Medieval Art

applies to various media, including sculpture,

illuminated manuscripts, tapestries, stained glass,
metalwork, and mosaics. Early medieval art in Europe
is an amalgamation of the artistic heritage of the
Roman Empire, the early Christian church, and the
“barbarian” artistic culture of Northern Europe.

Characteristics
It include elaborately decorative patterns, bright colors,
iconography, and Christian subject matter. Artworks such as
mosaics, frescoes, and relief sculptures were often found inside
churches and monasteries to assist monks in the teachings of the
Christian Bible.
The works that remain in large numbers include sculpture,
illuminated manuscripts, stained glass, metalwork, and mosaics, all
of which have had a higher survival rate than fresco wall-paintings
and works in precious metals or textiles such as tapestries.

The Trinity (c. 1411 – 1427) by

Andrei Rublev
Rublev’s painting portrayed the angels who announced to
Abraham and his wife Sarah that they would have a son. More
specifically, the three angels represented the Trinity, as the unity
of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Although God is
not represented in The Trinity, the painting is still able to
demonstrate an ideal expression of God.

Christ Pantocrator (Sinai)

(c. 500 – 600)
The painting depicts Christ with a raised right hand, which signified his
gift of blessing, and in his left arm, he held a Gospel book that was
decorated with jewels in the shape of a cross.
The painting is purposely asymmetrical, as it symbolizes the duality of
Christ. The gold halo framing Christ’s head makes this more apparent.
When looking at the depiction of Christ’s face, on the side where Christ
holds the Gospel (the right side of the painting), Christ’s features are
depicted as severe and hard.

Lamentation (1306) by Giotto

di Bondone
Giotto’s Lamentation (The Mourning of Christ) forms part of
the fresco series used to depict the Life of Christ and the Life
of the Virgin in the Scrovegni Chapel. The painting depicts
the moment after Christ was crucified, where his lifeless body
was tended to by haloed relatives and disciples. Where Mary,
the focal point, cradled Christ’s head as Mary Magdalene
mourned at His feet.

The Presentation in the Temple –

Ambrogio Lorenzetti (fl. ca. 1311–
1348)
This work was completed in 1342 and included Saint Ansanus, Saint
Sabinus of Spoleto, Saint Victor, and Saint Crescentius.
The painting depicts the presentation of an infant child, which was
customarily done forty days after birth in which the mother and child are
purified in a ritual cleansing with prayer.
The woman holding the cloth that was wrapped around the child is
depicted as the Virgin Mary while the child is believed to be the baby
Jesus.