The Middle Ages – c. 814

2. The Middle Ages – c. 814

3. Middle Ages Era • 481 CE – First Catholic King Clovis unites the Franks – forms Frankish Kingdom in Gaul – establishes the Merovingian Dynasty • 6th century CE – Pope Gregory the Great implements chant as the standard form of church music – calls it plainchant (later called Gregorian Chant) • 600 – 1050 CE – Period called the Early Middle Ages • 750 CE – The first English Epic poem – Beowulf – is written • 750 CE – Irish monks produce the Book of Kells

4. Middle Ages Era • 800 CE – Charlemagne is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope on Christmas Day – start of Holy Roman Empire • 871 CE – Alfred the Great unifies England and writes first code of laws for English people • 11th century CE – Song of Roland is written in France – one of earliest French written poems – national epic of France • 1050 – 1200 CE – Medieval Era also called Romanesque Era in Art History

5. Romanesque Era • 11th – 14th century CE – Troubadours appear in Provence (southern France) and spread through Europe – singing songs and telling stories of epic romances and chivalry (Holy Grail, etc) • 1066 CE – William the Conqueror invades and conquers England from Normandy (France) • 1079 CE – Scholasticism develops as new form of philosophy combining Aristotle with Medieval thought • 12th century CE – pilgrimage routes are established throughout Europe and the Holy Land for people to visit Holy sights and relics

6. Middle Ages Art Characteristics • Decayed style • Faulty proportions (arms, legs, head too large) • Focus on symbol not style • Focus on the power of the Church • Religious themes (mainly Christian)

7. Barbarian Art

8. Frankish (Merovingian) Looped Fibula 6th - 7th Centuries France Craftwork silver gilt worked in filigree with inlays of garnets and other stones4 in. long Merovingian art is a combination of French and German styles

9. Briton/Dane Art • Purse Cover • 7th century CE • Sutton Hoo, England • Craftwork • Animal pattern • Man with animals on either side and birds in middle • Ivory background with garnet, gold and enamel

10. Sutton Hoo Ship Burial and Artifacts

11. Burial Ship ca. 825 Oseberg, Norway Sculpturewood75 1/2 ft. long Viking rulers were usually buried in their ships

12. Animal-Head Post ca. 825Oseberg, Norway Sculptureapproximately 5 in. high Intricate woodwork is typical of Norse art

13. Cross and Carpet page from Lindisfarne Gospels ca. 698 – 721 Northumbria, England Illuminated manuscript Artist: Eadfrith Intertwining so intricate almost impossible to tell that some of the shapes are animals Sort of a sacred riddle

14. Chi-rho-iota page 800 CE Iona, Scotland Illuminated Manuscript From the Book of Kells Created on Scottish island by Irish monks Considered the masterpiece of illuminated manuscripts

15. High Cross of Muiredach ca. 923 Monasterboice, Ireland Sculpture16 ft. high Typical of Celtic weaving patterns Considered masterpiece of Celtic stonework

16. Middle Ages Art • Interior of Palace Chapel • 792 – 805 CE • Aachen, Germany • Architecture • Artist: Odo of Metz • Palace of Charlemagne • Built on plans of Constantine’s Lateran Basilica to show Charlemagne’s power and attachment to Rome

17. Palace Chapel of Charlemagne

18. Equestrian portrait of Charlemagne(?) early 9th century Metz, France Sculpture bronze, originally gilt9 1/2 in. high Gold has worn off

19. St. Matthew from Coronation Gospels ca. 800-810 Aachen, Germany Illuminated Manuscript 12 3/4 x 10 in. This Bible was made to commemorate Charlemagne’s coronation as Holy Roman Emperor

20. Saint Matthew from Ebbo Gospels ca. 816 – 835 Hautvillers, France Illuminated Manuscript10 1/4 x 8 3/4 in. Almost modern art like as compared to Coronation Gospels created less than 10 years earlier

21. Middle Ages Art • St. John • 800 – 810 CE • Aachen, Germany • Illuminated Manuscript • Sense of Roman style still appears • From Charlemagne’s Coronation Gospel

22. Saint John from Ebbo Gospels ca. 816 – 835 Hautvillers, France Illuminated manuscript10 1/4 x 8 3/4 in. Less than 10 years difference but totally different in style and skill from Coronation Gospels

23. Psalm 44 of the Utrecht Psalter ca. 820 – 835 Hautvillers, France (near Reims) Illuminated Manuscript1 ft. 1 in. x 9 7/8 in. Hautvillers was the most prolific scriptorium in Europe Masterwork of Carolingian manuscripts

24. Middle Ages ArtPlan of a monastery

25. Middle Ages Art • Front Cover from Lindau Gospels • 870 CE • Lindau, Germany • Craftwork • Also made at Reims scriptorium • Gold work with encrusted jewels • Masterpiece of gold work

26. Torhalle (gatehouse) 9th century Lorsch, Germany Architecture Typical Carolingian style architecture

28. Abbey Church of St. Michael’s ca. 1001-1031 Hildesheim, Germany Architecture Interior is considered masterpiece of Ottonian Art

29. Abbey Church of St. Michael’s - Interior ca. 1001-1031 Hildesheim, Germany Typical basilica plan – painted roof is exceptional

31. Gero Crucifix ca. 970 Cologne Cathedral, Germany Sculpture commissioned by Archbishop Gero 6 ft. 2 in. high Considered early middle ages sculptural masterpiece

32. The end …. • Next lecture … Romanesque