High Crosses

I do High Crosses as my Irish Art History and my Gallery Question, as I went to see the Irish High Crosses exhibition in Collins Baracks. That's why the Ahenny crosses and Monasterboice are in so much detail. the others are just there if a developmental question comes up :) It's not all the high crosses on the LC course but hopefully enough. No pictures I'm afraid sorry :(

High Crosses

Structure:

Consist of a large pyramid base, a tall shaft, 3 arms, a wheel head and a, usually church shaped, capstone.

Monks made them using a hammer and chisel.

Most crosses were made from Sandstone.

Strapwork- thick lines.

Zoomorphic-animals that snake into strap work.

They are read from bottom, a kneeling pilgrim’s eye level, to top.

Function:

• They were a symbol to the Christian community of the resurrection of Christ.
  Respect for this symbolism gave the crosses an importance as land markers of the boundaries of sanctuary and sacred areas in the monastery and may have been meeting places by the local community.
• Some crosses were thought to symbolise local saints by characterising them on the cross by depicting Old Testament figures with similar traits of the saint, as there was a strong devotion to a Saint’s memories in early Christian Ireland.
• Used as teaching aids to teach people bible stories as many were illiterate.
• High crosses were displays of wealth
• The figures on the crosses conveyed the teaching s of Christianity but also contain insights into the 9^th century world of stonemasons, the styles of dress ansd hair are depicte long with chariots books crosiers, swords and processional crosses.

Development: 

• Originally Pagans believed in spirits in stones and would not interfere with the shape of the stone.
• Carved Pillars
• Simple linear pattern carved into the surface of an untrimmed stone.
• Used to mark graves of important people.
• 4^th and 5^th century.
• Sometimes have Ogham, Irish or Latin inscriptions.
• These developed in two ways, into grave slabs and into high crosses
• Except for the Christian symbolism, most elements of these stones were in the La Téne style.
• Reask Pillar (Dingle peninsula, Co. Kerry)

• Incised.
• Maltese cross surrounded by a circle.
• Pattern of spirals extends down ending in a pelta shape.
• Inscribed with the letters DNE probably standing for the Latin word Domine meaning ‘Lord god’ or ‘Lord Abbot’

•  Fahan Mura Slab(Co. Donegal)
• 7^th century
• 2.10m tall.
• Low relief intricate and elaborate ribbon interlaces forms a cross shape on both sides.
• Simple human figures stand at the left and right of the cross shaft on the west side.
• First time the shape of the slab changes, shows a hint of arms developing from the stubs projecting from the side of the slab.
• Shows advance in skills.

• Cardonagh Cross (Co. Donegal)
• Transitional piece between stone pillars and the fully formed Celtic high crosses. It is the first cross to be cut in a cruciform shape.
• 2.5m tall.
• It is carved on all sides into a simple, slightly uneven cross shape. On the shaft there is a crucifixion scene.
• Ribbon interlace forms a cross in the upper part of the stone with two little groups of birds forming a triskele pattern in the crook of each arm.
• Two small pillars beside the cross are carved with figures. David playing the harp and Jonah and the whale

•  Crosses became larger and more complex in structure and the shafts were divided into orderly depictions of bible scenes.

• By the 8^th century, the first fully formed high crosses had developed featuring a wheel head, pyramid shaped base and a cap.

Cross of Moone

• 7m tall, second tallest cross in Ireland, height emphasised by the narrow shaft and small wheel head.
• Very unique design of cross, differs from other contemporary crosses.
• Symbolic figures rather than realistic, in low relief.
• No capstone. Granite.
• Tall base, almost square shaped, has figure scenes on every side, in a logical order, unusually top to bottom, in a clockwise direction around base. Square bodies with large heads and big noses, geometrical.
• East side
•  Centre of cross- Christ in Majesty
• Shaft- Spirals and other abstract designs
• Base- Adam and Eve are under a stylised tree with the serpent coiling around the trunk. Below is the Sacrifice of Isaac as Abraham leans over the sacrificial altar to kill his son. Below this is the scene of Daniel in the lion pit with 7 lions.
• West side
• Centre of cross- Spiral pattern
• Shaft- Panels containing animals
• Base- crucifixion scene with the sponge bearer and spear bearer beneath Christ's figure. The 12 apostles are below this, three rows of simple figures without individual detail.

