1. Creation of Art in Medival Times

2. What kind of animal do you think this is?
Do you think this person had ever seen this creature before? Why or Why not?
What do you think the letters could mean?
Do you think this person was taught by a master artist?

3. This is called The Symbol of Saint Mark, from The Echternach Gospels, 690 A.D.
It is supposed to be a monks idea of what a lion looks like.
Because monks were not allowed to leave the monestary (house) where they lived, they probably had never seen a real lion. They made their pictures based on the stories that they read without any training from a master artist.
The letters are in Latin and say “imago leonis” (image of the lion) A monk would have put them there to tell other people that is what his picture is of.

4. This is Saint Mark, from the Gospel Book of Archbishop Ebbo of Reims
How do you think he feels?
Imagine the sense of isolation and loneliness felt by monks at this time in history. Monk life allowed hardly any interaction with the outside world.
These monks had to use their time to study. They spent most of their time writing and illustrating the Bible for others.

5. Looks like a newer European painting style (Neoclassicism).
Artist: Antoine Plammondon
Title: Sister Saint-Alphonse
Date: 1841
Artist: Pierre Le Ber
Title: Marguerite Bourgeoys
Date: 1700
Looks like a newer European painting style (Neoclassicism).
The look of the face and hands reflect lots of training in how to paint the body
Looks like an older folk art style.
The look of the hands and the proportion of the face show the artist has little training in how to paint the body

6. There are isolated areas of flat colour.
Artist: Antoine Plammondon
Title: Sister Saint-Alphonse
Date: 1841
Artist: Pierre Le Ber
Title: Marguerite Bourgeoys
Date: 1700
All areas of the composition work together and there is lots of shading
There is light from behind her which shows a sense of space between the figure and the background.
There are isolated areas of flat colour.
Not a lot of light and shadows – the figure and the background almost blend together.