The Early Middle Ages
Erica Ness
Moreno Valley High School
AP Art History
Christian Imagery
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Creation
Virgin
Jesus Christ
12 Disciples
4 Evangelists (Gospels)
Crucifixtion
Resurrection
Old Testament and Two Testament
Chronology
• Three Main periods:
–5th – Early 11th Century CE: Early
Midieval
• Early Midieval (Visigoths, Lombards,
Norse, Celts, Saxons) -> Carolingian > Vikings -> Ottonian
–11th – 12th Century CE: Romanesque
–Mid 12th – 10th Century CE: Gothic
Important Dates
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Events Described in Beowulf (6th Century CE)
Death of Muhammad (632 CE)
Moors Conquer Spain (711 – 715 CE)
Charlemagne Crowned Holy Roman Emperor
(800 CE)
• Viking Invade England (866 CE)
• Beginning of Ottonian Rule (936 CE)
Northern European
Anglo-Saxon
Vikings c. 800-1000 C.E.
Beowulf
• Earliest surviving manuscript
of a European epic composed
in Vernacular.
• Strong sense of Christian
morality.
• 2 parts; One he saves the
king of Denmark by
destroying Grendel, Second
he becomes a king.
• Epic ends with the story of
his funeral rites and burial.
Sutton Hoo Purse Cover
Date: c. 630 C.E.
Location: East Angllia, England
Medium: Gold with Garnets and Cloisonne originally on
ivory or bone.
Animal-Head Post
Date: 800-850
Location: Oseberg,
Norway
Medium: Hardwood
The Rok Stone
Date: Early 9th
Century
Location:
Ostergotland,
Sweden
Hiberno-Saxon Art
Stone Crosses
Illuminated Manuscripts
Lion Symbol of Saint
John, From the Book
of Durrow, fol. 191v.
Date: 650-700
Medium:
Illuminated
Manuscript on
Vellum
Tunc Crucifixerant XPI,
from the book of
Kells, fol. 124r.
Date: Late 8th or Early
9th Century
Medium: Illuminated
Manuscript on Vellum
Celtic Cross
Date: Late 8th
Century
Location: Ahenny,
Tipperary, Ireland
Carolingian Period
December 25th, 800
Carlemagne crowned Holy
Roman Emperor
Court School of
Charlemagne, Christ
Blessing, from the
Godescalc Gospels
Date: 781-783
Medium: Text
Written in Gold and
Silver on Vellum
Saint John, From the
Coroniation
Gospels, fol 178v
Date: Late 8th
Century
Medium: Parchment
Four Evangelists,
From a Carolingian
Gospel Book
Date: Early 9th
Century
Location: Palace
Chapel School,
Aachen
Christ in Majesty,
Vivian Bible,
Frontispiece, fol.
329v
Date: 845-846
Medium:
Tempera on
Vellum.
Interior of
Charlemagne’s
Palace Chapel
Architect: Odo of
Metz
Date: 792-805
Location: Aachen
Plan and
Reconstruction
of Charlemagne’s
Palace Chapel
Plan of the
Monastery of
St. Gall,
Switzerland
Date: 820
Reconstruction Model of the Monastery of
St. Gall, Switzerland
Date: c. 820 C.E.
Ottonian Period
Three Rulers named Otto who
stabilized the Holy Roman
Empire
St. Luke, From the
Gospel book of
Otto III
Date: C. 1000
Medium: Tempera
on Vellum
Abbey Church of St. Michael’s, Hildesheim
Date: c. 1001-1031
Plan of St. Michael’s
Interior of St.
Michael’s
Bronze Doors, St.
Michael’s
Date: 1015
Location: Hildesheim,
Germany
Medium: Bronze
Bronze Doors, St. Michael’s
Adam and Eve