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The Celtic Lady (TM)
What are and are not Celtic Art Motifs
When Celtic knotwork is create the artist/craftsman painstakingly laps one or more line over and under other lines in the belief that each crossed line will add powerful protection to the wearer.
Examine Celtic knotwork and discover if the Artist was able to successfully cross over and under without crossing over (or under) twice.
It is a great challenge for the artist. And some of the best knotworks are created using only one line - this single line symbolized to the Celts that all in the world is connected in some way.
Celtic motifs most commonly recognized are the knotworks, key patterns, and spirals found in the illuminated manuscripts of the Early Medieval Period. The most famous manuscript is the Book of Kells. Some others are the Lindisfarne Gospels, the Book of Durrow, and the Durham Gospels. Before the period of the manuscripts the Celts carved symbol stones and created a wide variety of jewelry for themselves and their horses.
Since the Irish Celts held back the Roman armies from conquering them, they kept alive the Celtic Arts. There have been several revival periods. In the United States one of those revivals happen around the Revolutionary War.
Some design claims to be Celtic which may just have haphazardly placed lines or used a Maltase or Renaissance Cross style. Since Celtic Art is alive it will continue to evolve yet it will retain the influence of the ancient world such as the manuscripts, the Scottish symbol stones, and the spiraled carved stones found in dolmens.
This page is intended to be a brief look at what is a Celtic motif. It does not include all the styles within the 3 types (knotworks, key patterns, and spirals) but should be considered a causal guide to what is and is not Celtic.
CELTIC MOTIFS
Note the balanced geometrics used in the Celtic designs
Spirals are usually in groups of 3 and evenly spaced
Designs claiming to be Celtic
[NOTE: If you like a design then choose that design - art is subjective and each of us has our own opinion.]
Many times crosses are identified as Celtic when they are actually influenced from Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance art.
Sometimes lines are just drawn at random and called Celtic. Most Celtic knotworks found in the illuminated manuscripts following a pattern.
Tribal art is quite popular right now, however, this style of tribal art is often a modern creation and not based on any tribe.
When an artist embarks on creating Celtic art, he or she may spend quite some time just to make sure that the lines over and under lap each other properly. They also will study the patterns found in the manuscripts or carved on the stones. Their designs may be modern interpretations but the style remains true to the ancient Celtic designs.
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COPYRIGHT Susan K. Zalusky, 2008
The Celtic Lady's™™ is Trademark protected.
(This does not imply that the word 'celtic' is trademark protect - only the combination of words that create "Celtic Lady")