The Middle Ages

5th to the 15th century

The Middle AgesThe roughly 1,000 years of European history between the collapse

of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century and the Renaissance of the fifteenth century are known as the middle ages, or the medieval period.

Early historians believed this period was a “dark” time of ignorance between the two “golden ages” of the Classical period, and the Renaissance. Although, this perspective is no longer as common, the name remains. We now see this period as a time of great richness, complexity and innovation.

As Roman authority crumbled through out Europe, it was replaced by strong locals leaders who offered protection to the people in exchange for goods/services (example a farmer or a blacksmith). This system was known as Feudalism.

During the period the Christian Church was the most active patron of the arts, commissioning churches, holy objects, manuscripts/holy texts and elaborate decorations. Art of this time was often used to teach about the Christian faith.

Key Vocabulary

Feudalism- a social system that existed in Europe during the Middle Ages in which people worked and fought for nobles who gave them protection and the use of land in return.

Patron- a customer, especially a regular one, or wealthy person who uses their money to support art/an artist/an organization

Commissioned- give an order for or authorize the production of (something such as a building, piece of equipment, or work of art).

illumination- glows or puts off light

Naritive- in art this refers to the story that a work of art tells

An illuminated manuscript is

a manuscript in which the text is

supplemented with such decoration

as initials, borders and miniature

illustrations. They often have gold or

silver accents.

The Book of Kells is an

example of an illuminated

manuscript. It is a stunningly

beautiful manuscript containing the

Four Gospels. It is Ireland's most

precious medieval artifact, and is

generally considered the finest

surviving illuminated manuscript to

have been produced in medieval

Europe.

Illuminated Manuscripts:

The Book of Kells

The Book of Kells contains portraits of all the Evangelists as well as of Christ. This portrait of John has a notably intricate border.

Origins and HistoryThe Book of Kells was probably produced in a monastery on the Isle of Iona, Scotland, to

honor Saint Columba in the early 8th century. After a Viking raid the book was moved to Kells,

Ireland, sometime in the 9th century.

It was stolen in the 11th century, at which time its cover was torn off and it was thrown

into a ditch. The cover, which most likely included gold and gems, has never been found, and the

book suffered some water damage; but otherwise it is extraordinarily well-preserved.

In 1541, at the height of the English Reformation, the book was taken by the Roman

Catholic Church for safekeeping. It was returned to Ireland in the 17th century, and Archbishop

James Ussher gave it to Trinity College, Dublin, where it resides today.

Canon Tables were devised by Eusebius to indicate which passages are

shared in multiple Gospels. The Canon Table below appears on Folio 5

of the Book of Kells.

ConstructionThe Book of Kells was written

on vellum (calfskin), which was

time-consuming to prepare properly

but made for an excellent, smooth

writing surface. 680 individual

pages (340 folios) have survived,

and of them only two lack any form

of artistic ornamentation. In addition

to incidental character illuminations,

there are entire pages that are

primarily decoration, including

portrait pages, "carpet" pages and

partially decorated pages with only

a line or so of text.

As many as ten different colors

were used in the illuminations,

some of them rare and expensive

dyes that had to be imported from

the continent. The workmanship is

so fine that some of the details can

only be clearly seen with a

magnifying glass. http://digitalcollections.tcd.ie/home/index.php?DRIS_ID=MS58_003v

ContentsAfter some prefaces and canon tables,

the main thrust of the book is the Four

Gospels. Each one is preceded by a

carpet page featuring the author of the

Gospel: Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.

These authors acquired symbols in the

early medieval era.

Matthew's symbol was an angel, or

winged man, because his Gospel begins

with the human genealogy of Jesus.

Mark's symbol is a lion because his

Gospel begins with John the Baptist,

whose preaching is described as a voice

crying in the wilderness like the roar of a

lion.

Luke's Gospel begins with the story of

Zacharias making sacrifices in the

temple, and since oxen and calves were

often used for sacrifices, Luke's symbol is

an ox or a calf.

John's symbol is an eagle because

his Gospel begins with Jesus existing in

heaven as "the Word of God" before he

came to earth.

All of these symbols are described in a vision of Ezekiel

This image of the Madonna and Child

surrounded by angels appears on Folio

7 of the Book of Kells. It is the earliest

known depiction of the Madonna and

Child in western European art.

Create your own Illuminated Manuscript

Write your first initial very large on a

sheet of paper and decorate it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aDHJu9J10o

Gothic refers to an

architectural style of

western Europe from the

12th through the 15th

century and characterized

by pointed arches, rib

vaulting, and a developing

emphasis on the

impression of height.

Gothic Architecture

GOTHIC STYLE

The Gothic style was marked by a variety of characteristics. These included:

Cathedrals, grand, tall designs, which swept upwards with height and

grandeur

Bright colors were used regularly in stained glass, sculptures, and

paintings.

