1. Medieval Period (A.D. 500 – A.D. 1400)
  2. Romanesque Sub-period (A.D. 500 – A.D. 1100)
  3. Miscellaneous Info
  4. Romanesque means that much of the artistic style will be similar to that of the Romans.
  5. Period also known as the “Dark Ages”
  6. Time when we will have culture, but for the most part, most people will encounter it through a purely physical means
  7. Most of Europe is illiterate (can’t read)
  8. Latin – Primary language of culture (i.e. church, scholars, business, etc.)
  9. Feudalism
  10. System of government
  11. Basis for Monarchy
  12. Broken down into four (4) casts
  13. Lords
  14. Church
  15. Serfs
  16. Slaves
  17. The Lords owned the land and were in charge of getting serfs or slaves to come and work the land.
  18. The church is who gave the land away. Would also receive tithe from each lord, thereby continuing to grow in monetary strength and political influence
  19. Serfs and slaves would work the land and get a small share of the crops for their families and the work
  20. Labor Unions
  21. The guild system
  22. Middle Class
  23. Developed from the merchants
  24. Universities
  25. Higher institutions of learning
  26. Usually started as religious institutions.
  27. Church
  28. Changes focus from the Greeks and the Romans
  29. We are not going to focus on material or worldly things as the Greek and Roman gods lead us to focus on.
  30. Now salvations, sacrifice, resurrection will become important concepts
  31. Greek culture is generally condemned on the idea that it was a Pagan culture
  32. Works of Plato and Aristotle were banned until interpreted by St. Thomas Aquinas (which afterward, his was the interpretation to use)
  33. Only one church at the time
  34. Roman Catholic Church
  35. Consists of Hierarchy
  36. Several Levels
  37. Pope, Cardinals, Archbishop, Monseniur, Priest, Monk/Nun, Laity
  38. Monastic Movement
  39. Growing out of the desire of people to escape the temptations of the flesh
  40. Would be a place where an individual would go to work and pray
  41. Took vows of poverty, chasity, obedience, and industry
  42. Church is the sole supporter of the arts
  43. Second Council of Nicaea (A.D. 787)
  44. Rules for what and how a piece of art would come to be.
  45. The substance of religious scenes is not left to the initiative of the artists; it derives from the principles laid down by the Catholic Church and religious tradition…His [sic] art alone belongs to the painter, its organization and arrangement belong to the clergy.
  46. Rules to live by as an artist
  47. Jesus on the cross had to be shown with his mother on the right and St. John on the left
  48. The soldier always pierced the left side
  49. Jesus’ halo had a cross to represent divinity, all the saints simply had the halo to represent holiness
  50. Only God, Jesus, the Angels and the Apostles could be shown with bare feet. Everyone else would be heresy
  51. St. Peter was given a short beard, St. Paul was bald with a long beard.
  52. Idea was to create uniformity so that the teachings of the church would be taught the same no matter where (reminder, very few people can read, so art was a way of passing on the teachings of the church).
