An introduction to art in the medieval period, from the fall of the Roman Empire, through Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic. Includes architecture, religion, illuminated manuscripts, and more!

1. Art in the Middle Ages
Art Appreciation 1301.51005
T, R, 9:30-10:50AM
Professor Paige Prater

2. Introduction
• Middle Ages/Medieval/ “Dark Ages”
• Approximately 1,000 year period: 5th century
end of the Roman Empire to Renaissance
(1500)
• “Barbarians”
• Church power/architecture
– Romanesque (11th century)
– Gothic (1150-1500)

3. Three Major Religions

4. Jewish Art: Dura Europos (Roman Empire
border-town in Syria), 244-245 CE

5. Detail of synagogue at Dura-Europos:
Exodus and Crossing of the Red Sea

6. Rome: Catacombs of Saints Peter and
Marcellinus, 3rd-early 4th century
Typology: Christ and Jonah stories

7. 5th Century: Rome
 Roman army abandons Britain (Hadrian’s
Wall)
◦ Germanic allies of Rome
◦ 410 Rome sacked by Visigoths
◦ Galla Placidia
◦ 455 Rome sacked by Vandals
◦ 476 Ostrogoths deposed the last Roman
Emperor
 Ravenna – capital until Byzantine defeat in 540 CE

8. Mapping “Barbarians”

9. Byzantine: Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
425-426 CE– Good Shepherd Mosaic
Lunette and tesserae
395 – Emperor Theodosius I split
Roman Empire between his sons

10. Rome to Constantinople: Byzantine
Empire

11. Byzantine Art/Culture
• Early Byzantine (5th century – 726 CE)
– End of Western Roman Empire – 476CE
– Iconoclastic Controversy 726-843CE
• Middle Byzantine (843-1204 CE)
– Catholic vs. Orthodox 1054 CE
– Crusades begin 1095 CE
• Late Byzantine (1261-1453CE)
– Fall of Constantinople to Turks 1453 CE

12. Constantinople: Emperor Justinian I
• Hagia Sophia, 532-537 CE

13. Icons
• Emperor
Justinian I
(483-565)
• Constantinople
• More than
2,000 icons
• Meditation
and prayer
6th century icon of Christ, St. Catherine
Monastery, Mount Sinai, Egypt

14. San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy
• 526 CE Bishop Ecclesius
commissions this church
• Not finished until Justinian I
takes over Ravenna in 540 CE
• Justinian and Theodora may
never have visited.

15. San Vitale, Ravenna – MOSAICS –
Christ Enthroned, 547 CE

16. San Vitale, Ravenna: Emperor Justinian I
(north wall of apse)

17. San Vitale, Ravenna: Empress
Theodora (south wall of apse)

18. San Vitale, Ravenna, View facing apse

19. Central Plan vs. Basilica

20. Central Plan vs. Basilica

21. Illuminated Manuscripts in the Middle
Ages
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aDHJu9J10o
• Koran
• Lindisfarne gospels
• Book of Kells

22. Page from the Koran, late 12th century
• vellum
• Kufic script on
headings
• Maghribi script
on the rest of
the text
• Right to left
• Arabesque
quality

23. Lindisfarne Gospels, Cross-carpet page
introducing the Gospel of Matthew
• Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John
• lines>tiny
animal heads
• contemplation

24. Detail of carpet page

25. Book of Kells, Chi Rho Iota page, late 8th or
early 9th century
• Cats and mice
• Chi rho symbol

26. Celts & Anglo-Saxons: Sutton Hoo
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWxcQZBM3eQ
• Purse cover, Suffolk, England, first half of 7th century

27. Later Islamic Manuscript Page, 1539-
1543
• The Ascent of the Prophet
Muhammad on his Steed,
Buraq, Guided by Jibra’il
and Escorted by Angels
• Miniature painting from
Nizami’s Khamsa (five
poems)

28. Pilgrimage in the Middle Ages
• Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, 688-691 CE

29. Mosques
• Mihrab =
special prayer
niche
• Mihrab from
the Madrasa
Imami,
Isfahan, Iran,
c. 1354. Mosaic of
polychrome-glazed cut
tiles on stonepaste body,
set into plaster, 11’ 3” x 9’
5 ¾” . Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New
York.
• https://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=hXNFjOhrihI
&index=2&list=PL3DA7CE
9E3C8EC115

30. Kaaba, Mecca
• Surrounded by large mosque
• Allegedly built by Abraham for God
• Muhammad born in Mecca around 570 CE

31. Reliquaries
• Reliquary of Head of
St. Alexander, 1145
• Silver repousse, gilt
bronze, gems,
pearls, and enamel
• 7 ½” high
• Vézelay video:
pilgrimage,
crusades:
https://www.youtub
e.com/watch?v=Dnx
m4UQPDTo&list=PLE
EA1BAEC5B2F7654&
index=43

32. Symbolism
St. Trophime, west portal with tympanum,
12th century, Arles, France

33. Romanesque: St. Sernin, 1070-1120,
Toulouse, France

34. Gothic: Chartres Cathedral, 1260

35. Transitioning to the Renaissance:
• Cimabue, Virgin and Child Enthroned, c. 1280 (L). Tempera and gold
on wood, 12’ 7 ½” x 7’ 4” Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
• Giotto, Virgin and Child Enthroned, c. 1310 (R). Tempera on wood, 10’ 7” x 6’
9”. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9s3YA-glNk&index=18&list=PLEEA1BAEC5B2F7654