Chapter 14
Early Medieval Art In Europe
• The term Middle Ages refers mainly to the
history of Christian and Jewish Europe
between the fall of Rome and the
Renaissance, around 400-1500 AD.
Historians usually divide this into three
smaller periods, the Early Middle Ages,
the High Middle Ages, and the Late Middle
Ages.
The Visigoths
• Also known as the Goths, were a barbaric
tribe. Living on the delta of the Danube
River, their kingdom was inherited by
Alaric I.
Eagle Brooch Spain
6th Century. Gilt,
Bronze, crystal,
garnets, and other
gems. 5 1/2”
The Norse
• The last great waves of European migrations began in
the eighth century and picked up dramatically in the ninth
and tenth centuries. This time it was a group of relatively
sedentary Germanic tribes in the northernmost reaches
of Europe, the Norsemen. These were really not one
ethnic group, but an entire spectrum of peoples speaking
many different languages. For all that, the principal
Norsemen that raided and emigrated out of Northern
Europe were Norwegians and Danish. Again, however,
these are not single ethnic groups—the Danes, for
instance, were an entire set of different peoples.
The Celts and Anglo-Saxons
• Europe throughout most of the historical period was
dominated by a single cultural group, a powerful,
culturally diverse group of peoples, the Celts. By the
start of the Middle Ages, the Celts had been struck on
two fronts by two very powerful cultures, Rome in the
south, and the Germans, who were derived from Celtic
culture, from the north.
• This monolithic culture spread from Ireland to Asia Minor
(the Galatians of the New Testament). The Celts even
sacked Rome in 390 BC and successfully invaded and
sacked several Greek cities in 280 BC. Though the Celts
were preliterate during most of the classical period, the
Greeks and Romans discuss them with disdain.
• The Angle, Saxon, and Jute tribes who
invaded Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries
are known as the Anglo-Saxons. They left
their homelands in northern Germany,
Denmark and northern Holland and rowed
across the North Sea in wooden boats.
Gummersmark
brooch, Denmark.
6th century. Silver
gilt, height 5" (14.6
cm).
Nationalmuseet,
Copenhagen
Purse cover, from the Sutton Hoo burial ship, Suffolk,
England. c. 615 - 30. Cloisonné plaques of gold, garnet,
and checked enamel, length 8" (20.3 cm). The British
Museum, London.
Man (symbol of St
Matthew), from Book of
Durrow. c. 660-680
Chi Rho Iota page,
Book of Matthew,
Book of Kells.
Tempera on velum,
late 8th or early 9th
century
Probably the earliest group of
ringed high crosses, the Ossory
group includes these two fine
high crosses, the North and
South Cross at Ahenny in Co
Tipperary. Found at the
monastic site of Kilclispeen
these two crosses imitate the
earlier wooden crosses which
were encased with a metal
binding, the stone bosses
imitate the studs which would
have covered the rivets that
held the metal and wooden
crosses together.
Left: Began by Maius of Escalade, finished by Emeterius, “Emeterius
and Senior next to the Tower of Tabara,” Tabara Apocalypse, 970
Right: Heavenly Jerusalem from the Morgan Beatus, ca. 940-945
Battle of the Bird and the
Serpent, Commentary on
the Apocalypse by Beatus
and Commentary on
Daniel by Jerome.
Monastery of San
Salvador at Tabara, Leon,
Spain July 6, 975
Tempera on Parchment
15 ¾” x 10 ¼”
Charlemagne’s Palace
•
The creation of a "New Rome" was Charlemagne's guiding vision
when he began the construction of the Palace Chapel in the former
Roman spa resort Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) in ca. 786 - laying the
foundation stone for one of Europe's oldest Northern stone buildings.
The cathedral obtained its present shape in the course of more than a
millennium. The core of the Aachen cathedral is the formerly
mentioned Palace Chapel - at the time of its construction it was the
largest church north of the Alps. Its fascinating architecture with
Classical, Byzantine and Germanic-Franconian elements is the
essence of a monumental building of greatest importance. It was
modeled after the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna. For 600 years,
from 936 to 1531, Aachen cathedral was the church of coronation for
30 German kings. In order to bear the enormous flow of pilgrims in the
Gothic period a choir hall was built: a two-part Capella vitrea (glass
chapel) which was consecrated on the 600th day of Charlemagne's
death.
Interior of the
Palatine Chapel of
Charlemagne,
Aachen, Germany.
792-805
In 786-787 A.D. Pope
Hadrian authorized
Charlemagne to
transport marble from
Italy to Aachen. In 798,
the precious ancient
columns were erected in
the church. The delivery
of the relics in 799 / 800
assured the completion
of the building.