Figures portrayed in artworks appeared much more natural than in the

earlier Romanesque style. Gone is the idea of portraying man (and

woman) in perfect form.

Warmth and emotion “oozed” from most art pieces.

Flying buttresses, pointed arches, stained glass windows and illuminated

manuscripts were the important creations of the day.

cathedral – a large, important church.

flying buttress – a structure, usually brick or stone, built against a wall for

support or reinforcement.

architecture – a style and method of design and construction

exoskeleton – a hard outer structure that provides protection or support

interior – inside; inner.

exterior – outer; external

façade – the face of a building, especially the principal front that looks onto a

street or open space.

stained glass - glass that is colored by mixing pigments inherently in the glass,

fusing colored metallic oxides onto the glass, or painting and baking

transparent colors on the glass surface

Key Vocabulary

Gothic Architecture

The Gothic style was one rooted in

architecture and any other forms of art were

basically created to help adorn the house of the

Lord. Gothic churches were very "bright". The

belief in divine light and the powers it contained

had a great deal to do with how Gothic cathedrals

were built.

Gothic architects solved the problem of

very little light coming through the windows by

creating a new style of building. Instead of having

large walls with large interior support the Gothic

churches were made with "exoskeletons". The

church itself was like a skeleton with the walls

and windows hanging as skin, off of this skeleton.

This allowed the weight of the

construction to be transferred from the interior to

the exterior by way of what is known as the "flying buttress" system - massive piers

or arches on the outside of the church (excellent

examples of these buttresses can be seen on the Notre Dame Cathedral in

Paris, France). With the heavy walls no longer needed, walls were opened up

for large, light colored stained glass windows. The sun could finally shine in.

Spires- are found on

gothic churches. The spires

make the cathedrals easily

recognized at a distance.

Because of the way they stretch

high into the sky. Some say

that's how they “advertised its

connection to heaven”.

Chartres Cathedral is located in of Chartres, France. Not

only is Chartres Cathedral one of the finest examples of the

French High Gothic style, it is almost perfectly preserved.

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (English: “Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower” ) started being built in 1296 in

the Gothic style and was completed in 1436.

This cathedral is Florence’s most beautiful

cathedral and

symbol of

the city.

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

Notre Dame de Paris is a beautiful Catholic cathedral in

Paris. Begun in 1163, it was essentially

complete by around 1345.

One of the most famous

French Gothic cathedrals,

the Notre Dame is a great

example of French Gothic

architecture, sculpture and

stained glass.

Notre Dame de Paris

Gothic stained glassImagine standing in a medieval church. As your eyes adjust to the darkness, you notice colored light

streaming down from above. Some of the most powerful art produced in the High Middle Ages were stained-glass

cycles, or visual stories, in French cathedrals. Among the most famous of these is in Reims Cathedral, from which

this arresting lunette (a half moon–shape) originally came. The seraph, one of the six-winged angels that were

thought to stand in the presence of God, is frighteningly formal, with thick strokes of black vitreous paint used to

render its commanding eyes and facial features. Vitreous paint is paint that contains tiny glass particles mixed in a

liquid. This panel (left), comes from the important medieval Abbey of

Klosterneuberg outside Vienna and shows the great achievements of

medieval stained glass. The painting demonstrates how pure, supple lines

communicate tenderness and delicacy, even when viewed from a

distance, as was often the case with medieval church glass. Simple fields

of color (including the silver stain used in the yellow halos) complete the

radiant effect.

This window was originally meant to go up high, in the windows of a

cloister, and even though the piece itself is rather small, the tremendous

clarity of the line-work that makes it quite legible from a distance. The

beautiful curls of the hair, the facial features, are all painted in a black line

of vitreous paint by an individual who expresses himself just as surely in

this art form as a painter of oil or tempera would express him or her self in

a panel painting or a fresco painting. The paint, which is applied to the

glass surface, adds detail and a sense of three-dimensionality to the

image. Another unique aspect of stained glass is that it's enhanced by

daylight, which changes with the weather, the season, and the time of day.

When a glass panel is shot through with a strong ray of light, you can see

the colors floating off the top of the panel, and this is what makes it such a

moving, and almost mystical, art form.

The Virgin and Child, Master of Klosterneuberg, Austrian, active about 1335, pot-metal and clear glass, black vitreous paint, and silver stain

During the Gothic period and the Renaissance (1100s–1500s) stained glass was one of the

foremost techniques of painting practiced in Europe. It may seem surprising to call stained glass a

form of painting, but in fact it is. Look closely at the image here and note that the surfaces of each

piece of glass are painted in a wide range of dark tones. One of the most widespread forms of

painting, stained glass inspired the lives of the faithful through religious narratives in churches and

cloisters, celebrated family and political ties in city halls, and even decorated the windows of private

houses.

