The Middle Ages were approximately from 300-1400
Medieval Art – 300 – 1400 This very long period of our artistic heritage comes from the broad reach of the Roman Empire. This was a period in art history that spanned over a thousand years. The Christian Church left us with a huge legacy of art that came from areas which included Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. This time frame included the Byzantine movement which emphasized symbolic representation with powerful religious motifs which evolved into religious icons.
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Master of the Sophien Cathedral of Ohrid,
Frescos, 11th Century
The Church of St. Sophia is situated in the city of Ohrid in the south-west of the Republic of Macedonia. One of the most important monuments of Macedonia, the Church features architecture and art from the Middle Ages.
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Byzantine – 330 – The Byzantine period lasted several centuries. During this era there were different 'periods'. During the first Golden Age of Byzantine Art, the earliest of Christian art was found in the catacombs of Rome. The beginning of religious and symbolic representation which has come to be known as Byzantine Art has its roots in the sufferings and persecution of the early Christians.
After 330 AD, the Christian Church was declared the official Church of the Roman Empire, early artists created images which moved away from previous subjects that were previously influenced by the Greco-Roman rule. The new religious orders saw that painted icons could be used as a link between the material world and the spiritual world and these painted images could be used to fortify a person’s faith and perhaps influence their conversion to Christianity. The most famous body of work which was born from the Byzantine period is the religious Icons (iconic paintings) and the development of the Illuminated Manuscripts, which were the hand written and hand painted books. It is important to note that there was no printing press at that time in history, the illuminated manuscripts were the first books and they had to be written by hand and decorated with intricate painted decorations.
During the second Golden Age of Byzantine Art which is during the 8th and 9th centuries, The Church began a campagne to destroy any religious art that looked too realistic. If it did, it was deemed to be a 'graven image' and was breaking the rules of the Church who forbid the adoration of pagan gods.
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Meister der Schule von Nowgorod, Georgische Madonna
1380, 109cm × 82 cm
Paris, Louvre |
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Ssemjon Fedorowitsch Uschakow, Der Erzengel Gabriel
Moskow, National Museum |
Paint media used: Tempera - At this time we see the first beginnings of watercolor painting with the use of tempera paint – a mixture of egg yolk, pigments and water. Much of the work was done by Nuns and Monks of religious orders.
Art work –Illuminated manuscripts, iconic art, Illuminated initials.
Reference - http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook1old.html#byz1
Reference - Daily Life in the Byzantine Empire by Marcus Rautman ISBN:0313324379
References: The Story of Painting by Sister Wendy Beckett - 07899468050
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Title:A Chronology of the Byzantine Empire
Author:Timothy Venning
ISBN: 1403917744
General Topic: Art History |
Title:Daily Life in the Byzantine Empire
Author:Marcus Rautman
ISBN:0313324379
General Topic: Art History |
Title:Glory of Byzantium: Arts and Culture of the Middle Byzantine Era, A.D. 843-1261
Author:Helen C. Evans & William D. Wixom
ISBN: 0300086164
General Topic: Art History |
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Title: A History of Icon Painting
Author:Archimandrite Zacchaeus
ISBN: 0955008905
General Topic: Art History
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Title: The Mystical Language Of Icons
Author:Solrunn Nes
ISBN: 0802829163
General Topic: Art History
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Title: The Power of Icons: Russian And Greek Icons 15th-19th Century: The Morsink Collection
Author:Drs Simon Morsink
ISBN: 9053495908
General Topic: Art History
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