Medieval (500-1500 A.D.) andRomanesque Art (1000-1200 A.D.)

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire,Europe entered into a period known as the DarkDarkAgesAges. Much of the advancements fostered byRoman ingenuity disappeared.

The disintegration of the Roman Empire alsobrought about the loss of thousands of booksgathered from the great ancient civilizations likethat of Greece. Libraries that contained thewisdom of the ages were abandoned, destroyed orsimply left to ruin.

Many of the works that filled these librariesdisappeared for always, and only few books werepreserved by being laboriously hand copied byeducated monks & priests. If not for thesemedieval scribes, the light of ancient knowledgewould have been extinguished forever.

This was known as the ILLUMINATEDMANUSCRIPT and became a major art form of theearly medieval era.

The Dark AgesAlthough  this  was  a  dark  0me,  many  important  features  of  themodern  world  were  born:

• Parliamentary  government

• Common  Law

• Present-­‐day  languages

• Modern  na0on-­‐states

This  era  was  also  known  as  the  Age  of  Faith  because  people  were  fixatedon  one  important  goal:  prepara0on  for  eternal  life  and  death.

The  church  was  the  most  powerful  influence  since  the  collapse  of  theRoman  Empire.    Almost  everyone  was  born  into  faith  and  all  wereexpected  to  place  loyalty  to  the  Church  above  everything  else.

The Periods of the Middle AgesThe  Middle  Ages  can  be  broken  down  into  the  followingeras

• Early  Medieval  (500-­‐1500  A.D.)

• Romanesque  (1000-­‐1200  A.D.)

• Gothic  (1150-­‐1500  A.D.)

The Role of CharlemagneCharles  the  Great  or  Charlemagne  wascrowned  emperor  by  the  pope  on  ChristmasDay  in  the  year  800  A.D.    Under  his  reign  anefficient  government  and  remarkable  levelof  law  and  order  was  witnessed.

Beyond  this  he  was  known  for  encouraginglearning  and  the  arts.    He  is  also  responsiblefor  the  preserva0on  of  ancient  manuscripts.It  is  because  of  him  that  we  have  access  toold  texts.

This  strong  government  however  endedshortly  aYer  his  death  in  814  AD,  returningwestern  Europe  to  the  shambles  it  wasbefore.

Equestrian Statuette of Charlemagne.Circa 800 A.D., bronze.

Sculpture, 9.5 x 6.75 x 3.75”Louvre, Paris, France

Palace-Chapel ofCharlemagne792-805 A.D.Aachen, GermanyFasioned after St. Vitale,Ravenna, Italy

The Rise of FeudalismFEUDALISM  was  a  system  in  which  weaknoblemen  gave  up  their  lands  and  much  of  theirfreedom  to  more  powerful  lords  in  return  forprotec0on.    The  former  owner  could  remain  onthe  land  as  his  administrator  or  vessel  (servant).

Those  who  did  not  have  land  to  give  were  knownas  SERFS,  poor  peasants  who  worked  the  landand  were  handed  over  with  it.Not  only  was  he  a  great  emperor  but  heencouraged  learning  and  the  arts  more  thananyone  before  him.    His  most  importantachievement  however  was  the  preserva0onof  ancient  manuscripts.

Unfortunately  aYer  his  death,  his  stronggovernment  system  collapsed.    Leading  to  aneed  for  protec0on  and  the  forma0on  ofthe  governmental  system  known  asFEUDALISM.

Equestrian Statuette of Charlemagne. Circa800 A.D., bronze.Sculpture, 9.5 x 6.75 x 3.75”Louvre, Paris, France

Church DesignSimilar  to  the  designs  we  saw  throughout  theearly  Chris0an  &  Byzan0ne  style,  Medievalchurches  were  built  using  Roman  models.    Herewe  see  a  con0nua0on  of  the  civic  Basilica  as  themost  popular  type  of  structure  for  religiouspurposes.

The  Basilica  featured  a  rectangular  plan  whichwas  divided  on  the  inside  to  form  a  nave  (longcentral  hallway),  and  two  or  more  side  aisles.Windows  located  high  on  the  walls  of  the  navelit  the  interior  of  the  building.

On  one  end  of  the  nave  was  the  entrance,  at  theopposite  end  was  a  semicircular  area  known  asthe  apse  where  the  alter  was  placed.

Medieval Basilica Plan

Changes in Church DesignDuring  Charlemagne’s  reign,  somechurches  were  built  with  a  TRANSEPT(another  aisle  that  cut  directly  across  thenave  and  the  side  aisles).    This  was  placedin  front  of  the  apse.    From  a  bird’s  eyeview,  this  addi0on  gave  the  church  theshape  of  the  cross.

The  transept  increased  space  and  gavethe  church  a  symbolic  appearance.

We  also  saw  the  addi0on  of  tower  whichinfluences  church  construc0on  inWestern  Europe  for  centuries.    Mostchurches  however,  during  this  0me  weremade  from  0mber  most  of  which  weredestroyed  by  accidental  fires.

