Medieval Art 5c-15c
The Middle Ages followed the fall of the Roman
Empire in the 5th century and merged into the
Renaissance.
WATCH ME!
Let’s get it straight, shall we?
The Middle Ages refers to the time period between the 5th and 15th
centuries
Medieval is an adjective that is used to refer to the people, places,
things, and events of that same period.
It is correct to say medieval furniture, medieval art, medieval
philosophy, medieval history, or medieval scholar
It is not correct to say Middle Ages furniture, Middle Ages art,
Middle Ages philosophy, Middle Ages history, or Middle Ages
scholar.
The Middle Ages can be broken up into several time periods…we will be
looking at the Medieval Art and Architecture of…
• Early, high and Late Middle Ages in Europe
• Religious Icons
• Romanesque Art/Architecture
• Gothic Architecture
• Byzantine Empire
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Religious Icons
Byzantine Architecture
@ Beginning of Middle Ages
Medieval Churches & Monestaries
Students should be able to identify the two styles below.
Romanesque
structures featured round arches and heavy
thick walls, small windows like the Roman style (necessary so the
windows do not weaken the structure). A lot of sculptural decorations.
Gothic structures featured pointed arches and have slender feel as
if they soar upward (to Heaven), large stained glass windows filtered
in light and color.
Byzantine structures featured large Domes that cover soaring
spaces, arches and lavish decoration.
Difference between Romanesque and Gothic Artchitecture Video
Byzantine
Hagia Sofia, (eyeya SO-fia)Turkey &
St. Catherines
Monestary, Egypt
Gothic
– St. Patricks, NYC
Romanesque –St. Vitale,
Revenna, Italy
St. Patrick's Cathedral Tour
Characteristics of Medieval Art
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Rich colors
Heavily outlined
Flat and stiff figures showing no depth
Religious Icons
Architecture is influenced by Greek and
Roman – Byzantine, Romanesque and
Gothic styles emerged from this period.
• Mosaics replaced carved decoration
Early Middle Ages
5th century– 10c
• Also called the “Dark Ages”
– Characterized by decline in population, culture,
trade, architectural and technological advances.
– Christianization “age of Faith” influenced art and
architecture
– Monestaries and churches grew in number, size
and political importance
– Focus on Europe
- Romanesque Architecture – 6c -10c
Art of the Early
Middle Ages
Justinian as world conqueror
(Barberini Ivory)
mid-6th century
ivory
1 ft. 1 1/2 in. x 10 1/2 in.
Christ enthroned with Saints
(Harbaville Triptych)
ca. 950 , ivory, 9 1/2 in. x 5 1/2 in. high
Romanesque Architecture
-Thick walls
-Semi circular Arches
-Heavy in visual weight
San Vitale
Ravenna, Italy
526-547
San Vitale
Ravenna, Italy
526-547
Theodora and attendants , south wall apse mosaic,
San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy
ca. 547, mosaic
The Art of Illumination
Illuminated letter PPT by Amy Bruce
Importance of Illuminated Manuscripts
1 - Structure of a Medieval manuscript
2- Making manuscripts
Ninth Century
Ireland's Book of Kells,
the most beautiful
illuminated manuscript
that survives from the
early Middle Ages. It
consists of four Gospels
written in Latin. Only two
of its 680 pages are
without color.
High Middle Ages
10th -13th century
(c.1001-1300)
• Rapidly increasing population = boost in
economy and political organization
• The Rise of Knighthood, Templar
Knights …
• The Crusades –control of the Holy Land
• Produced many forms of artistic works
– Most notable - Gothic Architecture
Glass Window from Troyes Cathedral,
Troyes, France - 1200
Gerona Bible Master, Bologna, Italy, 1285
Historiated initial R from the
frontispiece of a 12th-century
manuscript of St. Gregory's
Moralia in Job, Dijon, Bible
Late Middle Ages
14-15c (c. 1301–1500).