  53. Art
  54. Church is the sole supporter of the arts.
  55. Architecture
  56. Religious (Churches, abbeys, etc.)
  57. Usually built focusing on the religious needs of the church
  58. Usually in the form of a Latin Cross (symbol of salvation)
  59. Chancel – separated the clergy from the congregation
  60. Faced East (toward the Holy Land)
  61. Three used to represent the Holy Trinity (triple arches, triple portals, etc.)
  62. Chapels
  63. Built along the apse of the church
  64. Would accommodate relics and multiple priests at one time
  65. Arches typically capable of bearing great weight
  66. Few windows (especially not stained glass)
  67. Designed to provide shelter from the outside world.
  68. Secular (Castles, fortresses, etc.)
  69. Similar to the religious structures
  70. Focused on protection of entire towns
  71. Helped focus the strength of a lord.
  72. Sculpture
  73. Functional, instructional
  74. Pope Gregory (lived c. A.D. 600)
  75. Painting and sculpture were supposed to teach: “what the literate learn by reading, the uneducated learn by looking at pictures
  76. Subordinate to the architecture
  77. Distorted forms
  78. Denied the importance of this life, so realism not needed
  79. Collaboration between architect and sculptor
  80. Usually formed part of the architectural plan
  81. Would many times be the supports of the arches and columns
  82. Painting
  83. Also purely functional, not for artistic flourish
  84. Usually painted on wood
  85. Crucifixion was a popular subject because of its focus on salvation
  86. Music
  87. General Details
  88. Based on the liturgy for text and purpose
  89. Simple
  90. Instruments initially banned because they seemed too secular (non-religious)
  91. Vocal sound the most important
  92. Influences from several different cultures
  93. Hymn tune from the Byzantines
  94. Melodies from the Jewish and Near Eastern Chants
  95. Theory from the Greeks (modes)
  96. Chant
  97. Gregorian Chant
  98. Named after Pope Gregory (A.D. 540-604)
  99. Based off of the chants used initially in Rome (center of the Church)
  100. Gathered the various chants and put them out for uniformity
  101. Became the standard for the whole church
  102. All share four (4) characteristics
  103. Based on church modes
  104. Rhythms were from Latin text
  105. Monophonic
  106. Composers unknown
  107. Eleven (11) Pieces used and divided into two sections
  108. Ordinary (same text for every service)
  109. Kyrie (Lord Have Mercy)
  110. Gloria (Glory to God)
  111. Credo (Creed)
  112. Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy)
  113. Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)
  114. Ite missa est (The Mass is ended)
  115. Proper (changed according to the needs of the service)
  116. Introit (Entrance Hymn)
  117. Gradual (Psalm)
  118. Alleluia (Gospel)
  119. Offertory (bringing up the bread and wine)
  120. Communion
  121. Theatre
  122. Morality Plays
  123. Focused on trying to convey what humanity should be striving for
  124. Usually contained themes like
  125. Live for tomorrow
  126. A man may gain a world of riches, but they are as nothing if he suffers the loss of his soul.
  127. No human being can escape final judgement
  128. Fun tales
  129. Focused on normal life and the poor overcoming their situations

  1. Gothic Sub-period (A.D. 1100 – A.D. 1400)
  2. Religious Changes
  3. Still a strong focus on Salvation.
  4. Scholasticism
  5. Organized theology
  6. Begins to explain dogma through logic and reason
  7. Result of universities (from monastic schools)
  8. Two categories of study
  9. Quadrivium (Mathematics)
  10. Artithemetic
  11. Geometry
  12. Astronomy
  13. Music
  14. Trivium
  15. Rhetoric
  16. Grammar
  17. Logic
  18. The Great Schism
  19. Three popes at the same time
  20. Urban VI Clement VII
  21. Council of Constance (A.D. 1414)
  22. Deposed John XXIII
  23. Accepted abdication of Gregory XII
  24. Dismissed Benedict XIII
  25. Accepted Martin V
  26. Crusades
  27. *VIDEO* Moments in Time – Curse of the Rat – Full
  28. Art
  29. Architecture
  30. Gothic cathedral
  31. France
  32. Term Gothic refers to the Goths (French)
  33. Considered vulgar (i.e. over the top, excessive, distasteful)
  34. Primarily in France, Germany and England
  35. Pointed Arch
  36. Could vault large spaces and extreme heights
  37. Created a problem with the weight of the arch on the walls
  38. Flying Buttress
  39. Half arches
  40. Supporting walls
  41. Built to the exterior of the wall
  42. Theoretically, a building would collapse if one of the supports failed or was taken off
  43. Light
  44. Abbot Suger
  45. Believed in large windows begin to be created to bring in natural light (reflection of Gods love)
  46. Influenced heavily French architecture
  47. Stained Glass
  48. Developed from Mosaics
  49. Formed from bits of colored glass
  50. No depth and often out of proportion and distorted
  51. Usually documented those who donated
  52. Sculpture
  53. Basically the same as the Romanesque
  54. Still elongated to create the effect of lightness in form
  55. Painting
  56. Still a minor art form except in illuminating manuscripts
  57. Fresco
  58. Technique of painting on wet or fresh plaster
  59. Has to be done immediately
  60. Tends to crack and absorb moisture
  61. Music
  62. Mathematical in its approach
  63. Harmony
  64. The simultaneous sounding of tones of different pitches (i.e. several different notes played or sung at the same time)
  65. Polyphony
  66. Two or more independent, simultaneous lines
  67. Homophony
  68. Melody with chordal accompaniment
  69. Cantus Firmus (basic chant)
  70. Secular
  71. France
  72. Troubadours (Southern)
  73. Trouvères (Northern)
  74. Germany
  75. Minnesingers (wealthy and aristocrats)
  76. Meistersingers (common people)
  77. England
  78. Scops & Gleemen (common people)
  79. Monody – one single melodic line
  80. Theatre
  81. Five M’s
  82. Mummings – Christian and pagan combination (usually yearly deals)
  83. Mysteries (cycle) – biblical plays (summer play)
  84. Miracle plays – about the lives of saints
  85. Morality plays – instructing man what he should do
  86. Manners plays – social commentary (usually show people acting socially inappropriately)

Unit 2: Notes – Medieval PeriodFine Arts SurveyPage 1 of 5