CHAPTER 11 EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE
Historical Background The great technological breakthroughs of the Romans were lost to history This was the age of mass migrations sweeping across Europe Many groups did much to destroy any remains of the Roman civilization ili so desperate historians called this the Dark 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 manuscripts The text is an exact copy of the books/bible and the illustrations allow the artist some freedom of expression.
Map of Germanic Invasions. 4th-8th centuries Map of the Mediterranean region, Islam, and northern Europe circa 800
Art of the Warrior Lords Because of their migratory nature, various cultures produced art that was small and portable but much of it was lost. Art that exist consisted of small possessions such 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 ship burials in Europe Artists were inspired by prehistoric models that emphasized animals and spirals in elaborate interlacing patterns.
Vocabulary animal style: a medieval art form in which animals are depicted in a stylized and often complicated pattern, usually seen fighting with one another horror vacui: type of artwork in which the entire surface is filled with objects, people, designs, and ornaments in a crowded, sometimes congested way
11-2: Merovingian looped fibula (decorative pin) Fish Zoomorphic - having or representing animal forms or gods of animal form. Other fibula Frankish round fibula. 6th & 7th centuries
Interlacing:a ribbon that interweaves throughout the design repeatedly (Islamic Art called: arabesques) Cue Card Zoomorphic 11-3: Purse cover from the Sutton Hoo ship burial Suffolk, England ca. 625 gold, glass and enamel cloisonné with garnets and emeralds 7 1/2 in. long Cloisonné enamelwork in which colored areas are separated by thin bands of metal, usually gold or bronze
Cue Card 11-3: Purse cover, from the Sutton Hoo ship burial Heraldic symmetrical on either side Shoulder Clasp
Cue Card 11-4: Animal-Head Post from Oseberg Ship-Burial Oseberg, Norway ca. 825, wood approximately 5 in. high
11-4: Animal Head post, from Oseberg Ship-Burial Pagan traders and pirates were known as Vikings They destroyed the Christian monastic communities especially in England 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
Hiberno-Saxon Art
Hiberno-Saxon Art An art style that flourished in the monasteries of the British Isles in the early Middle Ages also called Insular Art of the British Isles - Hibernia was an ancient name for Ireland and Saxon for England Began Christianization of the Celts These people wanted independence Artwork 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 manuscripts The borders of the illustrated t pages harbor animals in stylized patterns, sometimes called the animal style. Art relies on complicated interlace patterns in a frenzy of horror vacui Each section of the illustrated text opens with huge initials iti that t are rich fields of ornamentation ti Monasteries established scriptoria (the writing studio of a monastery.
11-6: Man (Matthew), Book of Durrow Ink and tempera on parchment ca. 660-680 Cue Card One of the earliest surviving decorated Gospels Book of Mark & opposing carpet page
11-7: Lindisfarne Gospels Ca. 698-721 tempera on vellums Cue Card Another Cross and Carpet Page Front Cover Cross and Carpet Page
The Four Evangelists: first four books of the New Testament: Mathew, Mark, Luke & John Cue Card Lindisfarne Gospels 11-8: Saint Matthew Saint Mark Saint Luke Saint John
11-1: Chi-rho-iota (Christ in Greek) page, Book of Kells Late 8 th or early 9 th century, Tempera on vellum Cue Card Another portion of the Book of Kells with 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 Panels of Christ s story
The Carolingian Period, ca 750-987
Why Carolingian Art On Christmas day of 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charles the Great (Charlemagne) as emperor of Rome Charlemagne came to be seen as the first Holy (Christian) Emperor The setting for Charlemagne's coronation was Saint Peter s Basilica in Rome Built by Constantine He gave his name to the entire period.
Carolingian Art 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 religious in a self-sufficient community.
Medieval 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 They were written on pages of vellum or parchment Produced by scribes and illustrators Signature on last page, called colophon
11-12: Equestrian portrait of Charlemagne(?) or Charles the Bald from Metz, France, early 9th century bronze 9 1/2 in. high Cue Card Leo III crowned Charles the Great 1 st HOLY Royal emperor Outstretched hand in which he holds the globe (world power) Compare to the p Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius
Coronation Gospels (Gospel Book of Charlemagne) Cue Card 11-13: Saint Matthew portrait of Menander, c 70 ce, Pompeii St. John St. Mark
Cue Card 11-14: St. Matthew from the Ebbo Gospels Compare with Coronation Gospels St. Mark, Gospel Book
11-15: Psalm 44, detail of folio 24 recto of the Utrecht Psalter, Richly illustrated ink drawings of the psalms of the Bible
Cue Card Pearls, jewels, gems stones, and repousse 11-16: Crucifixion front cover Lindau Gospels Pierpont Morgan Library, New York ca. 870 gold, precious stones and pearls 13 3/8 x 10 3/8 in.
Cue Card Odo of Metz 11-18: Interior of the Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne Aachen, Germany ca. 792-805
Cue Card Imported purple marble Like San Vitale 1 st vaulted structure of the Middle Ages north of the Alps Royal chapel Throne Altar Compare to San Vitale 11-18: Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne, Aachen
Plan of an ideal self-sufficient monastic community of about 3000 people Church symbolically and literally in the center This was never built redrawn after a 9th century manuscript 11-19: 9th C. and a 20th C. model St. Gall, Switzerland ca. 819
11-20: Westwork, Abbey church, Corvey, Germany Later addition Westwork: a monumental entrance to a Carolingian church in which two towers flank a lower central entrance
Ottonian Empire 10 th to 13 th c. Ninth and tenth centuries Ottonian empire - blue
Ottonian Art Ottonian art is influenced by the Rome and the Early Christian past. Large stone monuments dominate existing Ottonian architecture. A common theme of architecture t is that t interior arches and windows do not line up one atop the other.
11-21: Saint Cyriakus, Genrode, Germany Nave Ottonian Alternate Support system
11-22: Abbey Church of St. Michael s Hildesheim, Germany Built by Bishop Bernward, a great art patron ca. 1001-1031 Cue Card
11-22 to 11-23: St. Michael s, Hildesheim, Germany Cue Card Nave
Doors tell the story of original sin Adam and Eve - emotional impact Fall of Man, Redemption of Man 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 resurrection Made for St. Michael in 1015 Only monks could pass through the doors Cue Card 11-24: Doors with relief panels Genesis, left door - Christ, right door Hildesheim, i Germany 2 Doors 16 tall ca. 1001-1031
Doors, St. Michael s Lost wax casting
Narrative relief column illustrating ti the life of Christ, the story starts at the top St. Michael s Roman influence Roman influence Column of Trajan
11-28: Crucifix commissioned By Archbishop Gero, Cologne Cathedral ca. 970, painted wood 6 2 Cue Card A compartment in the back of the head held bread for the Eucharist Like a Byzantine suffering Christ Blood streaks his forehead (missing crown)
Compare to Justinian The Four Provinces bringing tribute to Otto 11-29: Otto III Enthroned from the Gospel Book of Otto III St Luke Byzantine influence Christ Washing The Feet of Peter
Summary Key Ideas The political chaos resulting from the Fall of Rome set in motion a period of migrations. The unifying force in Europe was Christianity which were powerful centers of learning especially in Ireland. The Migratory period of the Early Middle Ages featured portable works that were done in the animal style. Characteristics of Early Medieval art include horror vacui 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 architecture. re