Valencia High School AP/IB Art HistoryMrs. Schultz

Content Area 3: Early Europe and Colonial Americas

Unit #3

Chapter 11: Late Medieval

410- 1024

Context:

This chapter presents the Early Medieval Period, no longer known as a dark period, but simply existing between classical Rome and Renaissance Italy. This chapter deals with Europe after the fall of Rome. It discusses the split of the Empire into two distinct units, the East and the West. This chapter chronicles the development of medieval Europe from 500-1000 CE. You should be reacquainted with Imperial Rome and how this icon, Rome, redefined the “barbarian” term. (Although the Romans called everyone who lived beyond the classical world’s frontiers “barbarians,” many northerners had risen to prominent positions with the Roman army and government during later Roman Empire.)

This period, roughly 500 years in length, describes the development of Europe into separate states and entities. It was not fully formed as Europe is today; however, this period does slowly lead to that formation. There are migrations from the East that account for much of the unrest. Powerful groups of people migrated and settled in the remnants of the domain of the Roman Empire; there was a fusion of images, motifs and perceptions synthesizing together the heritage of the Christian, Greco-Roman and the barbarian.

Two things were necessary for the development of medieval civilization. The first was the Christianization of the barbarian tribes invading Europe. The second was the partial unification from Western Europe. During this period, new barbarian groups were on the move; they were gradually settling and were being converted to Christianity by missionary monks.

Objectives

  • Identify the formal and iconographic characteristics of early Medieval art
  • Discuss the influence of classical and early Christian sources on early Medieval art and architecture
  • Describe the materials and techniques employed in early Medieval art and architecture
  • Explain the Carolingian Renaissance and its impact on art and architecture
  • Analyze the role monasteries played in the creation, preservation, and dissemination of manuscripts
  • Discuss the influence of metalwork on early Medieval painting and sculpture

List of Required AP Works (2 works):

Cue Cards

1. Merovingian looped fibula. Early medieval Europe. Mid- sixth century C.E. Silver gilt worked in filigree, with inlays of garnets and other stones. (p. 309)

2. Lindisfarne Gospels: St. Matthew, cross-carpet page; St. Luke portrait page; St. Luke incipit page. Early medieval (Hiberno Saxon) Europe. c. 700 C.E. Illuminated manuscript (ink, pigments, and gold on vellum). (p. 312-315, 318)

List of Required AP Works (4works):

Cue Cards

1. St. Mark the Evangelist (c. 800 AD). Folio 71v from the Harley Golden Gospels. British Library, London.

2. Symbols of the Four Evangelists (c. 800 AD). Folio 27v from the Book of Kells. Trinity College Library, Dublin.

3. Two Scenes of Christ and the Apostles (c. 850-900 AD). Ivory with traces of polychromy. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

4. The Raising of the Widow’s Son from the Dead (‘Magdeburg Panel’) (962-68 AD). Ivory plaque. The British Museum, London.

Styles:

  • Abstract animal style
  • New spin on old style churches
  • Scriptoria
  • Intricate intertwining patterns

Techniques:

Architecture: Cloisters – rectangular open-air monastery courtyard with a covered arcade surrounding it.

Westwork – a monumental entrance to a Carolingian church in which two towers flank a lower central entrance.

Painting: Decoration of manuscripts books, called codices, which were improvements over ancient scrolls. Text was exact copy but art of manuscripts was creative and original.

Sculpture: objects done incloisonné dominate, with horror vacui designs featuring animal style decoration

Ideas/Concepts

  1. Migratory period of the Early Middle Ages are mostly portable art works ->Sutton Hoo purse cover
  2. Major influences of Charlemagne (King of the Franks 768-800 CE, Emperor of Rome 300-814 CE)
  3. The “Dark Ages”/Middle Ages reflect what we know of this time not the time itself.
  4. Monasteries were the principle centers of learning -> creation of more manuscripts -> copied books but artwork original (illuminated pages allow for more freedom)
  5. Hiberno-Saxsons (old name for the Irish) 6th-11th c. -> British Isles
  6. Vikings 8th-11th c. -> Scandinavia
  7. Carolingians 8th-9th c. -> France, Germany
  8. Ottonians 10th – 11th c. -> Germany

