Art in the Middle Ages

Art Appreciation 1301.51005T, R, 9:30-10:50AM

Professor Paige Prater

Introduction

• Middle Ages/Medieval/ “Dark Ages”• Approximately 1,000 year period: 5th century

end of the Roman Empire to Renaissance (1500)

• “Barbarians” • Church power/architecture– Romanesque (11th century)– Gothic (1150-1500)

Three Major Religions

Jewish Art: Dura Europos (Roman Empire border-

town in Syria), 244-245 CE

Detail of synagogue at Dura-Europos: Exodus and Crossing of the Red Sea

Rome: Catacombs of Saints Peter and Marcellinus, 3rd-early 4th century

Typology: Christ and Jonah stories

5th Century: Rome

Roman army abandons Britain (Hadrian’s Wall)◦Germanic allies of Rome◦410 Rome sacked by Visigoths

◦ Galla Placidia

◦455 Rome sacked by Vandals ◦476 Ostrogoths deposed the last Roman

Emperor Ravenna – capital until Byzantine defeat in

540 CE

Mapping “Barbarians”

Byzantine: Mausoleum of Galla Placidia 425-426 CE– Good Shepherd Mosaic

Lunette and tesserae395 – Emperor Theodosius I split Roman Empire between his sons

Rome to Constantinople: Byzantine Empire

Byzantine Art/Culture

• Early Byzantine (5th century – 726 CE)– End of Western Roman Empire – 476CE– Iconoclastic Controversy 726-843CE

• Middle Byzantine (843-1204 CE)– Catholic vs. Orthodox 1054 CE– Crusades begin 1095 CE

• Late Byzantine (1261-1453CE)– Fall of Constantinople to Turks 1453 CE

Constantinople: Emperor Justinian I • Hagia Sophia, 532-537 CE

Icons

• Emperor Justinian I (483-565)

• Constantinople• More than

2,000 icons• Meditation

and prayer

6th century icon of Christ, St. Catherine Monastery, Mount Sinai, Egypt

San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy

• 526 CE Bishop Ecclesius commissions this church

• Not finished until Justinian I takes over Ravenna in 540 CE

• Justinian and Theodora may never have visited.

San Vitale, Ravenna – MOSAICS – Christ Enthroned, 547 CE

San Vitale, Ravenna: Emperor Justinian I (north wall of apse)

San Vitale, Ravenna: Empress Theodora (south wall of apse)

San Vitale, Ravenna, View facing apse

Central Plan vs. Basilica

Central Plan vs. Basilica

Illuminated Manuscripts in the Middle Ages

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aDHJu9J10o

• Koran• Lindisfarne gospels • Book of Kells

Page from the Koran, late 12th century

• vellum• Kufic script on

headings• Maghribi script

on the rest of the text• Right to left• Arabesque

quality

Lindisfarne Gospels, Cross-carpet page introducing the Gospel of Matthew

• Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

• lines>tiny animal heads

• contemplation

Detail of carpet page

Book of Kells, Chi Rho Iota page, late 8th or early 9th century

• Cats and mice• Chi rho symbol

Celts & Anglo-Saxons: Sutton Hoo• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWxcQZBM3eQ• Purse cover, Suffolk, England, first half of 7th century

Later Islamic Manuscript Page, 1539-1543

• The Ascent of the Prophet Muhammad on his Steed, Buraq, Guided by Jibra’il and Escorted by Angels

• Miniature painting from Nizami’s Khamsa (five poems)

Pilgrimage in the Middle Ages

• Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, 688-691 CE

Mosques

• Mihrab = special prayer niche

• Mihrab from the Madrasa Imami, Isfahan, Iran, c. 1354. Mosaic of polychrome-glazed cut tiles on stonepaste body, set into plaster, 11’ 3” x 9’ 5 ¾” . Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXNFjOhrihI&index=2&list=PL3DA7CE9E3C8EC115

Kaaba, Mecca

• Surrounded by large mosque• Allegedly built by Abraham for God• Muhammad born in Mecca around 570 CE

Reliquaries

• Reliquary of Head of St. Alexander, 1145

• Silver repousse, gilt bronze, gems, pearls, and enamel

• 7 ½” high

• Vézelay video: pilgrimage, crusades: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dnxm4UQPDTo&list=PLEEA1BAEC5B2F7654&index=43

Symbolism

St. Trophime, west portal with tympanum, 12th century, Arles, France

Romanesque: St. Sernin, 1070-1120, Toulouse, France

Gothic: Chartres Cathedral, 1260

Transitioning to the Renaissance: 2 Painters

• Cimabue, Virgin and Child Enthroned, c. 1280 (L). Tempera and gold on wood, 12’ 7 ½” x 7’ 4” Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

• Giotto, Virgin and Child Enthroned, c. 1310 (R). Tempera on wood, 10’ 7” x 6’ 9”. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9s3YA-glNk&index=18&list=PLEEA1BAEC5B2F7654