated with abstract patterns including much use of interlace and stone high crosses combined interlace panels with figurative ones Insular interlace was copied in continental Europe closely in the Franco Saxon school of the 8th to 11th centuries and less so in other Carolingian schools of illumination where the tendency was to foliate decorative forms In Romanesque art these became typical and the interlace generally much less complex Some animal forms are also found Islamic art Edit Main article Islamic interlace patterns Geometric interlacing patterns are common in Islamic ornament They can be considered a particular type of arabesque Umayyad architectural elements such as floor mosaics window grilles carvings and wall paintings and decorative metal work of the 8th to 10th centuries are followed by the intricate interlacings common in later medieval Islamic art Interlaced elaborations are also found in Kufic calligraphy Southern Europe Edit Interlace and knotwork are often found in Byzantine art continuing Roman usage but they are not given great prominence One notable example of a widespread local usage of interlace is the three ribbon interlace found in the early medieval Croatia on stone carvings from the 9th to 11th centuries Interlaces were widely used in times of Serbian Morava architectural school from the 14th to 15th century They were used on and within churches and monasteries as well as in religious literature 5 Interlaces are also an important ornament used in Brancovenesc architecture an architectural style that evolved in Romania during the administration of Prince Constantin Brancoveanu in the late 17th and early 18th centuries Later in the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th it will be reused in Romanian Revival architecture Gallery Edit Insular animal and knot interlace Lindisfarne Gospels early 8th century Page from the Book of Dimma with simple interlace borders 8th century Kirkyard Stone Aberlemo Scotland c 800 Arentuna runestone with interlaced animal Uppland Sweden Detail of decorated initial T with ribbon interlace filling and interlaced animal motif Book of Kells c 800 Carpet page from an 11th century Arabic illuminated manuscript Folio from a manuscript of the Qur an with interlaced border 1182 Romanesque interlace inhabited with figures Northern England 1190 1200Notes Edit a b c d Mitchell et al 1977 p 59 Bain 1973 p 29 Bishop 2001 p 270 Graham Campbell 1980 pp 150 151 Deroko Aleksandar 1957 Zbornik radova posvecenih M Abramicu 1 dio Arheoloski Muzej u Splitu pp 252 259 References EditBain George 1973 Celtic Art The Methods of Construction Dover Publications Inc ISBN 0 486 22923 8 Bishop Morris 2001 The Middle Ages Mariner Books ISBN 0 618 05703 X Graham Campbell James 1980 The Viking World Ticknor amp Fields ISBN 0 89919 005 7 Mitchell G Frank Peter Harbison Liam de Paor Maire de Paor and Roger A Stalley 1977 Treasures of Irish Art 1500 B C to 1500 A D From the Collections of the National Museum of Ireland Royal Irish Academy amp Trinity College Dublin Metropolitan Museum of Art amp Alfred A Knopf New York ISBN 0 394 42807 2 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interlace in art Illustrated article by Peter Hubert on the origins of interlace sculpture Archived 2016 11 18 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Interlace art amp oldid 1135436878, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
