Then discoveries and the advances made by the

Greeks and Romans in science and art were

replaced with the teachings of the new Christian
Church.
 Art of the Middle
The focus of art and learning was no longer on the
Age
individual or the natural world, but on religion.
Italian scholars called this time the Middle Ages to
separate the years between the ancient cultures
and the Renaissance that revived them.
TRIVIA QUESTION:
Did the Roman Empire influence the Renaissance?
TRIVIA QUESTION:
Did the Roman Empire influence the Renaissance?

'Renaissance' means 'rebirth' and during this time Europe left

behind the fixed ideas of the Middle Ages and created the
beginnings of the modern world as we know it. The civilisations
of ancient Greece and Rome were rediscovered, inspiring an
interest in Classical learning which challenged medieval beliefs
and ideas.
 Art of the Middle
To understand the Middle Ages, you must
Age
understand Christianity. To understand Christianity,
you ought to consider the very beginning.
Christianity grew out of the decaying soil of
Classical civilization.
 Art of the Middle
Because of the emphasis on religion, the church
Age
building naturally became the focus for
architectural innovation. Some of the most
elaborate churches were cathedrals.
 CATHEDRAL
Cathedral is a type of church where the
bishop has his official seat.

The bishop's chair is called a cathedra from the Latin word for chair and
it is the presence of the bishop's cathedra in a church that makes it a
cathedral.
 MEDIEVAL ART:
BYZANTINE,
ROMANESQUE,
AND GOTHIC ART
BYZANTINE ART
Christian churches flourished and the Pagan
religious monuments were mostly
unacceptable.
Early Christians assembled for mass and
listened to sermons. Thus, the early church
architects modified the designs of the Roman
public assembly halls to suit the needs of the
religion.
 BYZANTINE ART
Art produced during the Middle Ages by the Byzantine Empire,
or Eastern Roman Empire, spanning the fourth to the fifteenth
century. The style is defined by devotional, Christian subjects
depicted in angular forms with sharp contours, flattened colour
and gold decoration.
 BYZANTINE ART
The founder of the Byzantine Empire and its first emperor,
Constantine the Great, moved the capital of the Roman
Empire to the city of Byzantium in 330 CE, and renamed it
Constantinople. Constantine the Great also legalized
Christianity, which had previously been persecuted in the
Roman Empire.
 BYZANTINE ART
The Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, continued to
exist well into the Middle Ages. It preserved many aspects of
Roman culture, law, and administration, and it played a
significant role in the development of medieval Europe,
particularly in the East. The Byzantines had a lasting impact on
art, architecture, and the spread of Christianity.
 BYZANTINE ART
Byzantine churches were overly
decorated and covered with mosaics.
 BYZANTINE ART
Byzantine art is almost entirely concerned with religious
expression and, more specifically, with the impersonal
translation of carefully controlled church theology into
artistic terms.
 HEAD OF
Former Roman Emperor, he was the first emperor to convert to Christianity.

