Celtic Art History
One of the most amazing things about Celtic art to me is its endurance over time.
Definitely the most popular era of Celtic art would be the “Christian period”, where we see the beautiful illuminated manuscripts, but did you know it had its early roots in Central Europe? Beginning with the La Tene and Hallstatt eras, Celtic art developed over centuries as it travelled over Europe and up to the British Isles.
It rose again during the Art Nouveau era, popularized by artists like Archibald Knox: a Manx artist who is my absolute favorite Celtic artist! His work was like a fusion of swirling La Tene vines and weaving knots, decorating jewelry, wallpaper, and stone for Liberty and Co and Tiffany. In the 70’s, Jim Fitzpatrick’s work captured our imagination, and George Bain’s book Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction introduced the art form to a new generation. In the 90’s, Aidan Meehan’s books popularized it again, and by the mid 90’s my Aon Celtic Art website launched Celtic instruction into the online computer age.
Students have asked me in the past - how can they make a living as an artist in such a niche style? My answer has always been the same. Celtic Art has evolved for centuries, and it’s still changing. There’s room for each student’s expression in this beautiful art form. Celtic art is here to stay. The books below are those that I recommend and own, and that I’ve found the most interesting and useful in studying the history of Celtic art.
Just an FYI, the links to the books recommended below are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission for each sale at no additional cost to yourself. The commissions are put towards the upkeep of the website, so thank you for helping to keep Celtic art alive as a modern day art form.
*hugs*
Cari ❤️
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This book is an excellent overview of the long history Celtic art has had, with information about its changes over time and significant archaeological finds over the years. while many of the photos are in black and white, it’s a great resource for examples of less popular - but equally beautiful - artifacts. |
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If you’re a Celtic art fan or Celtic artist, this book has excellent line drawings of artifacts, all sourced for further research online. Expand your repertoire of designs and historical inspiration with great examples that are a bit off the beaten path. As a small note, I have no idea why this is listed for such a pretty penny! lol It’s a good book but maybe check your local library for a copy first, or a used book store. |
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I noticed that the paperback and kindle versions of this book have different covers. My paperback has the cover above, but if you see the green cover version that’s the same book. I liked this book for the exact same reasons as the above book. The discussion of the history behind the cross as a symbol is fascinating, and the illustrations again are a great cross-section of images that you don’t typically see covered in popular books. If you’re looking for historical designs to incorporate in your work or to study, this book is great. |
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When this book was first released I was sent a copy from the British Museum asking for a review. I really love this one, but do be aware that it covers the La Tene period of Celtic art, which was earlier than the “Christian period” artwork that we see in the MSS. Like the BoK. The artwork of the La Tene period has a very organic style, with sweeping curves and curls and tendrils. To me, it resembles artwork from the Art Nouveau period because of that wild and organic nature. If you’re a buff of Celtic art history then this is a great book of black and line work copied from historical artifacts in the museum. There aren’t a lot of books out there that cover this period, and I do reference this book quite heavily. One of the best things about it is that each drawing is referenced, so you can search online for photos or more information about the artifact. |
