Author(s): Felix Muller

Art

Celtic art is at once magnificent and mysterious. The mastery of Celtic artists in the areas of metalwork and textiles is well known, but the term 'Celtic art' covers a much broader terrain. Archaeological traces have been discovered from Scotland to Turkey, and from Galicia to Hungary. Influenced by Greek and Etruscan art, the Celts created a new formal language, one that reached its apex in Central Europe between the 5th and the 3rd century BCE. Its traditions survived the Roman Empire and experienced a renaissance in Irish illuminated manuscripts around 700 CE. Celtic art was Northern Europe's first major contribution to the art of Europe. This comprehensive book brings together the ancient Celts' finest treasures: masterpieces from fourteen centuries that span the full breadth of Europe. Digital images and archaeological evidence bring Celtic ornamentation both enigmatic and highly sophisticated to life for both reader and visitor. The catalogue also provides an overview of the social and political context of the Celts, as well as exquisitely photographed images of Celtic masterworks.
Publication coincides with the exhibition of the same name at the Historisches Museum, Berne (18 June-18 October 2009) and at the Landesmuseum Wurttemberg, Stuttgart (***)