Medieval Period –

Age of Faith

Akanksha Sarkar
Background of Medieval Art

•  The middle age was a time period that lasted from the 5th
century to the end of the 15th century in Europe. During this
time, several different art styles emerged that would allow
artists to rethink traditions and push forward with new
styles.

• For example, before the Byzantine period, many artists

engaged in Christian iconography. Artists would often
represent key religious figures such as Jesus Christ or the
Virgin Mary to represent their status in Christendom. 
• With this background in mind, medieval art would evolve
steadily by rejecting and combining certain styles. For
example, Christian iconography would become a stable style
in the Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic styles; however,
it would be represented in a fresh method in each style.
Although art during the Middle Ages is a bit broad, these
three styles represented the artistic and religious ideology of
medieval Europe.
 Byzantine Art

Byzantine art is generally divided up into three distinct periods:

1.Early Byzantine (c. 330–750)
2.Middle Byzantine (c. 850–1204)
3.Late Byzantine (c. 1261–1453)
• The first major style to emerge was the Byzantine style which
lasted throughout the entire Middle Ages. This style is
attributed to the Byzantine Empire which was the western part
of the Roman Empire. When the Roman Empire collapsed in
476, the Byzantine Empire continued to thrive until its fall
under Turkish hands in 1453. The majority of Byzantine art is
concerned with Christian religious expressions that are often
conveyed in churches. Often, many of these expressions were
controlled by the church’s rigid tradition which wanted to
emphasize Christian theology. In this respect, Byzantine
architecture, paintings, and illuminated manuscripts mirrored Byzantine Illuminated
this perspective. Manuscript of Alexander the
Great
 EARLY BYZANTINE (C. 330–750)
The Emperor Constantine adopted Christianity and in 330 moved his capital
from Rome to Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), at the eastern frontier of
the Roman Empire. Christianity flourished and gradually supplanted the Greco-
Roman gods that had once defined Roman religion and culture. This religious
shift dramatically affected the art that was created across the empire.
The earliest Christian churches were built during this period, including the
famed Hagia Sophia (above), which was built in the sixth century under
Emperor Justinian. Decorations for the interior of churches, including icons and
mosaics, were also made during this period. Icons, such as the Virgin
(Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George (left), served as
tools for the faithful to access the spiritual world—they served as spiritual
gateways.
Similarly, mosaics, such as those within the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna,
sought to evoke the heavenly realm. In this work, ethereal figures seem to float
against a gold background that is representative of no identifiable earthly space.
By placing these figures in a spiritual world, the mosaics gave worshippers Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints
some access to that world as well. At the same time, there are real-world Theodore and George, sixth or early seventh
political messages affirming the power of the rulers in these mosaics. In this century, encaustic on wood, 2' 3" x 1' 7 3/8"
sense, art of the Byzantine Empire continued some of the traditions of Roman (St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai, Egypt)
art.
Emperor Justinian Mosaic, San Vitale, Ravenna, c. 546-56
 MIDDLE BYZANTINE (C. 850–1204)

• The Middle Byzantine period followed a period of crisis for the arts called the
Iconoclastic Controversy, when the use of religious images was hotly contested.
Iconoclasts (those who worried that the use of images was idolatrous), destroyed
images, leaving few surviving images from the Early Byzantine period. Fortunately
for art history, those in favor of images won the fight and hundreds of years of
Byzantine artistic production followed.
• The stylistic and thematic interests of the Early Byzantine period continued during
the Middle Byzantine period, with a focus on building churches and decorating
their interiors. There were some significant changes in the empire, however, that
brought about some change in the arts. First, the influence of the empire spread into
the Slavic world with the Russian adoption of Orthodox Christianity in the tenth
century. Byzantine art was therefore given new life in the Slavic lands.
Hosios Loukas, Greece, early 11th century (photos: Jonathan Khoo, C BY-
NC-ND 2.0)
• Architecture in the Middle Byzantine period overwhelmingly moved toward the centralized cross-in-square plan
for which Byzantine architecture is best known.
• These churches were usually on a much smaller-scale than the massive Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, but, like Hagia
Sophia, the roofline of these churches was always defined by a dome or domes. This period also saw increased
ornamentation on church exteriors. A particularly good example of this is the tenth-century Hosios Loukas
Monastery in Greece (above).
• This was also a period of increased stability and wealth. As such, wealthy patrons commissioned private luxury
items, including carved ivories, such as the celebrated Harbaville Tryptich (above and below), which was used as a
private devotional object. Like the sixth-century icon discussed above (Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints
Theodore andGeorge), it helped the viewer gain access to the heavenly realm. Interestingly, the heritage of the
Greco-Roman world can be seen here, in the awareness of mass and space. See for example the subtle breaking of
the straight fall of drapery by the right knee that projects forward in the two figures in the bottom register of the
Harbaville Triptych (left). This interest in representing the body with some naturalism is reflective of a revived
interest in the classical past during this period. So, as much as it is tempting to describe all Byzantine art as
“ethereal” or “flattened,” it is more accurate to say that Byzantine art is diverse. There were many political and
religious interests as well as distinct cultural forces that shaped the art of different periods and regions within the
Byzantine Empire.
 Harbaville Triptych, ivory, traces of polychromy,
28.2 x 24.2 cm (Louvre)

