Irelands most famous illuminated manuscript, the book of kells, or an leabhar cheanannais, has enchanted me for many years. The secret of kells is a 2009 frenchbelgianirish animated fantasy film animated by cartoon saloon that premiered on 8 february 2009 at the 59th berlin international film festival. The secret of kells is a perfectly unique animated film, literally unlike anything else i can think to name. Yet another sage even states it was done while the monk was working on the book of kells. It was written by an irish monk, and is about his cat.
You must go where i cannot, pangur ban pangur ban, nil sa saol seo ach ceo, is ni bheimid beo, ach seal beag gearr. The book turning darkness into light when iona was. Their favorite element was the character of a cat, pangur ban, who helps move the story along. The art style is like moving illustrations from a book of english fairy tales, and it constantly changes from scene to scene, offering new things to see while keeping the same basic theme. Pangur s bookshelf is still growingplease bookmark us and visit again soon. Others say it was on the back of a page the monk was. Aisling didnt have to do anything to gain pangur bans trust. Isbn 085105 9015, and there are cats in the book of kells. The secret of kells is rated not rated by the mpaa. Yet i have seen beauty thrive in the most fragile of places. In the eighth or ninth century, an unknown irish monk, in a playful respite from his normal work, penned in the.
He was the ninthcentury protagonist of a poem penned by an irish scribe otherwise. Pangur ban is a good example of the clever and playful nature of many insular books. Fay sampson wrote a series of books based on the poem. If you are viewing this by email subscription, youll likely have to link through to the site to view this video, the pangur. The littleknown irish film the secret of kells caught even insiders by surprise when it received a feature animation oscar nomination earlier this year, edging out the likes of ponyo and cloudy with a chance of meatballs.
The secret of kells aislings song pangur ban hd youtube. With as many disparate styles of animation there are in the world, between movies and television programs and the internet, its still impossible to say, kells is just like that. A bright, imaginative and curious 12yearold who leads a sheltered life in the abbey of kells. Wayne craft naturally called his book company pangur ban. The poem speaks of the monk working on copying words into books while his cat keeps him companya very similar premise to the movie where pangur ban watches over the monks creating the book of kells. Reminds me of the joke told to me in a dublin pub in 1980 when i first saw the book of kells. The four evangelists, from the book of kells courtesy of brian keller. It also draws heavily on irish folklore and medieval irish poetry, with the inclusion of aisling and a lovable cat named pangur ban. This tutorial is going to be on how to draw pangur ban, step by step. The most beautiful moment in the movie is when the faerie girl aisling sings to pangur ban.
Elements that make it too flat are the outlines and mostly the absent. This is one of the most gorgeous and visually inventive movies ive ever seen. Brendan is curious about the mysterious illuminator and the book that turns darkness into light the unfinished book of kells. You can sort of hedge around, with its kind of this. The film details the mysterious origins of the book of kells and includes, as a fun bonus, the irish cat pangur ban. Tens of thousands of hours of work by monks huddled over their desks, copying text and adding illustrations of their own making. Well first, we wont believe it was written while working. Pangur ban and early irish monks posted on february 14, 2015 by joanslack this poem by an irish scholar is one of my favorites, and brings to life the tasks of those who worked on psalters such as the book of kells. The book of kells was sent to dublin around 1653 for reasons of security during the cromwellian period. Spilled some ink on the last one, so ive started a chirho, with some zoomorphics for decoration, so far 7 of the 9 panels of the x are filled, i plan on surrounding it with spirals and maybe some. Aisling also used pangur ban to help brendan escape from his room when abbot cellach locked him, and pangur ban didnt even hesitate. The verse also provides an inspiration for the acclaimed 2009 animated flick the secret of kells. In the book of kells these are perhaps visual marginalia a reflection of the everyday realities faced in. In this weeks podcast we look at the beautiful cartoon secret of kells, and how it encourages us to respond to evil, death, and sadness not with fear and self preservation, but with light and with beauty.
If it contained only the most beautiful and important books produced by irish insular monks of that era, if might have included this virtual collection. Pangur ban and the book of kells blogging from the bog. Pangur ban, white cat in the secret of kells movie. Here you may see the face of majesty, divinely drawn, here the my. Evil uncreates, destroys, and brings chaos, but goodness, creates, orders, and brings beauty. Such was their value, that there was an entire set of laws, the catslechtae catsections outlining the fines attached to the stealing, injuring or killing a persons cat.