CONSTANTINE
BASILICA OF MAXENTIUS AND
CONSTANTINE
The Basilica Nova, also known as the Basilica
of Maxentius and Constantine, was a large
secular basilica built in the heart of the city. It
was begun by Maxentius and completed by
Constantine.
 A basilica is simply an important church building
designated by the pope because it carries special
spiritual, historical, and/or architectural significance.
Basilica is the highest permanent designation for
a church building, and once a church is named a
basilica, it cannot lose its basilica status.
 NAVE
Nave derived from the Latin word
navis meaning “ship,” is the main
body or the center aisle of the
church. During the medieval
period, people thought that a
church’s nave looked like a bottom
Basilica of Saint Praxedes
 The interior of the Basilica of Saint
Praxedes has two rows of columns
that run the length of the building. Thus,
the nave was considered the ship that
transported the worshipper to the altar
at the far end, and by implication to
heaven.
Nave of the Basilica of Saint Praxedes
Basilica of Saint Sabina
Nave of the Basilica of of Saint Sabina
Compar
e
Parthenon emphasized the exterior.
On the other hand, the Christian
basilica turned inward. This
suggests that Christianity focused
on its eyes inward, upon the
soul.
Basilica of San Vitale
San Vitale Church had no long central
nave, rather it is built in an octagon-
shaped plan.
A large decorated dome crowns the center of
the church
The Byzantine churches were unadorned as
the early Christian basilicas in the West.
Byzantine art flourished as many artists used
this to fill the medieval churches with
intricate designs, and decorative mosaics
and sculptures. Unlike the Western or
Classical style, Byzantine style used rich
colors and gold as decorations and for
detailed purposes.
HAGIA SOPHIA
 The Hagia Sophia was once a basilica,
converted into a mosque. Today, the former-
church-turned-mosque is now a museum.
Monreale Abbey
Abbey is a monastery that houses at least
twelve monks. It includes a church,
guesthouse, infirmary refectory, etc. It is
ruled by an abbot who is elected through a
secret ballot.
 Within the cloistered walls of the
monastery, the monks prayed, worked
hard, and pursued arts: practical and
fine arts. They translated and copied
the religious and secular writings of
the past.
MEDIEVAL OR
ILLUMINATED
MANUSCRIPT
 Illuminated manuscripts are hand-written books with
painted decoration that generally includes precious metals
such as gold or silver. The pages were made from animal
skin, commonly calf, sheep, or goat. Illuminated
manuscripts were created in various sizes depending on
their intended use.
The earliest manuscripts have unique styles— swirling,
interlocking design called interlace, resulted in striking
and abstract designs.
Chi-Rho page of the Book of Kells
Book of Kells
The Book of Kells is what we call a gospel book. It contains the
four gospels which come from the New Testament of the Christian
Bible.

It is remarkable for its illuminations–luminous as the stained glass

windows. It features spiral curves that coils the interlace. Humans,
animals and creatures were also shown.

Each illustration and design is original– nothing was repeated.

 ILLUMINATORS - created the elaborate letters and
illustrations. They used rich colors and gold silver leaves.
The addition of colorful details is called light up.
Lindisfarne Gospels
The LINDISFARNE GOSPELS was made about the
same time and same style as the Book of Kells. It is
written in honor of St. Cuthbert. He was a shepherd
who survived the plague and became head of the
Lindisfarne Abbey.
Folio
This art is called Hiberno-
Saxon style. This style is
influenced by two ancient
traditions.

England - Anglo-Saxons were the early population

of the English kingdoms, a mix of Germanic incomers and
locals. They eventually merged to form the English people.

Ireland- Irish people are used to be called as

Hiberians.
Folio 27r from the Lindisfarne Gospels contains the
incipit from the Gospel of Matthew. The Lindisfarne
Gospels are presumed to be the work of a monk
named Eadfrith, who became Bishop of Lindisfarne
in 698 and died in 721.
Gold Bust of Charlemagne
 Charlemagne or Charles the Great is one of the
emperor of the fallen Rome. He planned to revive the
early christian tradition and classical learning outside
the monastery. So he patterned his palace like a
chapel.

Monasticism or monachism, literally the act of "dwelling alone" (Greek monos,

monazein, monachos), has come to denote the mode of life pertaining to persons
living in seclusion from the world, under religious vows and subject to a fixed rule, as
monks, friars, nuns, or in general as religious.
However, Middle Ages mean more than monasticism.
Most people did not join a religious order or
isolate themselves in remote cloisters since their life
was hard and perilous already.

Christian monasticism is a structured, ascetic pursuit of the Christian life. It involves a