Cutaway view of the
Palatine Chapel of
Charlemagne,
Aachen
Monastery church of
St Riquier, Centula,
France. c. 800
Schematic plan for monastery at St. Gall, Switzerland. c. 819
St. Matthew from
the Coronation
Gospels, 795-819
A.D.
St Matthew, from the
Ebbo Gospels.
c. 816-835 ink and
tempera on vellum,
10 1/4 x 8 3/4"
Illustrations to Psalms 43
and 44, from the Utrecht
Psalter. c. 820 - 832
43:22 “Because for thy sake we are killed all the day long: we are
counted as sheep for the slaughter”; 43:23: “Arise, why sleepest thou,
O Lord?”; 43:25: “For our soul is humbled down to the dust: our belly
cleaveth to the earth.”
Crucifixion, front
cover of Lindau
Gospels. c. 870
Early Medieval
(Carolingian) Gold,
precious stones, and
pearls, 1' 1 3/8" x 10
3/8"
Viking Era
• Nearly all Viking Age art is applied art, that
is, the decoration of a wide variety of
objects used in daily life. However,
woodcarvers, sculptors and metalworkers
brought a dynamism and inventiveness to
their task which has left a rich legacy of
extravagant animal ornament.
• Most of the finest surviving examples of art
from the early Viking Age have been found
in graves, especially on jewelry and
weapons, while later Viking art is best
represented on objects from silver hoards,
from the developing towns and on the
Scandinavian runestones. There are also
small-scale carvings in other materials amber, jet, bone, walrus ivory and, where
it survives, wood - which remind us both of
the skills of the Scandinavian craftsmen
and of how well suited Viking Age animal
motifs were to their purpose.
Oseberg ship of Oseberg ship-burial. 1st half 9th century
Gripping Beasts,
Detail of Oseberg
Ship
c. 815 - 820
Royal Rune Stone, Ordered by King Harald Bluetooth
Jelling, Denmark. 983 – 985. Granite height about 8’
Carved as
memorials to King
Gorm "the Old"
and Queen Thyri,
over a thousand
years ago, these
two stones stand
in the yard of a
Romanesque
church in Jelling,
Denmark, an old
Viking royal site.
One of the stones,
the smaller one, is
considered to be
the birth
certificate of
Denmark.
Inscribed in Old Norse, Younger Futhark, a form of Germanic Celtic Ogham,
the oldest of the Rune Stones was raised by the first King of all of Danmark,
King Gorm the Old, in memory of his wife Thyra (Thyrvé) who he referred to
as Denmark's Salvation.
The largest of the Rune Stones was raised by
the son of King Gorm and Queen Thyra,
Harald Bluetooth, in their memory. It
celebrates the union of Danmark and
Norway; as well as, the offspring of their
Sangreal Christ Lineage. The Danes were
followers of the true teachings of Christ
under the auspices of Apostle Mary
Magdalene, and the Gospel according to
Mary; rather than, the teachings of Apostle
Peter and the prevailing by brute force
Christian doctrine of the times.
• Originally painted in bright colours, one
side of the largest Rune Stone had a
figure of Christ. The other side of the
Rune Stone had the image of a snake
(DNA Spiral, Genetic Coded Bloodline)
entwined about a lion (Symbol of Ra
Royalty). A symbolic code left behind
for the discerning that King Gorm and
Queen Thyra were of Sangreal Lineage
of the royal bloodline of Jesus The
Christ and his companion wife Mary of
Magdalene.
Viking History
• Seafaring bands of Norse seamen known
as Vikings (Viken, “people from the
coves”) descended on the rest of Europe.
Frequently their targets were wealthy
isolated Christian monasteries.
• The Viking Leif Eriksson reached North
America in 1000. In good weather a Viking
ship could sail 200 miles in a day.
There are 28 stave
churches left standing
in Norway, dating from
c.1130 and onwards,
with elements of older
origin. What we see are
the structural
consequences of the
builders' actions
The north portal of
the Urnes stave
church (11th cent.):
"The intertwined
snakes and
dragons represent
the end of the world
according to the
Norse legend of
Ragnarök".
BORGUND STAVE CHURCH
Built just before 1150, and
dedicated to the Apostle St.
Andrew. It is one of the best
preserved stave churches and it
has not been added or rebuilt
since it was new. The pulpit is
from the last period of the
1500’s. The altar-piece is from
1620.
On the church walls are found
several runic inscriptions. Two
of them are dated back to the
middle of the 1100’s. They read:
"Tor wrote these runes in the
evening at the St. Olav’s Mass"
and "Ave Maria"
Ottonian Europe
• Otto I or the Great is considered by many
historians to be the founder of the Holy
Roman Empire. He was an effective
military warrior who encouraged military
expansion, colonization, and missionary
activity eastward into the Slavic world. His
campaign was to restore kingship on the
Carolingian model.
