EARLY MIDDLE AGES



EARLY MEDIEVAL ART

(500 - 950 CE)

I. BARBARIAN KINGDOMS

A. Basic Characteristics

• Collapse of trade and towns

• Loss of literacy

• Rise of Romance (Roman-based) languages

By the 800’s, French, Spanish, Italian and other Romance languages had evolved from Latin

• Spread of Christianity

• St. Patrick (432 CE0 and the Irish

• Clovis and the Franks (496)

“For I have called on my gods, but I find they are from my aid… Now I call on Thee. I long to believe in Thee. Only please deliver me from my enemies.”

• St. Benedict (540) and the Benedictine Rule

B. Art of the Warrior Lords

• Animal Style – are where the decoration is in the form of abstracted animals such as bird and fish. These abstract animal forms are also known as ZOOMORPHIC IMAGERY.

• Highly decorative – extensive use of gold and gems using the technique of CLOISONNE.

• CLOISONNE is a metal working technique in which cloisons (small pieces of metal) are soldered (welded) onto a metal background plate and enamel is filled in the spaces. The decorations often included INTERLACE – a design in which an artist uses single ribbon or line and intertwines it over and over for aesthetic purposes.

• Portable and functional – the Germanic tribes were itinerant. So their art is practical and easy to carry. These tribes moved so much that historians also refer to this period of European history as the Migration period.

C. Examples

• Frankish fibula (GARDNER’S 423) – FIBULAS served as pins to fasten garments. They were like giant safety pins.

• Sutton Hoo treasures

• In 1939, a treasure-laden ship was discovered in a burial mound at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, England. The objects were carefully chosen to reflect the king’s high status and to equip him for the afterlife.

• Among the many precious finds were a gold belt buckle, ten silver bowls, and 40 gold coins to pay the 40 oarsmen who would row the deceased across the sea on his final voyage.

• Helmet – (British Museum site under “Highlights of the British Museum)

• Purse Cover – GARDNER’S 423

• It contains abstract animal imagery, a common feature of early Medieval art. The art of this period is sometimes called the Animal Style. The object, a purse cover, is a small and portable piece, fitting with the migratory nature of tribes of the early Middle Ages. The purse cover was made using cloisonné and is highly decorative; all empty spaces are filled in with enamel and interlace designs, also a characteristic of art of early Medieval Europe.

II. HIBERNO-SAXON ART (600 – 800 CE)

A. Introduction

During the early Middle Ages there was a sudden flowering of Christian art in Ireland and the various islands off the coasts of northern Britain. Its style is called Hiberno-Saxon. (Hibernia is Latin for “Ireland.”)

B. Stone Crosses GARDNER’S 429

• The crosses have a circle in the center of them. These crosses are known as CELTIC CROSSES and are important to Hiberno-Saxon art.

C. Manuscript Illumination

• Lindisfarne Gospels (GARDNER’S 420)

• Lindisfarne is an island of the coast of Scotland which had a monastery famous of producing illuminated manuscripts

• Monasteries in such remote locations were centers of learning and produced books in SCRIPTORIA – centers for producing illuminated manuscripts.

• Such monasteries were also wealthy and susceptible to Viking attacks as was the case with Lindisfarne.

• The Lindisfarne Gospels illuminates the Gospels of the Bible – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

• It contains a CARPET PAGE – a highly decorative page with INTERLACE designs which resembles an Persian carpet

• Zoomorphic imagery is often included within the design

• Book of Kells

• Greatest achievement of Hiberno-Saxon art

• Unprecedented number of full-page illuminations, including carpet pages, evangelist symbols, and portrayals of the Virgin Mary and Christ

• WOW – “the work not of men but of angels.” (Giraldus Cambrensis, ca. 1150 CE)

• WHEN – The Book of Kells was completed in about 800 CE

• WHERE – The scribes and artists who created the Book of Kells were monks who lived in a monastery on the remote island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland.

• WHO – The names of the illustrators are unknown. It is estimated that the artwork took a team of illustrators 30 years to complete!

• WHAT – The book consists of a Latin text of the four Gospels, written in calligraphy and lavishly illustrated in as many as TEN colors. It contains 680 pages. Only TWO of its 680 pages are without color.

• The Book of Kells were written and painted on VELLUM – made out of calf skin, which had been soaked, stretched, and scraped clean.

• It is often called an ILLUMINATED manuscript because the drawings illuminate or illustrate the t ext and the colors illuminate or brighten each page.

