Europe After the Fall of Rome
Early Medieval Art in the West
Map of Early Medieval Europe
Viking Routes
Ship Burials
Then Scyld departed at the destined hour, that powerful man sought the Lord's
protection. His own close companions carried him down to the sea, as he, Lord
of the Danes, had asked while he could still speak.
That well-loved man had ruled his land for many years. There in the harbour
stood the ring-prowed ship, the prince's vessel, shrouded in ice and eager to
sail; and then they laid their dear lord, the giver of rings, deep within the ship by
the mast in majesty; many treasures and adornments from far and wide were
gathered there.
I have never heard of a ship equipped more handsomely with weapons and wargear, swords, and corselets, on his breast lay countless treasures that were to
travel far with him into waves' domain.
They gave him great ornaments, gifts no less magnificent than those men had
given him long before, when they sent him alone, child as he was, across the
stretch of the seas.
Then high above his head they placed a golden banner and let the waves bear
him, bequeathed him to the sea, their hearts were grieving, their minds
mourning. Mighty Men beneath the heavens, rulers in the hall, cannot say who
received that cargo.
Beowulf
16-1: Frankish looped fibula
• Sixth to 7th centuries CE; 10
cm long.
• Silver gilt worked in filigree
• Inlays of garnets and other
stones
• Similar fibulae may be seen in
the Emperor Justinian’s image
from San Vitale (Gardner,1210) and other contemporary
portraits.
16-2: Purse Cover from Sutton Hoo
• Purse cover from the Sutton Hoo ship burial in Suffolk,
England.
• Gold, glass, and enamel cloisonné with garnets and
emeralds. 18 cm
long, British Museum, London.
16-3: Oseberg Ship Burial (c. 825 CE)
16-4: Portal, Stave Church, Urnes, Norway
• Wood carved entry to
the Stave Church at
Urnes, Norway, c.
1050-1070.
• These images drawn
from nature represent
the pinnacle of Viking
art.
• Note the use of
intertwined and animal
forms.
16-5: St. Matthew from Book of Durrow
• Man (symbol of St.
Matthew),
folio 21 verso of the Book
of
Durrow, possibly from
Iona
Scotland, c. 660-680 CE.
• “Carpet” page, ink and
tempera on parchment,
Trinity
College, Dublin.
• Note resemblance to
cloisonné jewelry.
16.6: Cross and Carpet Page
• Cross and carpet page,
folio 26 verso of the
Lindisfarne Gospels,
from Northumbria,
England, c. 698-721 CE.
• Tempera on vellum,
British Library, London.
• Note resemblance to
Persian and other
ornamental carpets
The Book of Kells
• Cross and carpet
page
from the Book of
Kells,
probably from Iona,
Scotland, late 8th,
early 9th century.
• The cross is the
cross
of the Patriarchs, a
Byzantine design.
16-7: Chi-rho-iota page, Book of Kells
• Chi-rho-iota page folio
34 recto, Book of Kells,
probably from Iona,
Scotland, late 8th,
early 9th century.
• Tempera on vellum,
Trinity College,
Dublin.
• Elaborate example of
an illuminated capital.
16-8 Saint Matthew, Lindisfarne Gospels
• Image of St. Matthew,
folio 25 verso
Lindisfarne Gospels,
from Northumbria,
England, c. 698-721 CE.
• Tempera on vellum,
British Library, London.
• Note resemblance to
Byzantine icons; it was
probably copied from an
Italian manuscript.
Saint Mark, Lindisfarne Gospels
• Image of St. Mark,
Lindisfarne Gospels,
from Northumbria,
England, c. 698-721
CE.
• Tempera on vellum,
British Library,
London.
• Note resemblance to
Byzantine icons
16-9 The Scribe Ezra
• The Scribe Ezra,
folio 5 recto of the
Codex Amiatinus,
from Jarrow,
England, c. 689-716.
• Tempera on vellum.
Biblioteca MediceaLaurenziana,
Florence, Italy.