Early Romanesque church ofSan ClementeTabull, SpainShowing detached bell tower

Monasteries

Prac0cing  art  during  this  0me  became  a  strong  focus  for  manypeople,  mostly  monks.    MONASTICISM  refers  to  the  way  of  life  inwhich  individuals  gather  together  to  spend  their  days  in  prayer  andself-­‐denial.

Monks  built  their  monasteries  in  remote  loca0ons,  oYen  in  deepforests  or  in  the  mountains.    The  MONASTERY  OF  SAN  JUAN  DE  LAPENA  is  one  of  few  of  these  remaining  and  is  located  in  the  foothillsof  Pyrenees,  Spain.    These  are  now  ruins  that  are  over  1000  yearsold.

Monastery of San Juan de la Penacirca 922

MonasteriesARCHITECTURE

The  exterior  of  the  monastery  has  thelook  of  a  fortress  with  thick  stonewalls  and  small  windows.    Theinterior  of  the  building  is  dark  anddamp,  walls  marked  with  smokestains  from  torches  that  were  usedfor  light.

The  interior  housed  a  CLOISTER  (anopen  court  or  garden  and  the  coveredwalkway  surrounding  it).      Mostprayer  and  contempla0on  prac0ceswere  done  in  this  area  of  the  building.

Example of a monastery plan

Illuminated ManuscriptThe  Illuminated  Manuscript  is  ahandwriden  book  with  pictures  anddecora0on  painted  or  drawn  in  goldgold  &silversilver  leaf  &  bright  colorsbright  colors.    This  illuminated,or  lit  up,  the  page  (hence  its  name).

Except  for  wall  frescos  illumina0ons  werethe  only  other  form  of  pain0ng  in  medieval0mes  (up  to  13th  century).

  As  paper    was  not  invented  un0l  the  12thcentury,  vellumvellum  (parchment  made  fromthinly  scraped  calf,  goat  or  sheep  skin)  wasused  for  the  pages  or  leaves  ofmanuscripts.

Illuminated pageBOOK OF KELLSRepresenting the fourEvangelists/gospelwriters:

St. Matthew = Angel

St. Mark = Lion

St. Luke = Ox

St. John = Eagle

A  calligrapher  or  scribewould  copy  the  text  on  theparchment  with  a  reed  orquill  pen.  As  most  of  theEuropean  popula0on  wasilliterate,  it  fell  to  thereligious  orders  to  preservewriden  knowledge.

Illuminated ManuscriptManuscripts  con0nued  to  be  illustrated  withpain0ngs  and  drawings  in  the  Middle  Ages,  butillumina0onillumina0on  was  further  extended  to  theornamenta0on  of  the  text  through  the  use  ofini0al  ledersini0al  leders  that  were  oversized  and  lavishlydecorated,  and  through  the  framing  of  text  andwith  elaborate  decora0ve  borders.

The  produc0on  of  medieval  manuscripts  becamea  func0on  of  the  Chris0an  church  by  the  7thcentury  and  was  carried  out  for  the  most  part  inmonasteries  un0l  the  13th  century,  when  it  wastaken  over  by  secular  (non-­‐religious)  scribes  andar0sts  working  for  book  dealers  or  individualpatrons  like  the  nobility  &  wealthy  merchants.

Illuminated ManuscriptST.  MATTHEW,  FROM  THE  GOSPEL  BOOK  OFARCHBISHOP  EBBO  OF  REIMSCIRCA  830APPROX.  10  X  8”EPERNAY,  FRANCE

This  work  focuses  on  depic0ng  movement.The  drapery  swirls  around  the  figure,  whilesketchy  lines  behind  seem  to  push  upward.This  mo0on  underscores  Madhew’sexcitement  as  he  works  furiously  at  themoment  of  inspira0on  to  record  the  sacredmessage.

His  wide-­‐open  eyes,  furrowed  brow  andrumpled  hair  indicate  his  intenseconcentra0on.    His  huge,  clumsy  hand  guidesthe  pen  rapidly  across  the  pages.

It  is  Madhew’s  responsibility  to  pass  thesewords  on  to  the  world.    His  expression  andac0ons  show  that  he  is  painfully  aware  of  thisresponsibility.

Relief CarvingsADAM  AND  EVE  EATING  THE  FORBIDDEN  FRUITRELIEF  CARVING  ON  A  CAPTIAL  FROM  THE  CLOISTERSANTES  CREUS  MONASTERY12TH  CENTURYTARRAGONA,  SPAIN

Here  we  see  a  depic0on  from  the  story  of  Adam  and  Eve.    An  angel  is  seendriving  them  away  from  the  garden  of  paradise.

IN  CONCLUSIONThe  Church  was  the  center  for  art  and  learning  as  well  as  religion  during  theMedieval  Times.    It  favored  art  that  could  teach  and  inspire  the  people  of  theirfaith.    The  wriden  por0ons  of  manuscripts  were  meant  for  the  few  people  whocould  read,  whereas  the  illustra0ons  were  intended  for  those  who  could  not.The  messages  presented  in  the  illustra0ons  had  to  be  simple  and  familiar  soeveryone  could  understand  them.

  The  pictures  oYen  told  the  same  Scripture  stories  that  the  people  heard  everySunday  in  church  sermons.    These  stories  were  also  expressed  in  carvings  andrelief  sculptures.