VISUAL ART IN MEDIEVAL

PERIOD
• Much subject matter deals with
profound spiritual things and
make insightful connection.
• Initially restricted to the
production of Pietistic paintings.
• In the form of illuminated
manuscripts, mosaics, and fresco
paintings in churches.
TYPES OF MEDIEVAL ARTS
 ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS
• Religious texts embellished with rich colors
which often featured the use of gold and
silver.
• Illuminators- the the artist who produced the
sumptuous artwork on illuminated
manuscripts.
• Created by Christian Catholic Church begin
200 years after the death of Christ.
• Example: Hildegard of Bingen
 METAL WORK
• Especially bronze art: Metalworkers were very
skilled at creating objects of adornment such
as religious artifacts.
• Example: Statue of Saint Faith (Sainte Foy)
 SILVERSMITHS AND GOLDSMITHS
• Fine artist who produced new forms of
jewelry. Medieval church insisted that vessels
should be made only of precious materials
that are worthy of the divine service.
 PANTINGS
• Include artists who were skilled in
iconography, fresco and panel. Paintings
specialising in Pietistic paintings.
• Example: Last supper
 FRESCO
• Painting types which is executed in plaster on
walls or ceilings. Frescoes were a feature of
Italian churches in the middle ages.
• Example:
 PANEL PAINTING

• Is a painting on the panel made of a

single or several pieces of wood
joined together

• Commonly used of Byzantine Art.

 EMBROIDERY
• The process or art of
sewing a design on cloth.

• Example: Bayeux Tapestry

 CERAMICS
• Early medieval were hand
shaped rather than
wheelturned producing
cooking pots and jars, jugs
and pitchers and crucible.
 Mosaics
• Art of creating images with small pieces
of colored glass,stone or other material.
• Example: Basilica of San Clemente
 Tessara
• Individual tile in a mosaic. Tesserae were used
in Byzantines art with gold leaf, using flattered
glass pieces which sandwiched the gold leaf
producing a golden and luminous effect.
 Sculptures
• Gothic sculpture evolved from the early stiff
and elongated style of statues used in
Romanesque Art late 12th and early 13th
century.
• Example:
• Gothic sculpture. Romanesque
sculpture
 Stained Glass
• Was applied almost exclusively to the
Windows of medieval churches, cathedral and
castles.
• Small pieces of glass are arranged to form
pattern or picture which are held together by
strips of lead and supported by rigid frame.
 Heraldry
• Practice of designing and recording coats of
arms and bandges were worked using
parchment, paper, painted wood, embroidery,
enamel stonework and stained glass.
 Gothic Art

• Great advances in art techniques in medieval

times.
• Latest about two hundred years of 12th and
14th centuries.
• International Gothic Art-more secular and
natural style.
• Change in art style- brighter colors, move
towards realism, the development of
perspective and proportionin Gothic Art ,the
use of Shadows and light, the ideals of
naturalism, creation of sense of pictorial
space.
• Example:
 Byzantine Art
• The capitol of Roman empire was Byzantium,
renamed Constantinople. The R. E. split into 2
section -the Eastern and western part of
Roman Empire.
• Style of Dark Ages of early Medieval Art
created largely for the Eastern
Orthodoxchurch.
• Characterize by:
• Totally flat -one dimensional. Three was no
perspective.
• No shadows
• Depicted front facing figure
• Art featured long, narrow and solemn faces
 Romanesque Art
• Western empire (EUROPE).
• Connection of western and Eastern part of
Rome
• Created by Christian Catholic Church in the
European lands part of western Roman
Empires.

• Style
• Pietistic painting In the form of illuminated
 The style of Romanesque Art was
characterised by:
• Pietistic painting In the form of illuminated
manuscripts
• Mosaics and fresco paintings in churches
• Brightly colored stained glass window
• The colors in the art f this period were
generally muted except those used
manuscripts and stained glass windows.
• Figures in Romanesque Art often varied in size
in relation to their importance
• Religious shrines and caskets were decorated
fine metals, gilt work and enamel
• Large,stone,figurative sculptures
• Small ivory carving
• Murals
• Example: King David
(Paris psalter in
Macedonian period)