Frankish Art
Who were the Franks?
• One of many Germanic nomads
pushing into Roman Empire
• Most influential barbarian tribe
because they convert to Roman
Catholic Christianity during
Merovingian Dynasty (5th to 8th
century CE)
• Height during Carolingian
Dynasty (8th to 10th century CE)
• Charlemagne revives title of
Holy Roman Emperor
= Roman Empire
= Frankish federation
= Salian Franks 358
= Conquests to 460
= Conquests to 482
= Frankish Kingdom 482
= Conquests to 496
= Conquests to 507
= Frankish Kingdom 511
= Conquests to 537
= Vassal states
= Frankish Kingdom 768
= Conquests to 814
= Loosely held territories
= Losses 798
Ring with a Cross, 6th century CE, Gold filigree, cloisonné cells inset with
garnet;
•
Worn by high ranking men and women
•
Sometimes used as seals but mostly decorative
•
Sophistication of Frankish metalwork
Pair of Bird-Shaped Brooches, 550–600 CE
Gold sheet, cloisonné cells
Brooch with a runic inscription on back
Merovingian, 6th century CE Length: 7.4 cm
Glass drinking-horn
Frankish/Merovingian, 5th century CE
Animal head from Oseberg ship burial,
ca. 825 CE, wood, about five feet tall
Germanic animal style
Belt Buckle, 675–725 CE; Found in Germany; Iron with silver inlays.
Iron and silver buckle Merovingian, 7th century CE
Iron axe-head inlaid with silver
Merovingian, 7th century CE
From Germany Length: 17.5 cm
•A ceremonial or battle axe
•The throwing axe was the favorite weapon of the Franks
•Silver in-lay shows the status/military rank of original owner
Frankish "Claw" Beaker, 400–600 CE
Fragment of a Sarcophagus, 700s CE
•Monogram of Christ (Chi and Ro) along with alpha and omega – common motifs
•Non-Greek speaking sculptor
Equestrian statuette of Charlemagne
9th Century
Bronze,
Maximum height of horse: 21 cm
•Artists took up the Gallo-Roman tradition of casting
and based their works on examples from antiquity