A young monks dedication to books and knowledge spurs his. The creators did a great job of blending ancient irish mythology with early christianera legends to make a engaging and memorable story. After brendan explains that he means the book no harm. There is no way that you can deny how cute pangur ban is. Using the scrollwork designs and microscopic detailing of the book of kells, an illuminated manuscript of the four gospels likely dating to the early 8th century, the secret of kells. I actually made a beautiful easter basket with it and the secret of kells movie, a book of kells, and just for the heck of it a color your own book of kells coloring book which has very interact pages. It went into wide release in belgium and france on 11 february, and ireland on 3 march. Song for pangur ban with lyrics and translation from the secret of kells. She has been with aidan for a very long time, and, as implied by the prequel comic, may have even been with aidans teacher, st.
The unknown eighth or ninthcentury irish monk who, in a playful respite from his normal work, penned in the margins of a latin new testament manuscript an affectionate ode in his native tongue to the mousecatching prowess of his white cat would. In 2009 the flatiron film company released an animated film, the secret of kells, which is inspired by a mix of history, celtic mythology, magic and fantasy. Pangur ban is an old irish poem, written about the 9th century at or around reichenau abbey. Id heard of ancient monks of course round towers, book of kells, illuminated manuscripts, the whole kit and caboodle. The text is a retelling of the medieval poem about a monk working on his illuminated manuscript and comparing his own work to that done by his companion, the patient and relentless white mouser pangur ban. Music brought me to doolin and county clare, but it was a. Some sources say it was found in the margins of a manuscript in the monastery of st paul, carinthia, austria. At first, pangur ban was quite dismissive of brendan, and reacted hostilely when he tried to look at the book of iona. Pangur ban written by an unknown ninth century monk. Brendan and pangur ban, the white cat, walk together in the mysterious, forbidden forest. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. For the film, the artists drew from the scrollwork designs and microscopic detailing of the book. Pangur ban is a white cat with one blue eye and one green eye which indicates magic. Art of the secret of kells part 1 november 16, 2016 cdr.
Brendans life is in frequent peril from vicious wolves, marauding vikings, and a monstrous snakelike creature. The last line of the poem relates how the monk is turning darkness into light, an underlying theme of the film. Monks of the middle ages were not all chant and no play. The aspect of the secret of kells thats most noteworthy is the visuals. I hope you will join me once again with another fun lesson. The lighthearted poem pangur ban shows one 9thcentury monks delight in his feline companion, fancifully comparing the cats chasing mice to his own pursuit of knowledge. Cats in the book of kells the book of kells futurelearn. In popular irish lore, cats had been created by god to restrict the mouse population on noahs ark, and in so doing protect the food required to sustain its passengers. Without doubt however, the most famous medieval cat was pangur ban. The secret of kells lovingly pays tribute to the history and artistry of the book of kells while weaving a clever, fun story.
How to draw pangur ban from secret of kells by dawn. Pangur ban poetry irish culture and customs world cultures. Word of god says here that tomm moores thinking of doing a short film on aisling or pangur ban, but hes hesitant about it because of peoples headcanons. Its a modern image loosely based on the cat from the book of kells. A new chapter and an old verse for the secret of kells. Ancient book inspires classic animation of the secret of.
The secret of kells original title or brendan and the secret of kells is an irishbelgianfrench coproduction directed by tomm moore at cartoon saloon, the studio behind skunk fu a fictionalized version of the history of the book of kells, the story focuses on brendan, a young monk wanting to join his fellow monks in working on illuminating texts. Although the poem is anonymous, it bears similarities to the poetry of sedulius scottus, prompting speculation that sedulius is the author. After brendan explains that he means the book no harm, pangur ban relents and they become friends. Pangur ban, white pangur, is the cats name, pangur meaning a fuller. Pangur ban is a white cat from the movie the secret of kells. In the 2009 animated movie the secret of kells, which is heavily inspired by irish.
Pangur ban is probably the most famous surviving poem from early ireland. Pangur ban worked at chasing mice as the scribe worked at his manuscriptthe poem, about white pangur, ended up in the margin of his project. The film contains some frightening depictions of villages being attacked and burned by invaders. Music brought me to doolin and county clare, but it was a very different art form that first brought me to dublin. At the time that the book of kells was made domestic cats were a highstatus possession, owned principally by the elite. It came to trinity college through the agency of henry jones, after he became bishop of meath in 1661. Sweet song to help free brendan from the tower his uncle has him locked in in english and irish gaelic.
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