The Middle Ages – c. 814
Middle Ages Era
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481 CE – First Catholic King Clovis unites
the Franks – forms Frankish Kingdom in
Gaul – establishes the Merovingian Dynasty
6th century CE – Pope Gregory the Great
implements chant as the standard form of
church music – calls it plainchant (later
called Gregorian Chant)
600 – 1050 CE – Period called the Early
Middle Ages
750 CE – The first English Epic poem –
Beowulf – is written
750 CE – Irish monks produce the Book of
Kells
Middle Ages Era
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800 CE – Charlemagne is crowned Holy
Roman Emperor by Pope on Christmas Day
– start of Holy Roman Empire
871 CE – Alfred the Great unifies England
and writes first code of laws for English
people
11th century CE – Song of Roland is written
in France – one of earliest French written
poems – national epic of France
1050 – 1200 CE – Medieval Era also called
Romanesque Era in Art History
Romanesque Era
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11th – 14th century CE – Troubadours appear in
Provence (southern France) and spread through
Europe – singing songs and telling stories of epic
romances and chivalry (Holy Grail, etc)
1066 CE – William the Conqueror invades and
conquers England from Normandy (France)
1079 CE – Scholasticism develops as new form of
philosophy combining Aristotle with Medieval
thought
12th century CE – pilgrimage routes are established
throughout Europe and the Holy Land for people to
visit Holy sights and relics
Middle Ages Art
Characteristics
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Decayed style
Faulty proportions (arms, legs, head
too large)
Focus on symbol not style
Focus on the power of the Church
Religious themes (mainly Christian)
Barbarian Art
Frankish (Merovingian) Looped Fibula
6th - 7th Centuries
France
Craftwork
silver gilt worked in filigree with inlays of
garnets and other stones
4 in. long
Merovingian art is a combination of French and
German styles
Briton/Dane Art
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Purse Cover
7th century CE
Sutton Hoo, England
Craftwork
Animal pattern
Man with animals on
either side and birds in
middle
Ivory background with
garnet, gold and
enamel
Sutton Hoo Ship Burial
and Artifacts
Burial Ship
ca. 825
Oseberg, Norway
Sculpture
wood
75 1/2 ft. long
Viking rulers were usually buried in their ships
Animal-Head Post
ca. 825
Oseberg, Norway
Sculpture
approximately 5 in. high
Intricate woodwork is typical of Norse art
Cross and Carpet page from Lindisfarne
Gospels
ca. 698 – 721
Northumbria, England
Illuminated manuscript
Artist: Eadfrith
Intertwining so intricate almost impossible to
tell that some of the shapes are animals
Sort of a sacred riddle
Chi-rho-iota page
800 CE
Iona, Scotland
Illuminated Manuscript
From the Book of Kells
Created on Scottish island by Irish monks
Considered the masterpiece of illuminated
manuscripts
High Cross of Muiredach
ca. 923
Monasterboice, Ireland
Sculpture
16 ft. high
Typical of Celtic weaving patterns
Considered masterpiece of Celtic stonework
Middle Ages Art
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Interior of Palace
Chapel
792 – 805 CE
Aachen, Germany
Architecture
Artist: Odo of Metz
Palace of Charlemagne
Built on plans of
Constantine’s Lateran
Basilica to show
Charlemagne’s power
and attachment to
Rome
Palace Chapel of
Charlemagne
Equestrian portrait of Charlemagne(?)
early 9th century
Metz, France
Sculpture
bronze, originally gilt
9 1/2 in. high
Gold has worn off
St. Matthew from Coronation Gospels
ca. 800-810
Aachen, Germany
Illuminated Manuscript
12 3/4 x 10 in.
This Bible was made to commemorate
Charlemagne’s coronation as Holy Roman
Emperor
Saint Matthew from Ebbo Gospels
ca. 816 – 835
Hautvillers, France
Illuminated Manuscript
10 1/4 x 8 3/4 in.
Almost modern art like as compared to
Coronation Gospels created less than 10 years
earlier
Middle Ages Art
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St. John
800 – 810 CE
Aachen, Germany
Illuminated Manuscript
Sense of Roman style still
appears
From Charlemagne’s
Coronation Gospel
Saint John from Ebbo Gospels
ca. 816 – 835
Hautvillers, France
Illuminated manuscript
10 1/4 x 8 3/4 in.
Less than 10 years difference but totally
different in style and skill from Coronation
Gospels
Psalm 44 of the Utrecht Psalter
ca. 820 – 835
Hautvillers, France (near Reims)
Illuminated Manuscript
1 ft. 1 in. x 9 7/8 in.
Hautvillers was the most prolific scriptorium in
Europe
Masterwork of Carolingian manuscripts
Middle Ages Art
Plan of a monastery
Middle Ages Art
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Front Cover from
Lindau Gospels
870 CE
Lindau, Germany
Craftwork
Also made at Reims
scriptorium
Gold work with
encrusted jewels
Masterpiece of gold
work
Torhalle (gatehouse)
9th century
Lorsch, Germany
Architecture
Typical Carolingian style architecture
Abbey Church of St. Michael’s
ca. 1001-1031
Hildesheim, Germany
Architecture
Interior is considered masterpiece of Ottonian
Art
Abbey Church of St. Michael’s - Interior
ca. 1001-1031
Hildesheim, Germany
Typical basilica plan – painted roof is
exceptional
Gero Crucifix
ca. 970
Cologne Cathedral, Germany
Sculpture
commissioned by Archbishop Gero
6 ft. 2 in. high
Considered early middle ages sculptural
masterpiece
The end ….
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Next lecture … Romanesque