• South Side
• Base- Three children in the fiery furnace protected by an angel. Below is the flight into Egypt. Below that, there is the miracle of the loaves and the fishes using large circles to represent the bread.

Ahenny Crosses

• Pair of unique crosses located on the river valley of Carrick-on-Suir in Co. Tipperary.
• Shaft and arms are decorated with curves, knotting, fretwork and spirals of very high quality, which have a close relationship to contemporary metalwork.
• There is a raised rope border surrounding the edges of the cross and the ring.
• There are 5 stone bosses in high relief, where the ring passes through the arms of the cross and at the centre of the cross, also thought to be inspired by metalwork
• Early 9^th century
• Sandstone
• Unusual conical shaped capstone
•  2 panels on the shaft

North cross

• 3.5m tall
• Panels on stepped base are in low relief and are worn and weathered, making them difficult to see clearly.
• Cross itself is decorated in abstract pattern including a human interlace on the west side of the shaft.
• Missing part of the wheel head
• Base- has human and animal figure scenes, believed to be based around the idea of the power of Gods gifts and intervention. Style is simple and non classical, more in Celtic tradition of symbolism rather than realism

West Base- 7 figures with crosiers=Christ’s mission to the apostles
East Base-Depicts a man sitting under a tree facing a group of animals= Adam being given domination over the animals

North Base- David charges into battle on a chariot

South Base- David carries goliaths head in a procession with goliaths headless body tied to a horse.

South Cross

• 3.35m
• Base even more difficult to make out

 Muirideachs Cross (Monasterboice Co. Louth)

• 9^th century
• Impressive achievement for its time. Artistically and technically the finest high cross in Ireland.
• 5.5m tall and shaft is 75cm wide, quite thick. Not the tallest but probably the weightiest. Except the cap and the base, carved out of one piece of stone.
• The theme of the cross is redemption, similar to many other crosses but the carving is much more detailed.
• Base is carved in low relief into panels, some are decorated and some have animal and horsemen scenes.
• East face(Old Testament)
• 4 panels
• Bottom to top: Adam and Eve with Cain killing Abel. David and Goliath, and Saul an Jonathan. Moses striking the rock to provide water for a large group of Israelites. Adoration of the Magi, where 4 kings come to visit the infant Christ.
• Centre is the Last Judgement, Christ is in the centre holding a staff and a spectre, representing power. To Christ's right facing him are the saved and David plays his harp and to his left is the Devil with a three pronged trident and the damned who’s faces are turned away from Christ.

• West (Scenes from Christ’s life)
• Two cats in high relief lie curled up over an inscription that asks us to ‘pray for Muirideach, who caused this cross to be made’.
• 3 panels on the shaft: The arrest of Christ- where he wears a brooch similar to the Tara brooch and the solider who looks like a Viking. Doubting Thomas. Chris giving the key to Peter and the book to Paul.
• Across the arms is the crucifixion scene, with a figure offering a sponge and another piercing Christ's left side a lance. Angels hover over each shoulder and pattern and bosses surround the scene. To the left is the denial of peter and to the right the resurrection
• North and south sides are narrow and are decorated with interlace on the shaft and figure scenes at the end of the arms and the top of the cross
• The fine detail of this cross is evident from the least weathered panels under the arms of the cross.
• Despite the number of figures and the amount of detail there is no sense of overcrowding.

 Tall Cross 

•  Over 7m tall 
•  Tallest cross in Ireland 
•  Largest number of figure scenes 
•  Scenes appear on all faces 
•  More animated but less detailed and less deeply carved than Muirideach’s Cross

Introduction

Hello, I'm Mo and this is my blog! :D

Right now I am a Leaving Certificate student in Ireland, and sometimes i find it difficult to get good notes. The worst subject has to be Art History, where i have 3 different books and 2 different sets of teacher's note and my essay book... it makes it very hard to revise :S

So, I've made my own notes,  I plan to upload them here for anyone who wants clear and full information for their LC. Some are to be scanned in, colourful in fountain pen, and some are plain and typed.

I cannot guarantee the accuracy of facts as i am merely compiling all the information i was given by textbooks and teachers. I really hope this blog helps people! :D

I study English, Irish, Math, Biology, Chemistry, Accounting, Art and Japanese so expect only notes from those subjects.... and even then don't expect good ones from English or Accounting DX
And of course i will take requests! :D

First up is my Art History Notes that i finished today on Irish High Crosses!

Ganbarimasu(do your best)
Mo xxxx