MODULE 9: Medieval to Modern European Art

Midterm Topic

The Medieval Period/The Middle Ages

• This part of European history spans from the fall of the Roman Empire in 300 AD to the beginning of the Renaissance in 1400 AD.

Medieval Architecture

• The style of building that emerged during the middle ages.

• Most prominent structures were religious buildings like churches. These held immense significance as symbols of Christian Faith

Gothic Cathedrals

• They are iconic structures or towering masterpieces built between the 12th and 16th centuries

• They evolved from the earlier Romanesque style

• This architecture emphasized height and light.

Frescoes

Are paintings created on freshly applied plaster, usually on walls or ceilings. They were popular in Italian churches during the middle ages.

Panel Paintings

They are made on flat wooden boards, either a single piece or multiple pieces joined together.

Mosaics

Are pictures made by arranging small pieces of colored materials like glass, stone, or other substances.

They are often used to decorate the walls and ceilings of Christian churches and cathedrals.

Stained Glass

Is a colored glass used to create decorative windows and other objects.

While all colored glass is technically stained, the term is typically reserved for glass used in artistic creations.

Illuminated Manuscript

Is a handwritten book decorated with gold or silver, giving them a radiant appearance.

In medieval times, artists specialized in either illustrating the text or decorating the pages with gold patterns.

The Renaissance Period

The period immediately following the Middle Ages in Europe saw a great revival of interest in the classical learning and values of ancient Greece and Rome.

The Renaissance Period

The development of new technologies such as the printing press, a new system of astronomy, and the discovery and exploration of new continents - was accompanied by a flowering of philosophy, literature, and especially art.

Renaissance Art

It sought to capture the experience of the individual and the beauty and mystery of the natural world.

The Baroque Period

This period originated in Rome, Italy, which was a response to Protestantism.

Baroque Art

This era of art applied colorful palettes and ornamentation in their works, Moreover, expansion became an important theme that was clearly shown in their artworks.

Baroque Art

Considerations for this era of art were motion and space. These were achieved using dramatic lighting and the concept of time

Baroque Music

This era of music was able to clearly distinguish loud from soft and solo from ensemble. This music was intended for powerful institutions like the Church and people such as the patrons. The music became accessible to the middle class and the masses in the end.

Peter Paul Rubens

He embodied the ideal court painter, enjoying a luxurious lifestyle akin to his wealthy patrons. Blending the detailed realism of Flemish art with the grandeur of the Italian Renaissance, He created a dynamic and sensual style that defined the Baroque era.

Michelangelo Merisi

He innovated the use of dramatic lighting and his portrayal of religious figures as ordinary people. By observing and painting real people, often from the lower classes, and using striking contrasts of light and shadow, He created a raw and powerful style that had a lasting impact on art.