Art Historian Dr Matthew Whyte offers a new lecture series, which takes the audience on an art-filled journey through the often beautiful, sometimes scandalous, and always fascinating moments in the development of Western civilisation.

The lectures can be attended as a series, but are also designed as standalone talks, which can be attended individually.

In this lecture, we explore the history of Monastic Ireland, examining the visual culture associated with sites such as the Abbey of Kells and other centres of early Christian learning. The lecture considers how trade, travel, and conquest during the Viking raids fostered patterns of visual exchange between Ireland and neighbouring regions, shaping artistic forms, materials, and motifs.