The Ebbo Gospels and Cy Twombly

In my last post I detailed the "Seven Characteristics of Creative Thinking." In this post I would like to move out of the studio art room and into the Art History AP room. Recently, Ms. J.'s Art History class discussed early medieval art and the Carolingian masterpiece known as the Ebbo Gospels. The Ebbo Gospels are especially notable for their beautifully illustrated pages, created by Benedictine monks near Reims, France. These monks introduced a sort of frenzied, wild energy to their illuminated manuscripts. According to Robert G. Calkins, the poses are nervous and agitated and are most aptly characterized by their "streaky style" executed with "swift brush strokes" (211).

St. Matthew from the Ebbo Gospels, 9th century

Now this is where Ms. J.'s art history lecture gets really interesting! When I took Art History AP, we probably looked at this slide of St. Matthew, turned to a new page in our notebooks and then moved right on to the Lindisfarne Gospels. But Ms. J. interjects into her lectures something known as "20th Century Juxtapositions." Her 20th century comparison for the Ebbo Gospels was the remarkable Cy Twombly. Cy Twombly is primarily known for his early scribble-style painting, somewhat akin to graffiti art, produced on solid color fields.

Untitled 1970

Untitled Part V (A Painting in 9 Parts), 1988

Pan II 1980

Cy Twombly's work is absolutely gorgeous and does indeed seem to evoke the same frenzied energy present in the Ebbo Gospels. And this approach to teaching, the addition of 20th Century Juxtapositions, seems to me to be a representation of the sixth characteristic of Ms. J.'s Seven Characteristics of Creative Thinking. Need a reminder of number six? Here:

6. Seeking Connections - See the similarity between disparate parts.

Perfect!