HISTORY

• In order to protect it from the Viking raiders, the Book of Kells was moved to Kells Monastery in Ireland in the 9th century.

• Now known as the Book of Kells, the book remained at the monastery for almost 200 years until it was stolen in 1007. Its golden jewel-encrusted cover was ripped off the book and never recovered. However, the book itself was recovered. 30 FOLIOS – pages are missing

• The Book of Kells remained in the monastery at Kells until 1541, when the Roman Catholic Church took it for protection. In 1661, it was returned to Ireland and given to Trinity College of Dublin by Archbishop Ussher. It has remained at the college since then and is now considered a national treasure.

AMAZING FACTS

• The INTERLACE (a complex pattern composed of a single line that intertwines and overlaps completely filling the available space) is truly incredible. ONLY WHEN A TEN-FACTOR MAGNIFYING GLASS IS APPLIED TO SOME OF THE FIGURES CAN ONE SEE THE BREATHTAKINGLY INTRICATE AND EXACT DECORATION. But magnifying glasses of that power did not exist until hundreds of years later.

• In one spot, there are 158 lacings of a white ribbon contained in a square inch and nowhere can there be found an error by the artists.

• In the late 1980’s, a Swiss firm specializing in the reproduction of rare illuminated manuscripts produced 1,480 copies of the Book of Kells and sold each copy for $18,000!!!

III. CHARLEMAGNE AND THE CAROLINGIAN REVIVAL

A. The Rise of the Franks

• Clovis converts to Christianity (496)

“Meekly bow thy proud head…Adore what thou has burned, burn what thou has adored.”

• Charles “The Hammer” Martel defeats the Muslims at the Battle of Tours (732)

• Pepin forms a close alliance with the Pope and is crowned “king by the grace of God.”

B. Charlemagne (768 – 814)

• Personality

• Conqueror

• Reviving the glory of the Roman Empire

• Holy Roman Emperor – crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope on Christmas day 800 in Old St. Peter’s Basilica. The spot is marked in new St. Peter’s.

• Revived learning

• Court at Aachen

• Scholars such as Alcuin were brought into expand education

• Saved Greek and Roman manuscripts

• Invented Carolingian Miniscule – our own cursive writing is based upon Carolingian Miniscule

C. Carolingian Art

• Imperial Imagery

• Equestrian Portrait of Charlemagne (Gardner 430)

Equestrian portrait is reminiscent of Roman imagery for emperors

It is a figurine of small statue just 9 ½ inches high

• Jeweled Bust

Actually a RELIQUARY or container for sacred relics

The jeweled bust contained fragments of Charlemagne’s skull

• Two Portraits of St. Matthew

• Classical St. Matthew from the Coronation Gospels (Gardner 431) – classical calm

• Impassioned St. Matthew from the Ebbo Gospels (Gardner 431)

Matthew wears a toga and the modeling of his head, hands, and feet create a sense of three-dimensional illusionism.

Saint Matthew writes with an energy that suggests a frenzy of divine inspiration. The saint almost leaps under its impulse. His hair stands on end, his eyes open wide, the folds of his drapery writhe and vibrate. Even the landscape seems to be alive. Matthew appears to take down in frantic haste what his inspiration (the tiny angel in the upper-right corner) dictates.

• THE ETS STRIKES AGAIN!

Identify the art historical period of the manuscript illustration shown. Discuss the artistic styles evident in the work.

• Bejeweled Books of Gold and Ivory

• The Four Gospel Writers

• Scenes from the New Testament (Cleansing the Temple, healing of the leper, healing of the blind man, woman taken in adultery)

D. Carolingian Architecture

• The Problem

• Charlemagne want to have a Royal Chapel

• But what plan should he use?

• Solution One: The Basilica-Plan

• Nave – a large central hall where the congregation sits

• Clerestory – row of windows in the upper part of the wall

• Apse – a projecting part of a basilica, usually semicircular in shape

• Transept – cross arm placed at right angles to the nave

• Narthex – an entrance porch of a church

• Solution Two: The Central Plan

• The rectangular basilica church was long the favorite in Western Europe.

• But Early Christian architects also adopted another architectural type: THE CENTRAL PLAN building.

• This type is so named because the building’s parts are of equal or almost equal dimensions around the center.

• In Western Europe, CENTRAL PLAN structures were first used by Christians as tombs, baptisteries, and shrines to martyrs

• In the CENTRAL PLAN, the DOME is the natural focus of the church. The DOME functions symbolically as the “vault of heaven.”

