Europe’s Middle Ages476-1400 (app) CE

How does art and architecture reflect the values of a society?

What does Medieval architecture say about the church?

What does architecture reflect or tell us about the values of the people who built a particular structure?

Burj Khalifa, Dubai: world’s tallest building

The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, 1943. The Pentagon is the world's largest office building by floor area, with about 6,500,000 sq ft

Angkor Wat, Cambodian temple, 12th century, 1,000,000 square feet, Angkor Cambodia.

Romanesque (5th centuries and beyond) versus Gothic (after 12th centuries)

Typical Romanesque church

“Romanesque” style cathedral—early Middle Ages:Walls support ceiling and structure

Romanesque style church, Besalu, Catalan (Spain)

Abbey Church, Fontenay, 1139-47

Abbey Church, Fontenay, 1139-47

Gothic Cathedral (after mid-12th century): Late Middle Ages

“Flying Buttresses” support structure

“Flying Buttresses”

http://faculty.cua.edu/Pennington/Religion402/Architecture/technical_terms.htm

Typical interior of a Gothic Cathedral

La Sainte Chapelle, Paris:pointed “Gothic” arches and ‘flooded’ with light

Crucifixtion, detail of a windowfrom St. Remi, Reims 1190 CE

As with stained glass, medieval sculpture was used to tell biblical stories to illiterate villagers.

Aerial view of Chartres Cathedral, begun 1194 CE, built in cross design

Ribbed ceiling: http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/ha/html/medieval_chalons-en-champ_etie_amb.htm, Châlons-en-Champagne (France), Cathédrale Saint-Etienne, 12th – 17th centuries

Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Interior view of the crossing, 1220-1269, Amiens (France)

portal with figures: http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/ha/html/medieval_amiens_cportal.htm

Flying buttresses: http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/ha/html/medieval_amiens_clerestory.htm

View of choir, light: http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/ha/html/medieval_amiens_choir.htm

From balcony: http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/ha/html/medieval_amiens_transept_sclere.htm

http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/ha/html/medieval_amiens_sambulatory.htm

Ribbed ceiling: http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/ha/html/medieval_chalons-en-champ_etie_amb.htm, Châlons-en-Champagne (France), Cathédrale Saint-Etienne, 12th – 17th centuries

Romanesque versus Gothic Cathedrals

Early Middle Ages (Romanesque)

• Thick walls to support roofs

• Few windows

• structures were shorter

• Roman rounded arch

Late Middle Ages (Gothic)

• Flying Buttresses didn’t require thick walls

• Many windows, light filled

• Tall structures—vertical, not horizontal

• Gothic pointed arch

• Designed to leave viewer in awe (to glorify God); sense of dominance

The Church Forms and Evolves:from the Roman Empire to the Middle Ages

• Jesus’ message of equality, advocacy for the poorEndorse feudal hierarchy and salvation in the afterlife (suffering glorified).

• Separate from political power Political power, helped nobility maintain caste system

• Invite conversionMilitary conversion (Crusades) and pressure to convert in Western Europe

• Jesus’ resurrectionCrucifixtion: violence is sacred, Jesus died for people’s sins

Medieval arthttp://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/book/ho_2006.250.htm

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/06/euwc/ho_1977.421.htm

Gargoyles, Notre DameCathedral, France

Monasticism and Monastic Values

• Origin: 4-5th centuries, around Mediterranean

• Purpose: enforce tradition, write manuscripts, isolated from urban areas

• Values:Pope Gregory (590-604): Gregorian ChantStudy and hard labor (book copying and

illustration, upkeep of monastery) Communalism—lacking individualism.Austerity (simplicity)—focus on spirituality,

poverty

Monasticism and Monastic Values

Origins:

Purpose

Values:

1.

2.

3.

4.

How did the Catholic Church transform during the Middle Ages?

Name___________________________

Romanesque versus Gothic (draw on this!)

Romanesque Gothic