The Virgin and Saint John, from a Crucifixion, German, c. 1420, Dark brown vitreous paint, colored pot metal and clear glass, silver stain,

H: 58.5 x W: 50 x D: 1 cm (23 1/16 x 19 11/16 x 3/8 in.)

Why is it called stained glass?The term stained glass derives from the silver stain that was often applied to the side of

the window that would face the outside of the building. When the glass was fired, the silver stain

turned a yellow color that could range from lemon to gold. Stained glass was usually used to make

windows, so that the light would shine through the painting. It is a form of painting that began over

1,000 years ago and is still essentially made the same way today.

Seraph, unknown French glass painter, working at Reims Cathedral, c. 1275–99 pot-metal and clear glass and black vitreous paint

The emotion-filled panel below eloquently demonstrates the

essential means of expression of medieval glass painters. The delicate modeling of

the face and hand was done by

applying vitreous paint to clear glass

and then stabbing it with a broad

brush to create points of light. It was

then contoured with a pointed brush,

creating expressive, almost

calligraphic line work, as seen in the

tousled hair and distraught facial

features of Saint John. Originally,

this would have been part of a larger

Crucifixion scene.

We take windows for

granted. But there was a time when

glass panes were too expensive for

most people, only in the late 1400s,

did glass panels become wider

spread, so that middle class and

wealthy people could have them in

their homes—and they started

setting into their clear glass windows,

smaller panels that would be

amusing or instructive or celebrate

their family histories. Saint John (from a Crucifixion), possibly South German,

c. 1420

Design your own stained glass

window.Select colors of crayon to and arrange the

shavings between two pices of wax paper

and, with help, you will melt the wax of the

crayon. Once it is cool you will glue on your

“frame” made of construction paper, and use

sharpies to create the interior desighn of the

window. When you are done, it should look

like a stained glass window.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGAumT8aNkk

Gargoyles came into gothic architecture in the

early 13th century and are defined as "a waterspout,

projecting from an upper part of a building or a roof

gutter to throw water clear of walls or foundations."

In Architectural terms, only the creature serving as

actual water spout is called a Gargoyle, otherwise it is

known as a Grotesque. A grotesque may function

solely as decoration.

Gargoyles and

Grotesques

Gargoyles were usually carved in the form of a grotesque face, figure or frightening

creature projecting from a roof gutter. Gargoyles were painted and some were even

gilded. The earliest Gargoyles were made of wood or even terracotta. Later gargoyles,

especially in churches, were predominantly limestone and marble, although metals such

as lead were also used in fashioning some gargoyles. Stone gargoyles were carved on

the ground and then put into place when the building was almost at the point of

completion.

Gargoyles might depict any

number of grotesque images

including: Ugly human faces,

Animals, Mythical creatures,

Imaginary Creatures, and

Chimeras (combinations of several animals)

The first is a practical purpose - gargoyles

provided a method of drainage which protected the

stones and the mortar of churches, cathedrals and

castles from erosion. The number of Gargoyles added

to buildings were numerous because dividing the flow

of water minimized potential water damage.

The second purpose of gargoyles was as

'guardians' of the buildings in the form of abstract

symbols designed to represent, and to ward off evil.

The purpose of Gargoyles

Stone Gargoyles in Medieval Architecture Gargoyles are a fascinating

element of Medieval Architecture. These frightening, grotesque sculptures are most often

associated with Medieval Churches and Cathedrals but they were also used to great effect in

English Gothic castles. Gargoyles are frightening and intimidating sculptures - perfect for the likes

of great lords who built elaborate fortresses and castles in order to crush and intimidate the

indigenous population. However, while gargoyles were included in the construction of many

medieval buildings, they seem to be most prevalent on churches.

What Gargoyles represent Gargoyles all have a common theme, they are carved

with big wide-open mouths. While this was a practical, functional, and a necessary requirement of

gargoyles, creatures and images with mouths wide open are symbolic of devouring giants. Let’s be

honest, how could Medieval stone masons make anything look beautiful when it has to be

displayed with a big wide-open mouth!

Gargoyles History Gargoyle History dates back to antiquity. Gargoyles can be found in

Ancient Egyptian, Ancient Roman and Ancient Greek architecture although they are most

commonly associated with Medieval Gothic architecture. Ancient history, myths, legends and pagan

religions abound with stories of frightening and fantastic creatures. Creatures that fired the

imagination. Creatures you would only ever meet in your worst nightmares. Perhaps the Medieval

church wanted to convey a terrifying impression of hell and enforce that there was safety and

sanctity inside the church. The devil would be a most inappropriate, and totally unorthodox, image

to allow on a church - fantastic gargoyles, would, however have a similar, terrifying psychological

effect. Stone masons had free choice what their gargoyles should depict or look like. It is an

interesting fact that there are no two gargoyles which are exactly the same!

Design your own GrotesqueThink about the difference

between a gargoyle and a

grotesque. Make up your own

and write a story about him/her!