• What did Charlemagne choose? (Gardner 441)

• Charlemagne’s Palatine Chapel at Aachen

• Palatine Hill in Rome is where the patricians and emperors lived. It was the site where Romulus founded the city of Rome.

• Charlemagne’s Palatine Chapel was designed by Odo of Metz

• Influenced by SAN VITALE in Ravenna – Charlemagne probably related better to the Germanic kings who ruled Ravenna, and he made several trips to Ravenna

• Notice the significant Roman elements of Palatine Chapel – It reflects how Charlemagne wanted to revive the glory of the Roman Empire

E. Carolingian architecture left a legacy on the development of Western European church design.

• Carolingian architecture favored the basilica plan which was used in Western Europe for centuries to come

• At the west entrance of the basilica, architects included two large towers at the corners. The architects enlarged the entire western façade to unite it with the towers. This large western entrance made popular during the Carolingian period is called a WESTWORK.

• The Carolingian period left a legacy on the building of MONASTERIES

o Saint Benedict established rules for monks that ordered the day into periods of manual labor and sacred reading. These rules are considered the Benedictine Rule.

o Monks followed these rules and separated themselves from worldly living in MONASTERIES.

o Charlemagne encouraged the building of monasteries which were centers of learning

o Monasteries continued the literary culture of the Greco-Roman world (Gardner’s)

o SEE THE SCHEMATIC PLAN FOR THE MONASTERY OF SAINT GALL, SWITZERLAND

o Monasteries were self-sufficient communities.

o Notice a new feature attached to the church – a CLOISTER - a courtyard surrounded by columns similar to the Early Christian ATRIUM but attached to the side of the church

o Much of the Met’s Medieval Art collection is housed in a separate museum called the CLOISTERS

F. Decline of the Carolingian Period and the Frankish Empire

• After the death of Charlemagne, his son Louis the Pious reigned. Louis the Pious was not a strong ruler like his father.

• After his death, three of Louis’ sons split the Frankish Empire

• Charles the Bald – inherited the western lands which eventually formed the foundation of France

• Louis the German – took the eastern Frankish lands which eventually became Germany

• Lothair – took the “Middle Kingdom” which extended from the North Sea to Italy

IV. OTTONIAN ART

A. Who are the Otto’s?

• A line of Saxon kings

• Ruled what are now parts of Germany, Austria, and Northern Italy

• Three Otto’s ruled from 936 – 1002

• Supported culture and the arts – carried on the tradition established during the Carolingian period

B. Bishop Bernward

• Tutor of Otto III

• Skilled in diplomacy

• Scholar

• Lover of the arts

• Expert craftsman and bronze caster

C. Cathedral of Saint Michael’s Hildesheim

• Built for an Ottonian Monastery

• Resembles a basilica – long rectangular structure

• Notice the use of an ALTERNATE-SUPPORT SYSTEM – This means that the nave arcade is supported by columns alternating with piers (rectangular).

• A distinctive feature of the Saint Michael’s church that separates it from Early Christian basilicas – It has TWO TRANSEPTS

• Note the arch at the end of the nave – it resembles a Roman triumphal arch

D. Bronze Doors of Saint Michael’s at Hildesheim

• 16 feet high

• 8 scenes from the Book of Genesis on the left and 8 scenes from the life of Christ on the right

• Old Testament scenes prefigure the New Testament scenes. EXAMPLE – the panel with God judging Adam and Eve for the original sin is juxtaposed with Jesus being judged by Pontius Pilate

• EXAMPLE 2: On the left, we see Eve (who caused humanity’s fall from grace) and her son Cain (who committed the first murder). On the right, we see Mary (the new Eve) and her son Jesus (humankind’s savior)

• An inscription mentions their initiator and their date of origin: "In the year of the Lord 1015, Bishop Bernward, in divine memory, had these cast door wings suspended on the façade of the Angels' Temple, for his remembrance."   

E. Bronze Column in Saint Michael’s Hildesheim (Gardner page 448)

• Triumphal column reminiscent of the Roman tradition of recording great events

• 12 ½ feet high

• Modeled after Trajan’s Column in Rome

• Narrative tells the story of Jesus’ life in 24 scenes

F. Crucifix carved for Archbishop Gero (Gardner 449)

• Commissioned by Archbishop Gero

• Carved in oak and then painted and gilded

• Highlights Christ’s agony and intense suffering

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