Celtic art the term refers to a number of styles that developed in the British Isles and Gaul (modern France) between 400BC and 900AD, during the Iron Age and early Medieval period. It is also known as Insular art and includes highly sophisticated metalwork, illuminated manuscripts and stone monuments such as pillar and cross slabs, which were created by indigenous cultures in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.
Towards the end of this period there was an explosion of artistic activity in Ireland, which produced some of the most magnificent illuminated manuscripts and carved stone crosses in existence.
The earliest evidence for these exquisite artworks comes from Ireland itself, from a style of decoration found on early Christian crosses called “Carpet pages”. The name reflects their intricate decoration in low relief on a smooth background. But where did this tradition come from? What inspired it? How did it reach its apogee?
The roots of celtic art are found among the La Tene Celts who occupied much of central Europe before they were absorbed into the Roman Empire. In fact, one famous object – arguably the most famous object in world history – shows how deeply rooted these influences were: The Gundestrup Cauldron, discovered near Jutland in Denmark in 18
In short, there is no real evidence that the Celts were particularly artistic. The fact that they decorated nearly everything they could get their hands on with intricate carvings and designs to show off how well-off they were is a point against them being particularly creative.
The celtic art style is mentioned because it became famous as such, with very little regard to the cultural origin of the style. Artists outside of Ireland and Scotland began to imitate what they thought was a uniquely Celtic style, even though there was no evidence for this claim.
The celtic art style can be found in Irish manuscripts from the 6th century A.D., but these are some of the earliest examples of any kind of artwork from Ireland or any other country in Europe.
The influence of the Celts was widespread and extremely long-lived. The Celtic art, or more accurately Celtic decorative styles, are still very popular today. Their influence is noticeable in various areas, especially in the graphic design, fine arts and architecture.
But what makes the art so popular? To answer this question we should learn how it all started.
The Celts started to emerge around the late 6th century BC. The Celts were originally an Indo-European tribe who migrated westward from central Europe and spread their culture throughout large parts of Europe and Asia. The term “Celtic” was used for the first time by Julius Caesar in his book “De Bello Gallico”, meaning “Celtic Gauls”, to refer to the non-Romanized populations of Gaul (modern France), Britain and Ireland.
The celtic society wasn’t based on slavery but on a clan system instead. The clan members would share everything, including women, children, land and animals. All decisions were made by a small council of elders which consisted of a chieftain and his advisers. They often had great power over their people and were even worshipped like gods after their death!
Celtic art is the term given to a style of art common in Iron Age Europe. Appearing in the 5th century BC, its influence lasted for about 1000 years, during which time it spread over much of Western Europe. The art was produced by populations of the Hallstatt (800-500 BC) and La Tène (500-50 BC) cultures, which were among the earliest farming societies in Europe. From the Mediterranean to Scandinavia and from Galatia eastward to the Black Sea its use was widespread, with traditions especially rich in Brittany, Ireland and Britain.
In addition to being produced by these Celtic-speaking peoples, there are also examples of Lepontic, Etruscan and Greek versions of the style. It is one of the main periods in Celtic art.
The style is noted for its highly disciplined and intricate designs which are often abstract patterns, though human and animal forms are also found. The work shows an appreciation of both balance and form as well as a high level of technical skills: there is generally little or no shading and little use of colour. These features give rise to a wide range of speculations about their possible meaning or purpose: they may have been purely decorative or designed to be tattooed on the
The celtic art is a decoration of the later Iron Age, which covers a period from about 1000 BC to the Roman conquest of Britain in the 1st century. It is often characterized by spirals and interlace patterns, the use of the color black and the prominence of treatments on the surface or with precious metals.
Tribal art has been created since prehistoric times basically everywhere in Europe, but today we can only speak of Celtic art when referring to specific artistic styles that are typical of Western Europe between 1000 BC and 100 AD. No one knows exactly what was its origin or why it spread during late antiquity, but most experts agree that it was an artistic expression of people belonging to closely related ethnic groups who spoke related languages, namely those who gave rise to modern Brittany, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
This style of art was created by Celts (or Gaulish Celts) who were living in Europe during Iron Age, which covers a period from about 1200 B.C. until 50 A.D., when Roman Empire conquered many regions settled by Celtic tribes: Italy (including Rome), Spain (including Spain), France (including Paris), Portugal and England (including London).
The Celts were so influential that contributed to the formation of Europe as
The Celts were a large group of people in the ancient times, who lived in the regions that are now France, Germany, Italy and Spain. At one point they occupied a much wider area than this including England, Ireland and Wales. The art that these people created was known as Celtic Art, which was a combination of art styles from different tribes within the large Celtic community.
Celtic Art is also referred to as Insular Art. This name derives from the fact that it flourished in Ireland and Britain. Some historians who study this kind of art are called Celticists.
Celtic art emerged from the native art of Iron Age Europe and had much in common with other forms of ancient European art. It is characterized by elaborate and richly decorated gold jewelry, and uses stylized, curvilinear ornamentation.
The patterns used in Celtic Art consist mainly of spirals, lobes, interlace patterns and geometric shapes. These patterns are thought to have been influenced by trade with eastern countries such as Greece and Rome. The style of decoration found on Celtic artifacts (jewelry especially) was usually extremely complex and included many abstract designs based on naturalistic elements like animals or plants.
Celtic art is an art which has its origins in the people who inhabited most of western Europe between the Iron Age and the Roman conquest.
Celtic art was the style of art produced by these people, especially that of the Iron Age and Roman Britain.
The term “Celtic” refers to this branch of Iron Age people more than to their art, which is also often referred to as Insular art, meaning “island” or “coastal” (referring to Ireland and Great Britain).
The Celts lived mostly in modern-day France, Ireland and the United Kingdom, but also had a large territory in central Europe. Their culture was originally tribal, but during the 1st millennium BC began to coalesce into roughly regional artistic styles. By the 6th century BC, with the expansion of Celtic tribes into Spain and southeastern France, a distinct Gallo-Roman style had emerged. While the La Tene style (from La Tene on Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland) is most commonly associated with “Celtic” culture, it was not universally used among Celtic tribes; indeed, some tribes were culturally influenced by the Greeks and Romans (especially in southern Gaul), and produced their own unique styles.