Lower register detail, Harbaville Triptych, ivory, traces

of polychromy, 28.2 x 24.2 cm (Louvre)
LATE BYZANTINE (C. 1261– 1453)

• Between 1204 and 1261, the Byzantine Empire suffered another crisis: the Latin Occupation.
Crusaders from Western Europe invaded and captured Constantinople in 1204, temporarily
toppling the empire in an attempt to bring the eastern empire back into the fold of western
Christendom. (By this point Christianity had divided into two distinct camps: eastern
[Orthodox] Christianity in the Byzantine Empire and western [Latin] Christianity in the
European west.)
• By 1261 the Byzantine Empire was free of its western occupiers and stood as an independent
empire once again, albeit markedly weakened. The breadth of the empire had shrunk, and so
had its power. Nevertheless Byzantium survived until the Ottomans took Constantinople
in 1453. In spite of this period of diminished wealth and stability, the arts continued to
flourish in the Late Byzantine period, much as it had before.
 Anastasis (Harrowing of Hell), c. 1310-20, fresco, Church of the Holy
Savior of Chora/Kariye Museum, Istanbul

Icon of St. George ('The Black George'),

c. 1400-1450, tempera on panel, 77.4 x 57 cm (The
British Museum)
The first example is Byzantine architecture
which featured large domes and vaults that
would come to represent the order of the Example of Byzantine
universe. For example, an iconographic image Architecture[/caption]
of God would be represented in the interior
ceiling followed by lesser beings such as
angels and saints which were represented
below God. These depictions were often
represented in frescoes and mosaics meant to
depict the perfect order of the universe.
Frescoes and mosaics were often displayed
one-dimensionally and would represent
religious figures that had solemn gazes to
imply respect and tradition. Essentially,
religious artists wished to emphasize these
figures spiritually rather than physically Example of Byzantine
modeling them from three-dimensional Architecture[/caption]
perspectives.
 Romanesque Art

• Unlike Byzantine art which developed in the eastern part of the Roman
Empire, Romanesque art developed in the western part of the Roman
Empire. The Catholic Church would play a key role in developing this style
that would become prevalent from around 1000 to 1150 and soon
become eclipsed into the Gothic art style. 
• Romanesque art can be described as a fusion of several styles such as
Roman, Byzantine, and other Germanic styles. In this retrospect, many
churches adopted the use of the Roman semicircle arch which would be
used in countless ways such as with the design of windows, doors, and
even corridors.
• This design allowed artists to create vaults allowing more space for
congregations as well as church officials. In addition to architecture,
sculptures were also prevalent during this medieval art style. Stone
sculptures were often created to represent biblical history and church
doctrine. Like Byzantine art, these sculptures were often transcendent to
represent the spiritual nature of Christian theology.
• Like sculptures, murals were often
erected onto church walls and
pillars and closely represented
sculptures in their style. In addition,
artists continued the tradition of
illuminated manuscripts that
became very popular and lavish.
Even with these forms of art, the
Romanesque style would eventually
evolve into the Gothic art style. Romanesque archivolts over
the arches of the nave of
Southwell Minster,
Nottinghamshire, England,
mid-12th century
Two-headed Janus, who sees Courtesy of The Conway
forward and backward, a Library, Courtauld Institute of
personification of the month of Art, London
January; Romanesque high-relief
stone sculpture, in the Museo del
Duomo, Ferrara, Italy.
SCALA/Art Resource, New York
 ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE

Romanesque architecture, architectural style

current in Europe from about the mid-11th century
to the advent of Gothic architecture. A fusion of
Roman, Carolingian and Ottonian, Byzantine, and
local Germanic traditions, it was a product of the
great expansion of monasticism in the 10th–11th
century. Larger churches were needed to
accommodate the numerous monks and priests, as
well as the pilgrims who came to view
saints’ relics. For the sake of fire resistance,
masonry vaulting began to replace timber
construction.
 In Britain, the Romanesque style became known as “Norman”
because the major building scheme in the 11th and 12th
centuries was instigated by William the Conqueror, who invaded
Britain in 1066 from Normandy in northern France. (The Normans
were the descendants of Vikings—Norse, or north men—who had
invaded this area over a century earlier.) Durham and Gloucester
Cathedrals and Southwell Minster are excellent examples of
churches in the Norman, or Romanesque style.

