Carmina Gadelica as Visual Art
The first edition of Carmina Gadelica, collected, edited and translated by Alexander Carmichael, was published in 1900. It has initials and other decorations by Alexander's wife Mary Carmichael, and it can be seen as a reappropriation of Celtic art by the Gàidhealtachd. These and related initials were quite widely used for example by Edward Dwelly on the title page of his Dictionary.
Mary Carmichael drew inspiration both from the time of The Book of Kells, and from later Highland, Irish, and possibly Welsh work up to the sixteenth century. For example, the imagery of The Book of Deer is directly drawn upon. [See image]