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Early Medieval Art
“Migration Period”
Early Medieval Europe:
• Middle Ages: 500-1000
• Civilization = Christianity + Greco-Roman
Heritage + Celtic-Germanic tribes (“barbarians”)
Migration of Tribes into
W. Europe
Dark Ages?
• 476- Collapse of Rome
• Catholic Roman church and Tribal Lords
are major centers of power
• “Migration Period” -better description
“Barbarians” of Europe
• Admired by the Romans
• Culture fueled by fear
– Cultural beliefs captured
in literature, Beowulf
– Warrior ships
Art of Warrior Lords:
• Migratory culture- small portable objects
• Precisely shaped metal work with jewels
• Useful everyday objects or objects of
adornment.
• Some objects found in ship burial in N.
Europe
Frankish Fibula, 6th-7th cent, silver with
inlayed garnets
• Zoomorphic style-
Animal Style
• Geometric, profusely
decorated
• NOT representational
• Small, portable
• Cloisonne
Purse cover, Sutton Hoo ship at Suffolk,
England, ca. 625. Gold, glass and enamel
cloisonne with garnets
Viking Art:
• Pagan, seafaring people
• Normandy, Sweden, Finland
• Viking= pirate
• Vikings sacked Europe in during 9-11th
cent
• Art associated with ships; wood working
and carving
Animal-head post from Viking ship,
ca. 825, wood
“gripping beasts”- animal interlace design
Hiberno-Saxon Art:
• 432 AD- St. Patrick estab. Church in Ireland
• Art style (“Hiberno-Saxon”)
• Monasteries- monks created illuminated manuscripts
• Scriptorium- workshops where nuns and monks wrote and decorated religious books
• Scribes wrote texts; illuminators added pictures and decoration
Man (symbol of St. Matthew), folio 21 of
Book of Durrow, Scotland, ca. 660-680
• Carpet page
• Page dedicated to
Saint Matthew
• Interlaced border
Chi- rho-iota page, from Book of Kells,
Scotland, late 8-9th cent.
High Cross of Muiredach, Ireland, 923
POP! Quiz
• What is a fibula?
• Describe the styles used in early Medieval
Art?
• Who were the Hiberno-Saxons?
• What is chi-rho-iota?
Carolingian Period (r. 800-814)
• 800 AD- Charles the Great (Charlemagne)
crowned by Pope Leo II as emperor of
Rome
• “First Holy Roman Emperor”
• Revives ancient Roman Empire’s glory
• “Carolingian Renaissance”
Equestrian Portrait of Charlemagne,
Germany, early 9th cent., bronze
St. Matthew, Coronation Gospels, ca. 800-
810, ink on vellum
St. Matthew, Ebo Gospels, ca. 816-835, ink on
vellum
Compare and contrast these two
illustrations of St. Mathews.
Crucifixion, front cover of Lindau Gospels, ca. 870,
gold, precious stones, pearls
Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne, Odo of
Metz, Aachen, Germany, 792-805
Interior of Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne,
Odo of Metz
Example of westwork
Westwork from Abbey Church at Corvey, Germany
Question:
1. Explain the Carolingian Renaissance and its impact on art and architecture.
OR
2. Describe what is meant by “Migration art” and describe the characteristics of the style. Provide an example.
Ottonian Art:
• Mid-tenth century: Europe is united again
• Ottonians- German Emperors
• Continue culture of Charlemagne
St. Michael’s, Hildesheim, Germany, 1001-
1031
Doors of St. Michael’s, Hildesheim,
Germany, 1015, bronze
• Comissioned by
Bishop Bernward
• Genesis/ Old
Testament- left door
• Life of Christ/ New
Testament- right door
Detail, Doors of St. Michael’s, Crucifixion of
Christ
Detail, Doors of St. Michael’s, Appearance to Mary
Magdalene after Resurrection
Gero Crucifix, Germany, c. 970, painted and
gilded wood
Annunciation to the Shepards, Lectionary of Henry
II, Germany, 1002-1014, tempera on vellum
Otto III entroned, Gospel of Otto III,
Germany, 997-1000, tempera on vellum
Summary:
• Name three major features of Early Medieval “migration art”. Provide an example of artwork that typifies these three features.
• Discuss the significance of the Carolingian Renaissance.