CHAPTER 11

EARLY MEDIEVALEARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPEEUROPE

Historical Background• The great technological breakthroughs of

the Romans were lost to historythe Romans were lost to history• This was the age of mass migrations

sweeping across Europesweeping across Europe • Many groups did much to destroy any

i f th R i ili tiremains of the Roman civilization – so desperate historians called this the “Dark A ”Ages”

Patronage and Artistic Life• The monasteries were both the place of

knowledge in the midst of an illiterate population and the greatest center of art production.

• Artists who could both write and draw were particularly prized in the creation of p y pmanuscripts

• The text is an exact copy of the books/BibleThe text is an exact copy of the books/Bible and the illustrations allow the artist some freedom of expressionfreedom of expression.

Map of the Mediterranean regionMap of the Mediterranean region, Islam, and northern Europe circa 800

Map of Germanic Invasions. 4th-8th centuries

Art of the Warrior Lords

Because of their migratory nature various cultures• Because of their migratory nature, various cultures produced art that was small and portable but much of it was lostof it was lost.

• Art that exist consisted of small possessions such as buckles, helmets, fibulae, and utilitarian objects.as buckles, helmets, fibulae, and utilitarian objects.

• Small pieces of fine art of precisely shaped pieces of metal, and some with jewels were discovered in , jship burials in Europe

• Artists were inspired by prehistoric models that yemphasized animals and spirals in elaborate interlacing patterns.

Vocabulary • animal style: a medieval

art form in which animals are depicted in a stylizedare depicted in a stylized and often complicated pattern, usually seen fighting with one anotherfighting with one another

• horror vacui: type of artwork in which the entire surface is filled with objects, people, designs, and ornaments in aand ornaments in a crowded, sometimes congested way

11-2: Merovingian looped fibula (decorative pin)

Fish

Other fibulaZoomorphic - having or representing animal forms or gods of animal form.g

Frankish round fibula.6th & 7th centuries

Cue CardInterlacing:a ribbon that interweaves throughout the design repeatedly (Islamic Art called: arabesques)

Z hi

11-3: Purse cover Cloisonné enamelwork in which colored

Zoomorphic

from the Sutton Hoo ship burial

Suffolk, Englandca. 625

Cloisonné – enamelwork in which colored areas are separated by thin bands of metal, usually gold or bronze

gold, glass and enamel cloisonné with garnets and emeralds7 1/2 in. long

Cue Card

11-3: Purse cover, from the Sutton Hoo ship burial

Heraldic – symmetricalHeraldic – symmetrical on either side

Shoulder Clasp

Cue Card

11-4: Animal-Head Post from OsebergShip-Burial Oseberg, Norwayg, yca. 825, woodapproximately 5 in. high

11-4: Animal Head post, from Oseberg Ship-Burial

P t d d•Pagan traders and pirates were known as Vikings•They destroyed the y yChristian monastic communities especially in England•Lavishly carved animal•Lavishly carved animal head, roaring beast located on Viking ship.

Typical Norse design with animal head biting the ring

to keep away evil spirits.

11-5: Wooden portal, stave church, Urnes, Norway

Intertwined figures, plant stalks

Hib S A tHiberno-Saxon Art

Hiberno-Saxon ArtA l h fl i h d i h i• An art style that flourished in the monasteriesof the British Isles in the early Middle Ages –also called Insularalso called Insular

• Art of the British Isles -Hibernia was an ancient name for Ireland and Saxon– Hibernia was an ancient name for Ireland and Saxon for England

• Began Christianization of the Celtsg• These people wanted independence• Artwork is similar to the Art of the Warrior LordsArtwork is similar to the Art of the Warrior Lords

Illuminated Manuscripts• Monks settled in isolated areas in Ireland,

Scotland and some areas of England• The main artistic expression is illuminated

manuscriptsTh b d f th ill t t d h b i l i– The borders of the illustrated pages harbor animals in stylized patterns, sometimes called the animal style.

– Art relies on complicated interlace patterns in a frenzyArt relies on complicated interlace patterns in a frenzy of horror vacui

– Each section of the illustrated text opens with huge i iti l th t i h fi ld f t tiinitials that are rich fields of ornamentation

– Monasteries established scriptoria (the writing studio of a monastery.studio of a monastery.

11-6: Man (Matthew),Book of DurrowInk and tempera on

Cue Card

pparchmentca. 660-680

One of the earliest surviving decorated Gospels

Book of Mark & opposing carpet page

11-7: Lindisfarne GospelsCa. 698-721tempera on vellums Another Cross and

Cue Card

tempera on vellums Another Cross and Carpet Page

Front Cover

Cross and Carpet Page

Lindisfarne Gospels

Cue CardThe Four Evangelists: first four books of the New Testament: Mathew, Mark, Luke & John

Lindisfarne Gospels

11-8: Saint Matthew

Saint Luke Saint Mark

Saint John

11-1: Chi-rho-iota (Christ in Greek) page, Book of KellsLate 8th or early 9th century, Tempera on vellum

Cue Card

Another portion of the Book of Kellswith zoomorphic shapes & interlacing

Annuals of Ulster commented in 1003 that this was “the chief relic of the western world”

11-9: High Cross of Muiredach •Largest fine cross•Marked grave•Fantastic animals•Fantastic animals•Panels of Christ’s story

The Carolingian Period, ca 750-987The Carolingian Period, ca 750 987

Why Carolingian ArtWhy Carolingian Art

• On Christmas day of 800 Pope Leo IIIOn Christmas day of 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charles the Great (Charlemagne) as emperor of Romeas emperor of Rome

• Charlemagne came to be seen as the first Holy (Christian) EmperorHoly (Christian) Emperor

• The setting for Charlemagne's coronation S i t P t ’ B ili i R B iltwas Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome – Built

by Constantine• He gave his name to the entire period.

