Throughout the three eras of medieval art, evolution of the human form can be seen through such elements as the Madonna and Child from having abnormally large heads on small bodies in the era of Early Christianity, to more natural countenances in the Gothic era.
As time progressed, artists became bolder in their representation of religious figures. So does art imitate life, or life imitate art?
Whichever way you personally feel, the Markeim Arts Center is here to broaden your knowledge of the subject. If you are seeking a more hands-on approach, we offer classes, exhibits, and workshops to familiarize and teach you about the ins and outs of different techniques and mediums. Give us a call today at to learn more. Understanding the History of Medieval Art June 29th, The works of the medieval period remain a rich area of study for scholars interested in diverse interdisciplinary topics such as economic history, political and religious studies and the status of women in medieval society.
Printed from Oxford Art Online. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a single article for personal use for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice. Oxford Art Online. As early Medieval Art began to develop, religion and Christianity proved to be major influences of the movement. The majority of the artworks contained holy and spiritual references, as the subject matter tended to portray Biblical scenes.
To some extent, countries bordering the Eastern Mediterranean region helped the Early Christian period of art in its development. However, the main area where this period of art emerged was central Italy. Detail of the Golden Madonna of Essen, A. Early Christian art forms developed after the Roman Empire officially adopted Christianity as their ruling religion.
Around the 4 th century, Christian art grew in popularity as pictures of Christ became more common. Concerns existed around creating images of the Deity began to grow, with more Medieval artists beginning to create scenes that depicted Jesus and other religious figures. Sadly, as the Early Christian art period appeared at the beginning of the Medieval Art era, very few sacred artworks and designs have managed to survive the first three centuries of Christian art. Most of the Early Christian artworks that exist today, such as iconic paintings, come from catacombs.
Despite this, some examples of Early Christian architecture remain, as numerous churches were constructed during this period of art. Developing in Constantinople, the capital of the Roman Empire at the time, was the Byzantine period of art. The beginning of the Medieval era was considered to be the Dark Ages, with Byzantine art existing as the primary type of art used by artists from the Eastern Roman Empire. The Byzantine art period is often considered to make up the best artworks that were created during the Middle Ages due to the impeccable craftsmanship and quality of materials used.
Cambrai Madonna c. Byzantine art, which was made up of a combination of Roman and Oriental arts, was characterized by its complete lack of realism. Artists did not attempt to make their paintings seem realistic, as they instead concentrated on the symbolism that was present in their artworks. Thus, the paintings produced were incredibly flat with no shadows, with subjects that appeared to be very serious and grim.
The majority of the subjects within Byzantine art were religious, with many Medieval paintings being depicted of Christ and the Virgin Mary. Architecture during the Byzantine period was typically grandiose and dazzling, as buildings demonstrated the wealth and intellectual prowess of their designers, artists, and builders. This is why churches built during the Byzantine period were magnificent, as they represented the dominating religion of Christianity in addition to these qualities.
Unfortunately, most of the artwork created during this period has since been destroyed, along with the exquisite mosaics and fresco paintings that adorned the churches. Beginning with a phase that was known as pre-Romanesque art, the Romanesque period developed around A.
The Romanesque period placed its focus on religion and Christianity, with these influences being seen in the artworks that were created. Typical Romanesque art pieces included stained glass pieces, engravings on buildings and columns, big murals on walls and domed ceilings, illuminated manuscripts, and sculptures. Romanesque buildings were enormous, powerful, and foreboding in appearance, but were characterized by their simple surface adornments that showcased the simplistic way of life of the artists.
The styles utilized by the Romanesque period were developed in France before they spread to other Western regions such as Spain, Germany, and Italy. It existed as the foremost art style to disperse throughout Europe, which demonstrated the increasing affluence of European cities and the authority of church monasteries.
The Romanesque style eventually made its way over to England where it became known as Norman art and continued to develop until the emergence of the Gothic Art period. The last period of late Medieval Art was the Gothic art period, which began developing in the 12 th century. The style began to grow in popularity and spread all over Europe, eventually replacing Romanesque art entirely. Gothic art was characterized by the use of brighter colors, dimensions, and perspective, as it demonstrated a pointed move back towards realism.
Artists began to use more shadows and light in their artworks and experimented with broad and new subject matters. Religion was dropped as the most important element within art, as these new subject matters included animals and mythic scenes. Figures depicted within the Gothic period made use of more realism, as paintings became more lifelike.
Aegidius and the Hindu c. As cities began to expand, the rise in universities, trade, and creation led to the formation of an entirely new class who could suddenly afford artistic commissions. This ultimately allowed Medieval artists to explore more earthly and non-religious themes and subject matters in their artworks.
Gothic architecture presented some revolutionary structural advancements to buildings, which were used to create taller and lighter buildings. Similarly, sculpture within this era borrowed elements from architecture and was mainly used to decorate the facade of cathedrals and other religious buildings. Gothic art eventually morphed into the Renaissance period, as elements began to mix together as the artistic period changed.
During the Medieval Art period, architecture formed an important part of the artistic developments. The Middle Ages was an era where political order was practically non-existent, which left many common individuals with no hope in their lives and very little to live for. The only certainty that existed was the promise of peace in heaven, where happiness and hope would finally be experienced. The influence of religion led to churches being designed by members of the public as opposed to the clergy, which allowed these holy places to meet the requirements of the daily lives of its members.
Thus, churches during the Medieval era took on the role of libraries, museums, and picture galleries in addition to being places of worship. This led to churches becoming the center of town life within the Medieval period. The architectural designs of this time illustrate the deep passion and idealism of the Christian and Catholic faith, which was represented in the churches built. Due to the vastness of the Medieval period, many different types of mediums were experimented with.
The artworks that still remain in large quantities include sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, tapestries, metalwork, stained glass, and mosaics.
These art forms were all said to have higher survival rates than fresco wall paintings and works made out of precious metals, despite them being extremely popular during Medieval Art.
Below, we will talk about some of the most significant mediums of Medieval Art and their characteristics.
They are estimated to have been woven in the late 15th century in the style of mille-fleurs; Unknown author Unknown author , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. During the Middle Ages, religion went on to become a prevalent theme in the majority of the artworks that were produced.
Vibrant paintings that featured famous icons, such as Jesus and the Virgin Mary, were common during the early stages of the Medieval period. One of the most iconic religious paintings created during this time was Last Supper by Giotto di Bondone, painted in This painting portrayed Jesus surrounded by his apostles, which went on to become the most depicted religious scene in art history. However, by the time the Gothic art period came around, artists began to stray away from the inclusion of typical religious themes in their artworks.
This meant that the subject matter began to change, along with the art style, as paintings started to focus on mythology, animals, and various other themes that differed from the norm. One particular artistic element that artists began to adopt within their artworks was realism, which became an important feature in the paintings created during the Medieval phase.
The inclusion of realism also featured within the Medieval sculptures that were created. Prior to the fall of the Roman Empire, sculptures were traditionally stylized in their features. After the empire collapsed, realism was ushered in by the Ottonians and Carolingians, who emphasized the use of realistic aesthetics over the apathetic expressions that were used in periods such as the Byzantine era. Virgin and Child, ivory, first half of the 14th century; Vassil , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
This transition into realism began a significant period of cultural revival within Medieval Art. Exquisite ivory carvings began to re-emerge, along with bronze castings that had three-dimensional details.
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