16-10 High Cross of Muiredach
• High Cross of
Muiredach,
Monasterboice,
Louth, Ireland, 923
CE, about 5 metres
high.
16-1: Charlemagne
• Equestrian portrait of
Charlemagne (?).
• Early 9th century,
Metz, Germany,
bronze - originally
gilded.
• Compare to the
image of Marcus
Aurelius (10-59).
Charlemagne
• On Christmas Day,
800 CE, Pope Leo
III crowned
Charles the Great
(Charlemagne)
King of the Franks,
emperor of Rome.
• He became known
as the Holy Roman
Emperor
16-12: St. Matthew
• St. Matthew, folio
15
recto of the
Coronation
Gospels (Gospel
Book of
Charlemagne), c.
800.
• The style of this
image is
Byzantine or
Italianate,
not Frankish.
16-13: St. Matthew
• St. Matthew, folio 18
verso of the Ebbo
Gospels (Gospel Book
of Archbishop Ebbo of
Reims), c. 820.
• The style of this image
is distinctly Frankish,
much more
impassioned and
psychological.
The Two St. Matthews
16-14: The Utrecht Psalter
16-15: Psalter of Charles the Bald, c. 865 (left)
16-16: Lindau Gospels, c. 870. (right)
16-18 Palatine Chapel of
Charlemagne
• Designed by Odo of Metz
for Charlemagne.
• Built in Aix-la-chapelle
(Aachen) 792-805.
• Design reflects many
elements of San Vitale in
Ravenna, which
Charlemagne often
visited, but is simpler and
more robust.
16-19 Torhalle, Lorsch, Germany
• Built in the 9th
century.
• Gate to Lorsch
Monastery.
• Style reflects
both the
triumphal arches
and the city
gates built by the
Romans.
16-22: Abbey Church of St.
Pantaleon
• Ottonian architectural
style; built 966-980 in
Cologne, Germany.
• The twin tall steeples on
the west wall are a
Frankish innovation that
would be later seen in
Gothic churches.
• Note the interplay of
various geometric shapes
in the design.
16-23: Abbey Church of St.
Michael’s
• Ottonian architectural
style; built 1001-1031 in
Hildesheim, Germany.
• St Michael’s Hildesheim
is a basilica-style design
with two narrow
transepts.
• Note the differing
treatment of the east and
west apses.
16-23: Abbey Church of St. Michael’s
16-24: Abbey Church of St. Michael’s
• Nave of St Michael’s
Hildesheim.
• This structure is taller
in
proportion to its width
than traditional
Roman
basilicas.
• Note the alternating
light
and heavy wall
supports.
16-25: Abbey Church of St. Michael’s
• Bronze doors of St Michael’s
Hildesheim.
• Cast as a single panel using the
lost
wax technique (cire perdu).
• Detail: expulsion of Adam and
Eve.
16-26: Abbey Church of St. Michael’s
• Bronze column
with
reliefs depicting
the
life of Christ, c.
1015-1022.
• Note the similarity
to
the spiral narrative
of
such Roman
victory
columns, as
Trajan’s
column in
Rome.(right)
16-27: Crucifix, Cologne Cathedral
• Commissioned by
Archbishop Gero for
Cologne Cathedral, c.
970.
• Carved and painted
wood
(oak), approximately two
metres tall.
• Similar to Byzantine
images of Christ’s
passion
but more emotionally
intense.
16-28: Annunciation to the Shepherds
• Lectionary of Henry II,
Reichenau, Germany,
1002-1014.
• Tempera on vellum.
• The imagery, similar to
Byzantine icons,
emphasises the power
and
majesty of God’s
authority.
• Expresses strong
emotional impact.
16-29: Otto III Enthroned
• Otto III, the last of the
Ottonian rulers, shown
flanked by clergy and the
barons, in the Gospel Book
of Otto III, tempera on
vellum, c. 1000.
• As Holy Roman Emperor,
he dreamed of a revived
Christian Roman Empire.
• He died at 21 and was
buried alongside
Charlemagne.