Interior of the Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne,

Aachen, Germany, 792-805, photo: Elena ((CC Gloucester Cathedral, nave, begun 1089 (ceiling later),
BY-NC-SA 2.0) photo: Michael D. Beckwith (CC BY 2.0)
• The arches that define the naves of these churches are well
modulated and geometrically logical—with one look you can see the
repeating shapes, and proportions that make sense for an immense
and weighty structure. There is a large arcade on the ground level
made up of bulky piers or columns. The piers may have been filled
with rubble rather than being solid, carved stone. Above this arcade
is a second level of smaller arches, often in pairs with a column
between the two. The next higher level was again proportionately
smaller, creating a rational diminution of structural elements as the
mass of the building is reduced.
• The decoration is often quite simple, using geometric shapes rather
than floral or curvilinear patterns. Common shapes used include
Gloucester Cathedral, decorative carving
diapers—squares or lozenges—and chevrons, which were zigzag on the nave arcade and triforium
patterns and shapes. Plain circles were also used, which echoed the
half-circle shape of the ubiquitous arches.
• Early Romanesque ceilings and roofs were often made of wood, as if
the architects had not quite understood how to span the two sides of
the building using stone, which created outward thrust and stresses
on the side walls. This development, of course, didn’t take long to
manifest, and led from barrel vaulting (simple, semicircular roof
vaults) to cross vaulting, which became ever more adventurous and
ornate in the Gothic.
 Gothic Art
• The last medieval art style was the Gothic art style which
lasted from the 12th century up to the 16th century. The
Gothic style revolutionized architecture by innovating
structural designs such as the adoption of “ribbed vaults”
which were intersecting roof sections that allowed more
stability as well as being lighter than previous designs. 
•  Ribbed vaults gave rise to “flying buttresses” which were
angled supports that could be enhanced with decorated
“pinnacles” and allow more support for the structure. With
these two innovations, buildings could construct lighter
and taller buildings that ever before.
• Although Gothic architecture would travel through several
stages, Gothic sculptures would also follow the same
experience. 
• For example, Gothic sculptures became associated
with Gothic architecture and were similar to the
Romanesque period as to where they would be
located. Even with these similarities, Gothic sculptures
evolved into being more realistic and lifelike rather
than the stiff appearance of Romanesque sculptures.  
• These sculptures became closely related with medieval
cathedrals and often had specific styles within
themselves. 
• Last but not least are Gothic paintings. Like sculptures,
paintings became more lifelike and colorized rather
than their Byzantine and Romanesque predecessors
which focused on a transcendent style.
• Paintings also became more
secular with artists rendering
non-religious topics such as
chivalric themes that were often
compiled in illuminated
manuscripts. In the 15th century,
printed paintings replaced
illuminated manuscripts and
gave rise to an increased
awareness of naturalism and
realism rather than the stiff,
transcendent paintings of the Gothic painting, Kotor Sv.
previous periods. Tryphon
• Gothic art, the painting, sculpture,
and architecture characteristic of the second of two
great international eras that flourished in western
and central Europe during the Middle Ages. Gothic
art evolved from Romanesque art and lasted from
the mid-12th century to as late as the end of the
16th century in some areas. The term Gothic was
coined by classicizing Italian writers of
the Renaissance, who attributed the invention (and
what to them was the nonclassical ugliness)
of medieval architecture to the barbarian Gothic
tribes that had destroyed the Roman Empire and its
classical culture in the 5th century CE. The term
retained its derogatory overtones until the 19th Chartres Cathedral Chartres Cathedral,
century, at which time a positive critical revaluation France.
Top Photo Group/Thinkstock
of Gothic architecture took place. Although modern
scholars have long realized that Gothic art has
nothing in truth to do with the Goths, the term
Gothic remains a standard one in the study of art
history.
ARCHITECTURE

• Architecture was the most important and original art form

during the Gothic period. The principal structural
characteristics of Gothic architecture arose out of
medieval masons’ efforts to solve the problems associated
with supporting heavy masonry ceiling vaults over wide
spans. The problem was that the heavy stonework of the
traditional arched barrel vault and the groin vault exerted
a tremendous downward and outward pressure that
tended to push the walls upon which the vault rested
outward, thus collapsing them. A building’s vertical
supporting walls thus had to be made extremely thick and
heavy in order to contain the barrel vault’s outward thrust.
Medieval architecture
• Medieval architecture is architecture common in the Middle Ages,
and includes religious, civil, and military buildings. Styles
include pre-Romanesque , Romanesque, and Gothic.