return to God through attention to the classic spiritual disciplines of silence, chastity,
prayer, fasting, confession, good works, obedience, and vigils.
There were few cities and travel was difficult and
dangerous. The greater population of Europe were
serfs and peasants bound by the traditions of their
nations.
Grape harvesting: September from the cycle of
months
June in the The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of
Berry
The early Middle Ages were symbolized by massive,
crude, and monastic walls.
Poppi Castle
Mythical demons are also evident in medieval
imagination. From sculptures at the churches to the
pages of illuminated manuscripts, these creatures
threatened eternal damnation during Dark Ages.
St. Severin Church
St. Severin Church GARGOYLES
Gargoyle, is a grotesque carving of human or an
animal. It serves as water spout attached on a wall.
Squarcialupi Codex
The Squarcialupi Codex is a illuminated manuscript
from the early fifteenth century. It consist of 216
parchment folios- the single largest primary source of
music in Italy that time.
detail on a page from Squarcialupi Codex
Detail of “devil” on the Last Judgement
Detail of “devil” on the Last Judgement
ROMANESQUE
ART
The pagans who settled all over Europe had adapted
Christianity. Western European countries had a
common opponent - the Muslims who had taken over
the Holy land.
All over Europe, cities began to develop as the result
if increased commerce. This brought out the amazing
burst of religious architectural energy. This style is
called “Romanesque.”
Autun Cathedral
Mainz Cathedral
Saint-Philibert de Tournus (Interior)
Mainz Cathedral
The typical Romanesque church has few windows,
small doorways, and massive thick walls. As
building techniques improved, the heavy
Romanesque style called brusque was gradually
refined and developed into the full-blown Gothic
style.
GOTHIC
ART
Cathedrals or churches built during the medieval
period incorporated Gothic designs: 3D, richly
embroidered, feminine, and have deeply recessed
doorways.
This is also one contribution of Gothic art—
elaborate architecture and stained glass panels
which was a reaction again romanesque art.
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Walls are not structurally necessary. They could be
opened up and filled with bright stained glass
windows, filling the nave with rich, mysterious light.
Vendome Chapel
North rose window of Notre Dame
The soaring vaults and tower of the Gothic church
symbolized people’s reach toward heaven.
Renaissance writers coined the term Gothic to
describe the extremely decorative type of
architecture.
Just like any Gothic churches, architects of the Notre
Dame Cathedral used supporting arches called arch
of flying buttresses to prevent it from collapsing.
Chartres Cathedral
 Early medieval towns had begun as a group of houses
clustered for protection near a castle or monastery.

The Christians in the Middle Ages stood firmly rooted in

hardship of their earthly existence. They imagined the
church as the symbolic body of Christ into which they
entered to become one with God.
Byzantine Architecture in the Middle Ages:
● Time Period: Byzantine architecture during the Middle Ages extended from
the 6th to the 15th century, with the Byzantine Empire centered in
Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul).
● Characteristic Features:
● Centralized plan with a focus on domes and pendentives.
● Use of mosaics for interior decoration, emphasizing religious and imperial
themes.
● Thick, heavy walls with small windows.
● Use of brick and stone, particularly in the construction of domes.
● Symmetry and balance in design.
● A sense of timelessness and continuity with the Roman tradition.
Romanesque Architecture in the Middle Ages:
● Time Period: Romanesque architecture was prominent in Europe from the
10th to the 12th century during the early and high Middle Ages.
● Characteristic Features:
● Rounded arches, heavy walls, and barrel vaults.
● Thick, fortress-like walls and small, often slit-like windows.
● Use of stone and masonry.
● Simple, robust, and functional design.
● Decorative features include sculptural ornamentation and frescoes.
● Use of the Latin cross plan for church layouts.
● Use of rounded arches and occasionally decorative arcading.
Gothic Architecture in the Middle Ages:
● Time Period: Gothic architecture flourished from the 12th to the 16th
century during the high and late Middle Ages, with regional
variations.
● Characteristic Features:
● Pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses.
● Tall, slender, and elegant structures with large stained glass
windows.
● Extensive use of sculpture and ornate decoration.
● Complex ribbed vaulting systems creating a sense of height.
● Emphasis on verticality and light, creating a sense of upward
movement.
● Elaborate facade designs and rose windows.
● Use of the Latin cross plan with an emphasis on the cruciform
shape.
Similarities during the Middle Ages:
Religious Function: All three architectural styles served primarily as
places of worship, including churches, cathedrals, and basilicas.
Use of Stone and Masonry: Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic
churches in the Middle Ages commonly utilized stone and masonry in
their construction, although the types and styles of stonework could vary.
Ornamentation: While the level of ornamentation and style differed, all
three styles featured decorative elements, including frescoes, mosaics,
sculpture, and stained glass.
Architectural Evolution: These styles evolved over time, with later styles
often incorporating and modifying elements from earlier ones.
Regional Variations: Within each style, regional differences and
adaptations were common due to local building materials, cultural
influences, and historical context.
Cross Plan: These architectural styles often employed variations of the
Latin cross plan in the layout of their churches, emphasizing the
Question Time
Essential Question:

Is religion an art?
Thank You