NOTES: Early Medieval Art in Europe . Chapter 15
The world then....
5th century Western Empire dissolves from Roman authority.
Replaced with ruling individuals outside this cultural group called Barbarians (they could only 'barble' the Latin language) - - Germanic tribes (the Alaric, the Celts, the Visigoths, the Vandals, the Goths, the Ostrogoths).
Some of these Germanic tribesmen were allies to Rome. When Constantine's troops took over Maxemtius at the Milvian Bridge many of Constantine's men were the "barbarians."
The fall of Rome shocked the Christian world psychologically and Bishop Augustine of Hippo. He is known as Saint Augustine, from Canterbury, UK. (St. Augustine, d. 430) writes The City of God -- a text that establishes a grounding in Christian philosophy.
His original Latin name was Aurelius Augustinus, (born November 13, 354, Tagaste, Numidia, which is now Algeria. Augustine is recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Christian Church, and the Anglican Communion (Canterbury) as well as the first Doctor of the Church. Some of St. Augustine's most notable quotes:
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.
You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.
Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.
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| Chi Rho Iota page from The Book of Kells Probably from Iota, Scotland Late 8th c. Early 9th c. Oxgall inks and pigments on vellum approx. 13" x 9" (larger than college ruled paper!) |
Large, ornate manuscripts to celebrate the word of God
Chi Rho Iota - Greek letters (XPI)
Illuminated manuscript -- that illuminates the mind painted in gold and color.
From a previous student paper: "The symbolic significance behind the Book of Kells is just as important as its historical significance. Its illuminations are not just illustrations of the word of God, but they also illustrate meaning and beauty upon the reader and literally light up the mind."
Abbreviation of Christi ... autumn generatio = bottom right text
These words begin Matthew 1:18
"Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way."
Book of Matthew = accounts of the four biblical accounts of Christ's life
Such a book would have been carried in the hands of someone very important.
Made by Irish monks in monasteries
They became famous for writing and copying books as for their "intense spirituality and missionary fervor."
From a previous student paper: "The inks used combined the monks’ knowledge of the natural world around them -- oxgall from the livers of cows that was then mixed with alcohol, woad, and other organic dyes -- and also demonstrated the resources of the church, with other pigments made from lapis lazuli and other precious materials from around the globe (“The Book…” [Trinity College] 5; Stokstad 428). "
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DETAIL: Chi Rho Iota page from The Book of Kells
Probably from Iota, Scotland Late 8th c. Early 9th c.
Irish monasteries = easy victims to Viking attacks
In 806 fleeing Viking raids, the monks took refuge off the island of Iona (off coast of Scotland) and established a safe haven at Kells.
This book was brought with them - as a precious object
It is said that four scribes and three painters worked on it - taking one month for this page alone!
"The Book also represented the shift from pagan to Christian thought while still honoring the influence of pagan traditions and stories that continued to shape the Medieval Irish way of life."
185 calves slaughtered to make the vellum for the manuscripts. The rich painting color came from Afghanistan.
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| DETAIL: Chi Rho Iota page from The Book of Kells Probably from Iota, Scotland Late 8th c. Early 9th c.
Swirling spirals, interlaced tangles, celtic knots and interlacing have their roots in jewelry (created by the migrating "barbarian tribes" that formed the "other" in the Greco-Rmoan world.
Throughout the Middle Ages - monasteries were the places for art production and learning.
Painters, jewelers, carvers, weavers, embroiderers
Who were the people living outside the Mediterranean area we have been looking at carefully? Their architecture was wooden and thus lost to fire and decay - very little of it still stands. Metal work has survived - small personal ornamentation and the like. They engaged in metal work, weaving, pottery, woodwork. They were fishermen, hunters, shepherds and farmers lived in villages with a social organization. The Celts and Goths Lived and controlled most of western Europe Migrated into better lands and climate around the Mediterranean and Black Sea The last Roman emperor was removed in 476 CE The many barbarian groups gradually converted to Christianity as early as 345 CE and swept across what was once known as western Christian empire established by the Romans earlier. |
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| Gummersmark Brooch Denmark - 6th c. Silver gilt, chased 6" high |
Superb metal smiths, the barbarians created amazing metal work highly patterned in geometric design. Some with very abstracted natural forms --- you can only do so much with sheets of metal and wire!