• Succeeding his father Henry I as the Duke of Saxony in
936, his military genius was tested early. Otto I faced
the continuous raids and sieges of the dukes, the Ducal
Rebellions, which were led by his brother Henry of
Bavaria. The war was the result of him acquiring an
increasing amount of power that others resented. It
ended with Otto's victory in 941 in which he replaced the
rebellious dukes with his own relatives, thus compelling
them to accept royal over lordship. In 951, he
commanded a successful invasion of Italy and declared
himself King. Magyars invaded the empire in 954, and
this invasion forced the nobility to reunite with Otto in
order to defend themselves. He was able to defeat the
Magyars in the battle of Lechfield in 955 and this
temporarily restored peace throughout his empire.
• In order to unify and control the major
territories of Germany, he established the
Church-State Alliance; this strengthened
his power and decreased the power of the
duchies. He gave large grants of royal
land to bishops and abbots, who became
his royal vassals and were obligated to
provide him with military and political
services. It was successful for both the
Church and the State because it had
church officials ruling the land, but allowed
Otto the power to appoint them.
• Otto was crowned Roman Emperor in 962 by
Pope John XII, the same office Charlemagne
held in 800. Pope John XII eventually turned
against Otto and his increasing power, so the
papacy was taken away from him. Otto then
imposed the rule that no pope could be elected
without the approval of the emperor. This
proclamation opened an era of German
domination of the papacy and, in effect, made
him the head of the Christian community.
• Otto died in 973 and was succeeded by his son
Otto II. His policies continued with success until
1056. Many people believe that Otto revived the
Roman Empire and consider him one of the
greatest Saxon rulers.
Ottonian Architecture
• Near Quedlinburg in Gernrode stands the only
almost entirely preserved church from the early
Ottonian period, the Collegiate Church of St.
Cyriakus. The decorations that the master
masons of the Romanesque created here are
still unparalleled. Even though almost no right
angles were used in the architecture of the
church it has still survived for over thousand
years.
Church of Saint Cyriakus
Gernrode, Germany
961-973
Nave, Church of
Saint Cyriakus
Doors of Biship Bernward
Made for the Abbey Church of
St. Michael, Hildesheim,
Germany
Bronze doors of St.
Michael’s
Story of Adam and
Eve and Life of Christ
Ottonian Sculpture
• The Gero Cross reintroduced into Western sculpture the
modeled-in-the-round technique that had practically
disappeared after the Classical period. The crucifix has
a monumental scale of 6’2”. It demonstrated the deep
suffering of Christ. What is striking about this image is
the note of emotionalism and naturalism that is seen in
the forward bulge of the body that shows the physical
strain on the arms and shoulders. The face expresses
the agony that was felt before death, but is now left
lifeless. The horror of the martyr’s tortured death is
exposed. Archbishop Gero presented the crucifix to the
Cathedral. It functions as both sculpture and a reliquary,
where the Eucharist is held in a receptacle in the head.
Gero Crucifix
Cologne (Köln)
Cathedral, Germany
ca. 970
Painted and gilded
wood
Ottonian Sculpture
• Ottonian religious sculpture is monumental in scale and
executed with clear, round forms and highly expressive
facial features. The wooden Gero Crucifix (969-76;
Cologne Cathedral) reflects a humanitarian concern for
the sufferings of Jesus. Sophisticated relief bronzes
were cast for the cathedral doors at Hildesheim (1015).
Ottonian manuscript illumination was superbly
developed; produced at several flourishing artistic
centers, including Regensburg and Fulda, it combined
Carolingian and Byzantine influences. Manuscripts such
as the Gospel Book of Otto II are two-dimensional,
figural, and linear, incorporating much gold leaf.
Page with Otto III enthroned,
Liuthar Gospels (Aachen
Gospels) Germany, c. 997-1000.
Ink, gold, and Tempera on vellum,
11" X 8 ½".
• From the so-called Aachen Gospels made for
Otto III about the year 996. Otto III was the heir
to the Ottonian dynasty. The Ottonians were
heirs to the Carolingians. In the tenth century the
Ottonians revived the disintegrated Holy Roman
Empire. The dominion of the Ottonians was not
as extensive as the Carolingians. Their
territories included Germany and northern Italy.
Like the image from the Codex Aureus, this
image is based on the Book of Revelation. The
central figure here is Otto who is in the guise of
Christ. In a detail not shown in the Codex
Aureus image, the Revelation passage
describes that the Lamb appeared surrounded
by Four Beasts.