AP Art History: Overview: Early Medieval Art
- Fall of rome --->> political chaos --->> The year 600 was the age of mass migrations sweeping across Europe
Atilla the Hun's horde's despoiled all before him
the Vikings from Scandinavia invaded the British Isles and colonized parts of France
Vandals destroyed the remains of Roman civilization, and thus began "the Dark Ages"
- But Europe regained stability at the end of the 8th century
under a group of Frankish kings (esp. Charlemagne)
built impressive empire w/ capital in Aachen, Germany
-Unifiying force of Europe was Christianity during the Dark Ages and so patrons were mostly Christian missionaries and....
- Monasteries were the center of learning in the midst of an illiterate population
Even Charlemagne couldn't write, so artists who could both write and draw were prized in creating manuscripts
Scribes copied great works of ancient lit (like the Bible); no contemporary
So manuscript texts were exactly recopied
But the illustrations gave artists from freedom of expression
also greatest centers of art production
Codices (sing. codex)- manuscript decor; using vellum or parchment (calf/antelope or sheep/goat hide); easier to use + more durable than ancient scrolls
Scriptoria - writing places with no heat/light so no fires / where illuminations were made
-ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS WERE A BIG DEAL
sacred quality; word of God, thus must be treated w apropro deference.
decorated with gold leaf, precious gems
primary vehicle in efforts to Christianize.
after Rome's fall, non-Roman cultures (Vikings, Vandals, Huns etc.) sought to occupy land within the limits of the old Roman Empire
but they were often forced by each other to move into other provinces
these cultures produced tons of small, portable "status symbols" which were seen as "treasures" because of their technical + stylistic sophistication. migratory art.
Anglo-Saxon epic saga Beowulf- the longest epic poem in English; recounts the tradition of burying great warrior lords in their ships with treasures like the Sutton Hoo Ship Burial
ABSTRACT + ANIMAL MOTIFS.
such artworks show up in the college board exam because they're important in the sense that they defy the term historians use for this time period: the "Dark Ages". there's artistry and craftsmanship to an extraordinary degree here.
don't confuse with some Islamic artworks. if there are no animals incorpoated, it's most likely Islamic art.
Art of the Brit Isles. Hibernia = ancient name for Ireland (most distant European outpost)
Celts converted to Christianity and established their own form of monastic organization.
6th cen- St. Columba founded Iona monastery.
Iona monks established Lindisfarne monastery.
ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS = MOST DISTINCTIVE PRODUCT OF HIBERNO SAXON MONASTERIES. MAIN ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. IF YOU KNOW ONE THING ABOUT HIBERNO SAXON ART IT SHOULD BE THIS.
interlace patterns + animal style
exceptional handling of color, form, polychrome techniques.
horor vacui= "fear of empty space"
among the most distinctive Christian artworks ever created. fusion of native + imported artistic traditions.
Pre-Christian traders/pirates of Scandinavia. Settled in Normandy (N France)
Landed in the British Isles and destroyed Christian monastic community on Lindisfarne Island, Jarrow-England, Iona Island
Didn't just want to destroy, but also colonize.
once the terror of W Europe
talent for organization, administration and war --> territories in many regions (even Russia)
interlace patterns + animal style + horor vacui
mostly applied art = engraved/incised into functional objects
-Visigothic and Mozarabic
Spain was a province of the Roman Empire, but fell to Visigoths in the early 5th century. They had converted to Christianity.
art of charlemagne and his times
first revival of classical art beyond the ancient world. Roman imagery was revived on everything from coins to architecture. Charlemagne planned bath houses, theaters and forum at Aachen, Germany.
churches characterized by westworks, and were accompanied by monastic buildings that housed the religious in a self-sufficient community. monks and nuns lived in open-air courtyards called cloisters, generally adjacent to the church
murals and mosaics existed but weren't really their faves.
continued medieval tradition of manuscript painting, drawing inspiration from rome + byzantine iconography
commitment to imperial imagery
Roman, Early Christian, Carolingian imperial imagery influences
common architectural theme= interior arches and windows don't line up atop each other.
Source: Barron's AP Art History and Gardner's Art Through The Ages