Things to think about: What is Medieval art? What areas encompass Medieval art? How does Imperial Rome play a part in the new art of the Middle Ages? How were the “barbarian” tribes that tried to invade Europe brought into the Medieval mindset? When was the partial unification of Europe and how did this affect art? In what ways did this period see the emergence of the church as a secular power? What was Charlemagne’s role in bringing back Rome’s classicism? What are some of the similarities and differences we find in this period of art with the Early Christian-Late Byzantine period?

Vocabulary

alternate-support system / In church architecture, the use of alternating wall supports in thenave, usuallypiersandcolumnsorcompound piersof alternating form.
ambulatory / A covered walkway, outdoors (as in a churchcloister) or indoors; especially the passageway around theapseand thechoirof a church. In Buddhist architecture, the passageway leading around thestupain achaitya hall.
arcade / A series ofarchessupported bypiersorcolumns.
atrium / The court of a Roman house that is partly open to the sky. Also the open,colonnadedcourt in front of and attached to a Christianbasilica.
caliph(s) / Muslimrulers, regarded as successors of Muhammad.
canon / A rule, for example, of proportion. The ancient Greeks considered beauty to be a matter of “correct” proportion and sought a canon of proportion, for the human figure and for buildings.
Caroline minuscule / The alphabet thatCarolingianscribes perfected, from which our modern alphabet was developed.
Carolingian (adj.) / Pertaining to the empire of Charlemagne (Latin, Carolus Magnus) and his successors.
carpet pages / In early medieval manuscripts, decorative pages resembling textiles.
cathedral / A bishop’s church.
cloison / A cell made of metal wire or a narrow metal strip soldered edge-up to a metal base to hold enamel or other decorative materials.
cloisonné / A process of enameling employingcloisons; also, decorative brickwork in later Byzantine architecture.
cloister / A monastery courtyard, usually with covered walks orambulatoriesalong its sides.
colophon / An inscription, usually on the last page, giving information about a book’s manufacture. In Chinese painting, written texts on attached pieces of paper or silk.
crossing / The space in acruciformchurch formed by the intersection of thenaveand thetransept.
enamel / A decorative coating, usually colored, fused onto the surface of metal, glass, or ceramics.
Gospels / The four New Testament books that relate the life and teachings of Jesus.
Hiberno-Saxon / An art style that flourished in the monasteries of the British Isles in the early Middle Ages. Also called Insular.
lectionary / A book containing passages from theGospels, arranged in the sequence that they are to be read during the celebration of religious services, including theMass, throughout the year.
molding / In architecture, a continuous, narrow surface (projecting or recessed, plain or ornamented) designed to break up a surface, to accent, or to decorate.
opus reticulatum / An ancient Roman method of facingconcretewalls with lozenge-shaped bricks or stones to achieve a netlike ornamental surface pattern.
Ottonian (adj.) / Pertaining to the empire of Otto I and his successors.
psalter / A book containing the Psalms.
relics / The body parts, clothing, or objects associated with a holy figure, such as the Buddha or Christ or a Christiansaint.
reliquary / A container for keepingrelics.
repoussé / Formed inrelief by beating a metal plate from the back, leaving the impression on the face. The metal is hammered into a hollow mold of wood or some other pliable material and finished with agraver. See alsorelief.
scriptorium (pl. scriptoria) / The writing studio of a monastery.
stave / A wedge-shaped timber; vertically placed staves embellish the architectural features of the building.
stringcourse / A raised horizontalmolding, or band in masonry, ornamental but usually reflecting interior structure.
transverse arch / Anarchseparating one vaulted bay from the next.
vellum / Calfskin prepared as a surface for writing or painting.
westwork / Thefacadeand towers at the western end of a medieval church, principally in Germany.
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