Carolingian ArtTh t f Ch l b• The art of Charlemagne can be seen as the first revival of classical art.

• Carolingian churches are characterized by elaborate westworks, consisting of a centralized entrance beneath a second story chapel, both flanked by towers.

• Churches were sometimes accompanied by monastic buildings, which housed the y greligious in a self-sufficient community.

Medieval ScriptoriumMedieval Scriptorium• Monks and nuns ate, slept, and created

artworks in an open-air courtyard called a cloister.

• Scriptorium was a workshop for the production of books p

• They were written on pages of vellum or parchmentparchment

• Produced by scribes and illustratorsSignature on last page called colophon– Signature on last page, called colophon

11-12: Equestrian portrait of Charlemagne(?) or Charles the Baldfrom Metz, France, early 9th centurybronzebronze9 1/2 in. high Cue Card

•Leo III crowned Charles the Great•1st HOLY Royal emperor•Outstretched hand in which he holds the globe (world power)the globe (world power)

Compare to thepEquestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius

Coronation Gospels (Gospel Book of Charlemagne)

Cue Card

g )

11-13: Saint Matthew

portrait of

St John

pMenander, c 70 ce, Pompeii

St. John

St. Mark

Cue Card

11-14: St. Matthew from the Ebbo Gospels

Compare withCoronation Gospels

St. Mark, Gospel Book

Ebbo Gospels

11-15: Psalm 44, detail of folio 24 recto of theUt ht P ltUtrecht Psalter,

• Richly illustrated ink drawings of the psalms of the Bible

Cue Card

Pearls, jewels, gems stones, and repousse

11-16: Crucifixion front coverLindau Gospelsp

Pierpont Morgan Library, New York

ca. 870gold precious stones and pearlsgold, precious stones and pearls13 3/8 x 10 3/8 in.

Cue Card

Odo of Metz

11-18: Interior of the Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne

Aachen GermanyAachen, Germanyca. 792-805

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I t d l bl•Imported purple marble•Like San Vitale•1st vaulted structure of the Middle Ages north of the Alpsg p•Royal chapel

ThroneAltar

Compare to

11-18: Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne, Aachen

San Vitale

•Plan of an ideal self-sufficient monastic community of about 3000 people•Church symbolically and literally in the centercenter•This was never built

redrawn after a 9th century manuscript

11-19: 9th C. and a 20th C. model

St Gall SwitzerlandSt. Gall, Switzerlandca. 819

11-20: Westwork,Abbey church, Corvey, Germany

Later addition

Westwork: a monumental entrance to a Carolingian church in which two towerschurch in which two towers flank a lower central entrance

Ottonian Empire – 10th to 13th cOttonian Empire 10 to 13 c.

Ottonian empire - blueNinth and tenth centuries Ottonian empire blueNinth and tenth centuries

Ottonian ArtOttonian Art

• Ottonian art is influenced by the Rome andOttonian art is influenced by the Rome and the Early Christian past.

• Large stone monuments dominate existing• Large stone monuments dominate existing Ottonian architecture.A th f hit t i th t• A common theme of architecture is that interior arches and windows do not line up

t th thone atop the other.

Ottonian11-21: Saint Cyriakus, Genrode, Germany Nave

AlternateSupportsystem

11-22: Abbey Church of St. Michael’s

Hildesheim GermanyCue Card

Hildesheim, GermanyBuilt by Bishop Bernward, a great art patron

ca. 1001-1031

11-22 to 11-23: St. Michael’s,Hildesheim, Germany

Cue Card

Hildesheim, Germany

NaveNave

Cue Card•Doors tell the story of original sin•Adam and Eve - emotional impact•Fall of Man, Redemption of ManThe left door illustrate from•The left door illustrate from

Genesis with Adam and Eve (at the top) and ending with the murder of Adam (at the bottom) ( )•The right door recounts the life of Jesus (reading from the bottom up) starting with Annunciation to Christ after his resurrectionChrist after his resurrection

•Made for St. Michael in 1015•Only monks could pass through the doors

11-24: Doors with relief panelsGenesis, left door - Christ, right door

Hild h i GHildesheim, Germany2 Doors 16’ tall

ca. 1001-1031

Doors,,St. Michael’s

Lost wax casting

Narrative relief column ill t ti th lif fillustrating the life of Christ, the story starts at the topSt. Michael’s

Roman influenceRoman influenceColumn of Trajan

11-28: Crucifix commissionedBy Archbishop Gero,Cologne Cathedral

Cue Card

ca. 970, painted wood6’2”

A compartment in the back of the head heldback of the head held bread for the Eucharist

Like a Byzantine suffering ChristBlood streaks his forehead (missing crown)(missing crown)

Compare to Justinian

The Four Provinces bringing tribute to Ottotribute to Otto

Christ Washing The Feet of Peter11-29: Otto III Enthroned from the

Gospel Book of Otto III

St Luke

Byzantine influence

Summary – Key Ideas• The political chaos resulting from the Fall of Rome e po ca c aos esu g o e a o o e

set in motion a period of migrations. The unifying force in Europe was Christianity which were

f l t f l i i ll i I l dpowerful centers of learning especially in Ireland.• The Migratory period of the Early Middle Ages

featured portable works that were done in thefeatured portable works that were done in the animal style.

• Characteristics of Early Medieval art include horror yvacui and interlacing patterns

• Art at the court of Charlemagne begins the first of many western European revivals of ancient Rome.

• Ottonian art revives large scale sculpture and architect rearchitecture.