• The end of Roman Empire not only disturbed the political, social and
educational culture of Middle Ages, but also, it influenced the
architecture of the Middle Ages in a significant manner. The
essential aspect of this change was the increasing influence of
Christianity and Church in political and cultural matters. The Church
virtually became the major power to manage the life style of people
of Middle Ages.
• Another significant reason that evolved various innovative steps in
architecture of the Middle Ages was the tumultuous invasions by the
barbarians and the evolution of feudal system during the Middle
Ages.
Classification of architecture of the Middle Ages:

1. Religious architecture :-The Latin cross plan, common in

medieval ecclesiastical architecture, takes
the Roman basilica as its primary model
with subsequent developments. 

Cloisters of Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy, France.

2. Military architecture:- Surviving examples of medieval secular
architecture mainly served for defense. Castles
and fortified walls provide the most notable
remaining non-religious examples of medieval
architecture.

Zvolen Castle in Slovakia strongly inspired by Italian

castles of the fourteenth century
3. Civic architecture :- While much of the surviving medieval
architecture is either religious or
military, examples of civic and even
domestic architecture can be found
throughout Europe. Examples include
manor houses, town hall,
almshouses and bridges, but also
residential houses.
  Points:-

• Kings and lords of medieval period offered immense help for the
spread of Christianity. As a result, they helped Church building
programs.  The temples of pagan and Roman religion were not
designed for large gatherings.

• However, to spread Christianity, it was necessary to create

Church buildings where large meetings could be held easily. To
provide enough space, early Christians opted for a specific
architectural design which is known as basilica. This design
consisted of a nave, transepts and altars. Later on, those
cathedrals which were influenced by Justinian significantly used
the byzantine architectural style and created huge domes. They
also made use of a Greek cross.
• In order to protect their land and to provide protection for
serfs, Lords created castles and fortified walls which later
on became most significant non-religious examples of
architecture of the Middle Ages
• Furthermore, architecture of the Middle Ages can also be studied
under different time spans as Pre-Romanesque Architecture,
Romanesque Architecture and Gothic Architecture. With changing
influences of Church and feudalism, architectural styles of Middle
Ages gradually changed from Romanesque architecture to Gothic
architecture.
• During the early Middle Ages, most of the innovative
architectural styles were influenced by modernization as
architectural works were influenced by Italian, northern,
Spanish, and Byzantine inputs. These architectural styles also
showed the impact of religious and political competition
between kings and the clergy.
 Adopted Forms & Techniques

• Early medieval art retained some of its forms and techniques

from the past, especially from the Classical world, but it also
developed new forms and techniques that changed the art
world forever.
• some of the major forms and techniques that early medieval
artists adopted and developed to suit their own purposes
are:-

 Their artistic predecessors, early medieval artists enjoyed

creating relief sculptures, carvings that stand out from a
background like 3-D pictures. Using ivory as a medium, they
carefully sculpted intricate designs on panels, book covers,
caskets, devotional items, and even doors. Their subject
matter was nearly always Christian and depicted Jesus' life,
death, and resurrection, scenes from the Old Testament, and
 Early medieval artists also worked with old forms like frescoes
and mosaics, especially in decorating churches and
palaces. Frescoes are watercolor paintings done on wet plaster,
and mosaics are elaborate images created from thousands of
pieces of colored stone and glass. These artworks typically
portray Christian saints and scenes, including the Blessed Virgin
 Mary
Early and the ascension
medieval of Jesus.
artists also created and cultivated new artistic forms
and techniques. Metalworking, for instance, was one of their
specialties. The Anglo-Saxons and Celts of the British Isles worked
on gold and other precious metals, creating everything from fine
jewelry and belts to battle helmets and weapons.
These objects are highly decorative and covered with intricate
patterns and animal motifs. When these groups became
Christian, they used their metalworking skills to create
everything 
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