new_early_medieval
Early Medieval Art in Europe
Timeframe: c. 500-1100 CE
Key Regions: Scandinavia, Hiberno/Saxon Britain, The Holy Roman Empire
The Middle Ages
Definition: A roughly 1000-year period from the fall of the Western Roman Empire (5th century) to the Renaissance (15th century).
Historical Context: Earlier historians viewed this era as a "dark age"; modern historians recognize complexities and innovations that contributed to modern Europe.
Division: The Middle Ages are divided into three periods: Early Medieval, Romanesque, and Gothic.
Europe After the Fall of Rome
Leadership Transition: As Roman authority declined, local leaders known as Warrior Lords emerged.
Tribes: Northern tribes (Germanic Franks, Visigoths, Saxons, Celts, Norse) invaded or settled Roman territories.
The Church's Role: The Church, remaining centered in Rome, gained influence and stability.
Key Changes:
Breakdown of centralized power
Fusion of tribal cultures with Roman culture
The rise of Christianity created new political, cultural, and social forms.
Northern Peoples: Warrior Lords
Post-Roman Empire, Western territories were overrun by indigenous and migrating tribes.
Cultural Blending: Art from this period reflects the merging of Antique Roman and native tribal styles.
Styles:
Anglo Saxons: Abstract animal and figure representation
Celts: Use of animal and ribbon interlacing patterns
Early Medieval Period
Timeframe: c. 600-900 CE
Animal Art Style
Description: Prevalent by the 5th century CE, showcasing various animal forms.
Character: Symmetrical works displaying animals from multiple perspectives, often in a stylized manner, as if x-rayed.
Scandinavia: The Vikings
Description: Viking seafaring bands invaded Europe, arriving in large flotillas (up to 350 ships).
Activities: Explored, plundered, traded, and colonized regions including Iceland, Greenland, the British Isles, and parts of France.
Viking Group: The Rus established colonies in areas that would become Russia.
Artifacts and Monuments
Animal Head Post
Location: Oseberg, Norway, ship burial, ca. 825
Details: Wooden head ornament, representative of Viking art's curvilinear movement of the Interlace Style, designed to intimidate enemy seafarers.
Memorial Stone
Location: Sweden, 8th century.
Features: Rune stones with inscriptions and Picture stones with figural decorations; themes of heroic deaths and journeys to Valhalla depicted.
Burial Ship
Description: Norway, 815-820, a 75-foot burial ship containing the remains of two women, with treasure looted upon discovery.
Fibulae and the Barbarians
Fibulae Description
Type: Brooches popularized by Roman military campaigns.
Structure: Composed of body, pin, and catch; commonly found in grave sites; important for understanding literacy in barbarian groups.
Merovingian Fibulae
Origin: Merovingian-Frankish, seen as examples of cloisonné techniques using semi-precious stones.
Example: Merovingian Looped Fibula
Mid-6th century CE, silver gilt with garnet inlays; functional yet decorative, worn to denote status, often found in wealthy graves.
The British Isles
Pre-Roman Era: Well-populated agricultural land of Celts.
Roman Conquest: Conquered in 43 CE; experienced wealth and prospered up to 370 CE when Christianity began spreading.
Britain after Roman Occupation
Timeline: Roman army withdrawal in 406 led to power struggles among Germanic tribes.
Cultural Recovery: By the beginning of the 7th century, Anglo-Saxon kingdoms emerged, reviving art through diverse influences.
North Meets South
As Christianity spread north, Northern artistic traditions influenced southern styles, creating innovative artistic expressions.
Anglo-Saxon Literature
Content: Descriptions of jewelry, military equipment, and hero burials, notably in the epic 'Beowulf'.
Discovery: Sutton Hoo burial site revealed treasures, suggesting the grandeur of the buried warrior.
Sutton Hoo Artifacts
Purse Cover
Details: Found in the Sutton Hoo ship, c. 615-630, combining motifs of different origins, showcasing Hiberno-Saxon style elements.
Influence of the Roman Catholic Church
Emergence: The Church became a critical source of patronage for education and the arts, intertwining its influence with that of the nobility.
Patronage of the Arts
Churches commissioned various artworks for liturgical purposes, leading to developments in the artistic scene.
Christianization of Britain
Initially pagan, Christianity spread through the efforts of missionaries, notably Augustine.
Hiberno/Saxon Monasteries
Characterized by unique artistic traditions linked to the Church, including illuminated manuscripts and reliquaries.
Lindisfarne
Origin: A notable monastery established in 635 C.E., key in preserving Christian art and literature.
Illuminated Manuscripts
Highlight of medieval art, epitomized by the Lindisfarne Gospels, elaborate in design and craftsmanship.
Amalgamation and Adaptation
Fusion of pagan animal motifs and Christian themes, reflecting the stylistic interplay of cultures.
The Evangelists
Symbolism: Each Evangelist represented by specific animals correlating to concepts of Christ's nature and mission.
The Vikings and the Early Middle Ages
Reference to Viking raids and their impact on Britain, particularly in relation to the destruction of the church on Lindisfarne.
The Holy Roman Empire
Emergence led by Charlemagne (crowned in 800) aimed to revive Roman glory and enforce Christianity across his empire.
Carolingian Europe
Charlemagne's empire was a significant geographical and cultural entity, promoting Church reforms and artistic revival.
Architecture of Charlemagne's Era
San Vitale & Carolingian Influence
Charlemagne's Palace Chapel draws inspiration from San Vitale, characterized by its octagonal structure and stability.
Gero Crucifix
A significant work of monumental sculpture depicting a humanized suffering Christ, marking a shift from early Christian representations.
Summary
The period marked political migrations and the unifying force of Christianity, giving rise to centers of learning in regions untouched by Roman rule, alongside a blending of Germanic and Roman styles in art.