Early Medieval Art

“Migration Period”

Early Medieval Europe:

• Middle Ages: 500-1000

• Civilization = Christianity + Greco-Roman

Heritage + Celtic-Germanic tribes (“barbarians”)

Migration of Tribes into

W. Europe

Dark Ages?

• 476- Collapse of Rome

• Catholic Roman church and Tribal Lords

are major centers of power

• “Migration Period” -better description

“Barbarians” of Europe

• Admired by the Romans

• Culture fueled by fear

– Cultural beliefs captured

in literature, Beowulf

– Warrior ships

Art of Warrior Lords:

• Migratory culture- small portable objects

• Precisely shaped metal work with jewels

• Useful everyday objects or objects of

adornment.

• Some objects found in ship burial in N.

Europe

Frankish Fibula, 6th-7th cent, silver with

inlayed garnets

• Zoomorphic style-

Animal Style

• Geometric, profusely

decorated

• NOT representational

• Small, portable

• Cloisonne

Purse cover, Sutton Hoo ship at Suffolk,

England, ca. 625. Gold, glass and enamel

cloisonne with garnets

Viking Art:

• Pagan, seafaring people

• Normandy, Sweden, Finland

• Viking= pirate

• Vikings sacked Europe in during 9-11th

cent

• Art associated with ships; wood working

and carving

Animal-head post from Viking ship,

ca. 825, wood

“gripping beasts”- animal interlace design

Hiberno-Saxon Art:

• 432 AD- St. Patrick estab. Church in Ireland

• Art style (“Hiberno-Saxon”)

• Monasteries- monks created illuminated manuscripts

• Scriptorium- workshops where nuns and monks wrote and decorated religious books

• Scribes wrote texts; illuminators added pictures and decoration

Man (symbol of St. Matthew), folio 21 of

Book of Durrow, Scotland, ca. 660-680

• Carpet page

• Page dedicated to

Saint Matthew

• Interlaced border

Chi- rho-iota page, from Book of Kells,

Scotland, late 8-9th cent.

High Cross of Muiredach, Ireland, 923

POP! Quiz

• What is a fibula?

• Describe the styles used in early Medieval

Art?

• Who were the Hiberno-Saxons?

• What is chi-rho-iota?

Carolingian Period (r. 800-814)

• 800 AD- Charles the Great (Charlemagne)

crowned by Pope Leo II as emperor of

Rome

• “First Holy Roman Emperor”

• Revives ancient Roman Empire’s glory

• “Carolingian Renaissance”

Equestrian Portrait of Charlemagne,

Germany, early 9th cent., bronze

St. Matthew, Coronation Gospels, ca. 800-

810, ink on vellum

St. Matthew, Ebo Gospels, ca. 816-835, ink on

vellum

Compare and contrast these two

illustrations of St. Mathews.

Crucifixion, front cover of Lindau Gospels, ca. 870,

gold, precious stones, pearls

Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne, Odo of

Metz, Aachen, Germany, 792-805

Interior of Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne,

Odo of Metz

Example of westwork

Westwork from Abbey Church at Corvey, Germany

Question:

1. Explain the Carolingian Renaissance and its impact on art and architecture.

OR

2. Describe what is meant by “Migration art” and describe the characteristics of the style. Provide an example.

Ottonian Art:

• Mid-tenth century: Europe is united again

• Ottonians- German Emperors

• Continue culture of Charlemagne

St. Michael’s, Hildesheim, Germany, 1001-

1031

Doors of St. Michael’s, Hildesheim,

Germany, 1015, bronze

• Comissioned by

Bishop Bernward

• Genesis/ Old

Testament- left door

• Life of Christ/ New

Testament- right door

Detail, Doors of St. Michael’s, Crucifixion of

Christ

Detail, Doors of St. Michael’s, Appearance to Mary

Magdalene after Resurrection

Gero Crucifix, Germany, c. 970, painted and

gilded wood

Annunciation to the Shepards, Lectionary of Henry

II, Germany, 1002-1014, tempera on vellum

Otto III entroned, Gospel of Otto III,

Germany, 997-1000, tempera on vellum

Summary:

• Name three major features of Early Medieval “migration art”. Provide an example of artwork that typifies these three features.

• Discuss the significance of the Carolingian Renaissance.