AP Art History- Unit 3.1

Book of Lindisfarne

• Form: Illuminated manuscript, tempera & gold on vellum
  
  

• Function: Gospel book to glorify God & aid conversion
  
  

• Content: Complex interlace, animal motifs, Latin text
  
  

• Context: Made by monks on Lindisfarne Island, reflects fusion of Celtic & Christian art

Bayeux Tapestry

• Form: Embroidered linen, 230 ft long
  
  

• Function: Narrates Norman conquest of England
  
  

• Content: Battle scenes, Latin captions, hierarchy shown
  
  

• Context: Commissioned by Bishop Odo, propaganda for William the Conqueror

Church of St. Foy

• Form: Stone, barrel vaults, cruciform plan
  
  

• Function: Pilgrimage church, reliquary of St. Foy
  
  

• Content: Tympanum = Last Judgment, relics inside
  
  

• Context: Stop on pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela

Chartes Cathedral

• Form: Pointed arches, ribbed vaults, stained glass
  
  

• Function: Marian pilgrimage site
  
  

• Content: Rose window, sculpture of kings/queens
  
  

• Context: Early Gothic; exemplifies light as divine presence

Bible Moralise

• Form: Illuminated manuscript, gold leaf, ink, vellum
  
  

• Function: Taught biblical lessons to royals
  
  

• Content: Paired biblical scenes with moral interpretations
  
  

• Context: Created for French monarchy (Louis IX’s court)

Golden Haggadath

• Form: Illuminated manuscript, gold leaf, watercolor on vellum
  
  

• Function: Used during Passover to recount Exodus
  
  

• Content: Miniatures of biblical scenes
  
  

• Context: Wealthy Jewish family’s commission, Gothic influence

Rottgen Pieta

• Form: Painted wood sculpture
  
  

• Function: Devotional image evoking empathy
  
  

• Content: Virgin Mary holding dead Christ, emotional suffering
  
  

• Context: Reflects shift to humanized, emotional spirituality

Frescos of Arena Chapel

• Form: Fresco painting on chapel walls
  
  

• Function: Private chapel for Scrovegni family, atonement
  
  

• Content: Life of Christ & Mary, Last Judgment
  
  

• Context: Early Renaissance naturalism, depth & emotion

Horror Vaci

“Fear of empty space”; filling every surface with detail (e.g., Lindisfarne).

Mosaics

 Images made from small colored glass/stone pieces set in mortar.

Fresco painting

Pigment on wet plaster; durable, used for large wall scenes (e.g., Giotto).

Trompe l'oeil

 “Trick the eye”; illusionistic painting that mimics 3D reality.

Triumphant Jesus 

 divine, ruling, emotionless (Romanesque).

Patient Jesus

suffering, human, emotional (Gothic)

Illumination 

 Decoration of manuscripts with gold, vivid color, and intricate design.

Manuscript 

a handwritten text from the medieval period that features vibrant colors and intricate designs, often incorporating gold or silver to create a visually striking effect