Works such as the Gummersmark Brooch above, is partially cast metal and also chased (formed by hammering)
Gummersmark Brooch -- found in modern day Denmark - Scandinavian was never part of the Roman Empire. People spoke the Norse language and shared rich mythologies with other Germanic people.
Lots of animal motifs, serpents, dogs, spiraling tongues, monster heads.
Composition are generally symmetrical
Metal smiths created their molds for casting the gold / silver to produce a glittering shimmer on the cast metal
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| Hinged Shoulder Clasp Found in the Sutton Hoo Burial Ship From: Suffolk, England 7th century Gold plaques with granulation and inlays of semi precious garnet stone and millefiori glass (blue)
Created in gold, garnet semi precious stone, and glass millefiori - Italian word for 1,000 flowers
Clasp has strong geometric pattern, interlacing snakes on edges, and overlapping boars heavily stylized -- boars represent strength and bravery (Unlike earlier civilizations we have seen, no lions here!) -- important characteristics to the warlike Anglo-Saxon society.
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| DETAIL: Hinged Shoulder Clasp Found in the Sutton Hoo Burial Ship From: Suffolk, England 7th century |
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Symbol of the Evangelist Matthew
Gospel Book of Durrow Iona, Scotland Late 7th century Ink and tempera on parchment
One of the most celebrated artwork forms of the time are most certainly the illustrated / illuminated manuscript books.
Manuscripts were used for spiritual and liturgical teachings that established the monasteries - also used for missionary activities.
Books were often highly ornate, in jeweled covers and placed on the altars.
They were even thought of to protect parishioners from their enemies - as a kind of talisman.
The scribes that created them were the monks living in monasteries making time in their scriptoria = workshop.
p. 435
Book of Durrow is Hiberno-Saxon design
Four Gospels (Matthew, Luke, John and Mark), followed by a page of pure ornamentation
Highly stylized in geometric fashion - flat, almost recalls composite pose we saw in Ancient Egyptian art (feet are in profile)
Interlaced, curvilinear line work boarders the Evangelist
High contrast between geometric and organic line and the addition of gold to illuminate and sparkle as one would dwell on each page, with the word of God.
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| Page with the beginning of the Test of Matthew's Gospel, Lindisfarne Gospel Book c. 715 - 720 CE ink and tempera on vellum
Lindisfarne Gospels - scribes from England, Scotland and Ireland
Remember the first Chi Rho Iota shown?
This too, is the book that illuminates Matthew's account of Jesus' birth. These books were carried in processions and laid on the altar
Text is ornate and abbreviated -- the word is from/made God
Illuminated and a developing sophisticated abstract artistic tradition takes hold!
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| Ezra Restoring the Sacred Scriptures in the Bible known as the Codex Amiatinus Wearmouth-Jarrow c. 700 - 715 CE
p. 437
Wearmouth-Jarrow is located not far from Lindisfarne and was known to have a library of many Roman books
Other illuminated books recall Roman traditions - with portraits of the Evangelists writing the Gospels as seen above. These works emulate earlier Greco-Roman traditions.
Attributes of this work:
Recall Pompeii walls?
Foreshortening of bench and stool (drawn in an awkward linear perspective)
Roman wear -- folds and drapery (Hellenistic period)
Figure situated in a virtually empty context, with library shelf and codex books
Independent STUDY:
The Viking Era p. 441
Timber Architecture and The Stave Church, Norway p.443
The Carolingian Empire p.444 - 452
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