Early medieval art upload

Early Christian Art of EuropeReadingStokstad, 429-437

Range600-1100 CEAnglo-Saxon, Hiberno-Saxon, Norse, Merovingian

Terms/ConceptsVellum, parchment, Genesis, Pentateuch, Gospels, Evangelist, Carpet Page, Incipit Page, illumination,

Monument ListSt. Matthew from the Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 7th Century CE.The Evangelist Matthew, Lindisfarne Gospels, Hiberno-Saxon, 710-725 CE.Chi-Rho Page, Book of Kells, Hiberno-Saxon, 9th CenturyPage with the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel, Lindisfarne Gospels, Hiberno-Saxon, 710-725 CE.Carpet Page, Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon 7th Century CE

Byzantine Empire

“An able Goth wants to be like a Roman; only a poor Roman would want to be like a Goth.” –Theodoric, King of the Visigoths

Early Medieval Art in the West

DANES(c. 960)

NORSE(c. 970-1025)

Areas Christianized, 900-1100

Parchment: Lambskin prepared as a surface for writing or painting.

Vellum: Calfskin prepared as a surface for writing or painting.

The Medieval Manuscript

Preparation of parchment

• Placed on a stretcher

• Then it was scraped

In some instances, the animal’s skin is then sanded.

Purple Dye = Murex Shell

Blue = Lapis Lazuli

Green = Verdigris

Gold Leaf

Genesis

Captain Marvel Origin Story, 1973.

Rebecca at the Well, Vienna Genesis, 6th Century CE.

Pentateuch

Story of Adam and Eve, from the Ashburnham Pentateuch, 6th Century CE.

Abel tending his flockCain working the land

Cain Murdering Abel

Gospels

Ascension, Rabbula Gospels, 6th century CE.

Matthew, the Man

Luke, the Ox

Mark, the Lion John, the Eagle

Durrow

The British Isles

Carpet Page, Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon 600-660 CE

Gospel Page Carpet Page Incipit Page

Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 660-680

Man (symbol of St. Matthew)

Eagle (symbol of St. John)

Ox (symbol of St. Luke)

Lion (symbol of St. Mark)

Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 660-680

St. Matthew from the Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 660-680

Detail from the Purse Cover, Sutton Hoo, Anglo-Saxon, 7th century.

St. Matthew from the Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 660-680

Detail from the Purse Cover, Sutton Hoo, Anglo-Saxon, 7th century.

St. John from the Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 660-680

Detail from the Purse Cover, Sutton Hoo, Anglo-Saxon, 7th century.

Mirror, Desborough, Anglo-Saxon, 1st century BCE

Carpet Page, Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon 600-660 CE

Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 660-680

Lindesfarne

The British Isles

Carpet Page, Lindisfarne Gospels, Scotland 710-725 CE.

Lindisfarne Monastery, Scotland.

Gospel Pages, Lindisfarne Gospels, Scotland 710-725 CE.

Gospel Page Carpet Page Incipit Page

Matthew LukeMark John

Gospel Pages, Lindisfarne Gospels, Scotland 710-725 CE.

The Evangelist Matthew, Lindisfarne Gospels, Scotland 710-725 CE.

Ezra Repairing the Gospels, Codex Amiatinus, 680-715.

Carpet Page, Lindisfarne Gospels, Scotland 710-725 CE.

Incipit Page, Lindisfarne Gospels, Scotland 710-725 CE.

The British Isles

Chi-Rho Page, Book of Kells, 9th Century CE

Iona

Gospel Page Carpet Page Incipit Page

Book of Kells, Hiberno-Saxon, 9th Century CE.

St. Matthew, Book of Kells, Hiberno-Saxon, 9th Century

Carpet Page, Book of Kells, Hiberno-Saxon, 9th Century CE.

Beginning of Matthew, Book of Kells, Hiberno-Saxon, 9th Century CE.

Chi-Rho, San Vitale Ravenna, 547 CE

Chi Rho Iota Page, Book of Kells, Hiberno-Saxon, 9th Century CE.

Two Cats Catching Mice

Wafer

Gelasian Sacramentary, Merovingian, 8th century

Alpha Omega

The beginning and the end.

Gelasian Sacramentary, Merovingian, 8th century

Fish = Ichthus

IesousChristosTheouUiosSotor

Gelasian Sacramentary, Merovingian, 8th century

Visigothic Eagle Fibulae, Spain, 5-6th century CE

Stave Church, Urnes, Norway, 12th Century

Stave Church, Urnes, Norway, 12th Century CE

Detail of Carving, Oseberg Ship Burial, Osberg, Norway, 825 CE.

Stave Church, Urnes, Norway, 12th century

The Secret of Kells, 2009.

The Secret of Kells, 2009.

The Secret of Kells, 2009.

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The Secret of Kells, 2009.

The Secret of Kells, 2009.

Critical Thinking Questions

1. How are both classical and northern traditions present in early Medieval manuscripts?

2. Why was the entire Bible not commonly reproduced? What types of book were produced instead?

3. How is “barbarian” metalwork significant to the history of northern manuscript painting?