Prof Pádraig Ó Macháin
(School of Celtic Studies, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies)
At an informal talk on the development of ISOS (Irish Script on Screen
http://www.isos.dias.ie), will formally launch the prototype of the database of the
Christ on the Cross Project:
COIRP
Tuesday, 18 January, 5pm ORB 212
COIRP – CORPUS OF IRISH REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PASSION
The Old Irish corp (Latin corpus) is used as early as the mid eighth-century Würzburg glosses to refer
to the Eucharist, and continued to be used in metaphorical senses in phrases such as ‘in oentaid
coirp Crist’ (in unity with the body of Christ). Its generic meaning of body, or sometimes, corpse, did
not reference Christ’s body specifically, but that of any human. Yet depictions of the human body in
early medieval Ireland are few. Indeed, in artwork from this period, the body of Christ on the cross
is almost our only evidence for an interest in depicting the human form. Such depictions, by their
very uniqueness, emphasise the centrality of the body in Christ’s sacrifice for our salvation, a
sacrifice re-enacted daily in the liturgy of the monasteries which housed these monuments. The
body of Christ is found both on the cross, and in the bread upon the altar – the word corp applies to
both. It is on Christ’s body as depicted in human form, albeit referencing his divinity also, that this
visual/material element of our project concentrates. The COIRP database assembles all the known
representations of Christ’s crucifixion from the period c.800-1200, to provide an accessible database
of stone sculpture (such as high crosses), metalwork (such as Crucifixion plaques) and manuscript
images.