Art History Middle Ages

c Had 3 distinct time periods that over lapped Early Medieval c Romanesque c Gothic c

Medieval Art c

Time for growth in Parliamentary government Common law Present-day languages Modern nations and states

Charlemagne (King Charles the Great of the Franks) Came into power in c.800 Came to rule all of Europe (excluding Britain, Spain, southern Italy and Africa) ENCOURAGED THE ARTS and LEARNING Churches created schools to study arithmetic, grammar and scripture Had scholars (a.k.a. monks and priests) rewrite old texts and prepare new ones to preserve ancient manuscripts and record current history and law

The term “manuscript” translates from Latin as “made by hand”. Illumination comes from the Latin word “illuminare” meaning “light up”. Illuminated Manuscript

Materials Skin Feathers Goose or Swan Cured Ink Parchment and Vellum

Priests and Monks were responsible for the copying of these texts as they were the scholars of the time Mainly religious texts were copied The Church had the $ because of the rise of Feudalism and many people were forced to join the Church in order to become a scholars

The Rise of Feudalism Feudalism was a system in which weaker noblemen would give up their land to powerful lords for protection from outlying tribes that might try to steal their stuff and kill their families. These noblemen would become administrative servant, or vassals, to the lords taking care of the land that was once theirs. Most people were serfs; poor peasants who owned no land but worked on it and were property of the lord, and thereby protected under the feudalism trade deal.

Romanesque Period Main influence is Roman Art Development of stone castles with towers, walls, moats and drawbridges For protection and show of power due to Feudalism feuds

Tapestries decorated castle walls Textile (material) wall hangings that were woven, painted, or embroidered with colourful scenes

Pilgrimage Churches Shrine of St. James at the Cathedral of Santiago, Spain Sainte-Foy Conques, France, c Pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place Pilgrimage churches became safe places for people to stop on their journey Some churches became destinations as they held the remains of a saint

Romanesque Sculpture Usually found on the tympanum (the half- rounded panel above a doorway) or the capitals (tops) of columns Very simplistic and disproportionate A revival of sculpture Returning to an art form that hasn’t been used in many years. Much of the knowledge and techniques are lost because apprenticing was stopped as there was no carving work

Tympanum sculptures

Gothic Art

Gothic Art Evolved from Romanesque art and the art of the Middle Ages Rooted in religious devotion Especially know for: Distinctive architecture designs (ribbed arches, buttresses and spires) Stain glass Frescoes Illuminated manuscript Gargoyles and grotesques

Architecture Gothic architects applied ribbed vaulting, flying buttresses, spires and pointed arches purposefully to emphasize light and soaring spaces. Cathedral of Notre Dame, France,

The church of Saint Denis, 1140 CE Ribbed Vaulted Ceiling / Pointed Arches

Gothic Spires Spires are long pointed roof details meant to draw your eye upward as well as look powerful and intimidating.

Buttress and Flying buttress -an invention which transfers roof pressure and weight from outside walls to exterior supports located further away from the wall -created lighter structure -allowed for larger window (more and larger stain glass pieces)

-Used primarily to decorate the exterior of the cathedral -Stone figures represented saints and biblical scenes -Many craftsman worked to create stone figures so styles vary slightly Sculpture

Cathedral of Chartres Common Characteristics: Elongated bodies and solemn (sad/ serious) faces

Detailed sculptures were made to decorates each area of the Church Notre Dame Cathedral - Paris 1105

AND GROTESQUES Elements in gothic and renaissance architecture

Gargoyle, the dictionary definition: a spout usually in the form of a grotesquely carved face or figure, projecting from a roof gutter. Gargoyles are carvings on the outside of buildings designed to direct water from the roof away from the base of the walls. Some gargoyles are unidentifiable but many are zoomorphic (ANIMAL –LIKE) or anthropomorphic (HUMAN-LIKE) - often very imaginative and/or grotesque.

Possible Origins and Reasons for Gargoyles Here are some possible explanations:  rainwater plumbing  warding off evil - a keep away deterrent to demons  a reminder to parishioners (church goers) of the perils of evil  as pagan symbols to encourage believers in pre-Christian ways to come to church  a juxtaposition or balance of ugliness against the beauty inside the building  insurance policy against building collapse, related to warding off evil  as retribution for not paying the stone carver  fun decoration

GROTESQUES Not used as water spouts Usually closed mouths Decorative only Sits on corners of building BOTH Gargoyles and Grotesques… Narrative story Secular Naturalistic grotesque gargoyle

Painting during the Gothic Period was practiced in 4 primary crafts: Fresco- painting on plaster which is (usually) still wet Panel Painting- painting on multiple wood panels Manuscript Illumination- handwritten books with painted letters and decoration (very similar to Medieval Manuscript) Stain Glass- windows create with pieces of colourful glass joined with lead strips Style that is somber, dark and emotional

Gothic Fresco Last Judgment, Arena Chapel, Papua, Italy, by Giotto Fresco- painting on plaster which is (usually) still wet

Gothic Painting -did not appear until about 1200, nearly 50 years after the start of Gothic architecture and sculpture -style that is somber, dark and emotional Giotto di Bondone The Epiphany Florence, Italy

Panel Painting Made to travel with missionaries Usually 3 panels that fold onto each other

Gothic Manuscript Religious themes Covered in gold and sliver leaf Illustrates story and gives first letter of writing

Gothic Manuscript Illumination Annunciation, from the London Hours, Check out the Gold leaf and how it is “illuminating” the manuscript!

Gothic Stain Glass Notre Dame de la Belle Verrière, Cathedral of Notre Dame, France, Large stained glass pieces were made possible thanks to the invention of the Buttress and Flying Buttress. They took the weight of the roof off the outer walls of the building and allowed for larger windows to be made. Details and colour were painted/ stained into the glass