• Great Famine of 1315–1317 and the Black
Death, reduced population by half!
• Social unrest, peasant uprisings, Hundred
Years War
• Conflict within Catholic Church
• Despite conflict and unrest it was a time of
great progress! A resurgence of interest in
Greek/Roman ideals…turning into the “Age of
Discovery” and then Renaissance
One of the finest examples of gothic architecture and most well
known churches in the world – Notre Dame de Paris
• First to use Flying Buttresses (Arched exterior support
system to accommodate higher and thinner walls)
• Famous for the use of water spouts, or
gargoyles
• Completed in 1345
• The “rose window” contains symbolism –
center is blessed virgin mary and child who are
surrounded by prophets and saints.
Christ as Savior of Souls,
early 14th century
tempera, linen and silver on wood
3 ft. 1/4 in. x 2 ft. 2 1/2 in.
Madonna from the
Annunciation, 1340-1344 Simone
Martini, c.1284-1344
Tempera on panel
Late 1400’s mural - dawning on realistic representations and
attempt at perspective
Byzantine Empire
aka Early Christian Art
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3c - 1453
Byzantine Empire – capital city of Constantinople (modern day Turkey)
Series of Monasteries were built on various sites sacred to religious events
Most prosperous and powerful empire in the world during the empire (which fell
to the Ottoman…and the Byz art and culture disappeared)
Architecture has some Near Eastern influence
Byzantine Art
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Mostly Religious Icons
Used Ivory and Gold to show
the strength and power of the
empire How the Religious Icons were made in 2 MINUTES!
Hagia Sophia
***Known as one of the
grandest examples of Byzantine
Architecture.
Rick Steven's Hagia Sophia
A view of the DOME
Hagia Sophia
Constantinpole, (Istanbul), Turkey
532-537
Monastery of St. Catherine
Mount Sinai, Egypt, 6c.
Getty Images of St. Catherines start at 2min
Transfiguration of Jesus
apse mosaic, Church of the
Virgin, Monastery of Saint
Catherine, Mount Sinai,
Egypt, ca. 565, mosaic
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Oldest known monastery
Mt. Sinai in the Sinai peninsula, the peak where Moses received the Ten Commandments
Due to Isolation, the Monks devoted much time to develop art which they believed showed
their devotion to God.
The monastery has one of the largest collections of ancient illuminated manuscripts in the
world, as well as one of the most important collections of Religious icons, or paintings of
important religious events.
6th or 7th century Icon of Jesus and
an abbot shares in the anti-realist
style of Byzantine iconic art,
Monastery of Saint Catherine, Mount
Sinai, Egypt
The Enthroned Virgin and Child with Saints
and Angels, 6th century, perhaps the
earliest iconic image of the subject to
survive at Monastery of Saint Catherine,
Mount Sinai, Egypt
Christ the Savior (Pantokrator), a 6th-century encaustic icon
Other Byzantine Art
Icon with the Virgin and Child,
carved mid–10th–11th century
Byzantine; Probably made in
Constantinople
Ivory; 9 3/16 x 2 3/4 x 1/2 in
St. Catherine Wall
Painting,
Chapel of St.
Nicholas, Pendali,
Greece, 12c
This ICON is believed to have originated in Tuscany c. 1300, and influenced a wide number of paintings from the following
century as well as Florentine sculptures from the 1440–1450s. This version was in turn widely copied across Italy and
northern Europe during the 14th and 15th centuries – THIS WORK SERVED AS A BRIDGE FROM BYZANTINE TO EARLY
RENAISSANCE
Review
Characteristics of Medieval and Byzantine Art
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Rich colors
Heavily outlined
Flat and stiff figures showing no depth
Religious Icons
Architecture is influenced by Greek and Roman Romanesque and Gothic
• Mosaics replaced carved decoration
• Large Domes central to the church
References
http://victoriarestrepo.com/2013/06/0
4/art-history-for-kids-byzantine-art/