MEDIEVAL TIME

MIDDLE AGES
400 to 1400 AD
 INTRODUCTION
■ The medieval period of art history spans from the fall of the Roman
Empire in 300 AD to the beginning of the Renaissance in 1400 AD.

■ The 1000 years that followed the fall of Western Roman Empire
have been called the medieval period or The Middle Ages.

■ Early examples of Christian art comes from Roman catacombs.

 The Christian Church
■ It was a period during which Christianity flourished in Europe. 
■ During the Middle Ages in Europe, the Christian Church was
very powerful and wealthy
■ The Christian Church was the main source of learning and the
arts.
■ The Christian Church was the primary Patron of the Arts, hiring
artists to make art and architecture.
MEDIEVAL ARTS
It is classified into these major periods:

■ Early Christian Art

■ Byzantine Art
■ Pre-Romanesque Art
■ Romanesque Art
■ Gothic Art
EARLY CHRISTIAN ART AND ITS PURPOSE:

■ Early Christian art not only used Roman forms, it also used Roman styles.

■ The main purpose of drawing was to produce art mainly to glorify God and to
teach Religion.

■ The original art that they created during this period, used the same media as
those of the secular and pagan artists including frescoes, mosaics, and
sculpture.

■ To teach religion to those who could not read and write.

■ To tell them BIBLICAL STORIES through art.

Early Christian Art Forms/ Motifs
■ Fresco
■ Mosaics
■ Sculptures
■ Illuminated Manuscripts

Adaptation of Roman Pagan Motifs

■ Peacock
■ Grapevine
■ Good Shepherd
■ Fish
Fresco:
A fresco painting is a work of wall or ceiling art created by
applying pigment onto a thin layer of plaster.

• Jesus is represented
with a gesture of
authority .

• He is dressed in a
toga (dress associated
with authority).

Jesus and his Disciples

Catacombs of Domitila in Rome.
Frescoes in catacomb of
Domitila
Sculptures:

• Relief sculpture.
• Detailed
• Realistic
• Proportional
• Depicting biblical
stories
Daniel in the lion’s den, from the 359 AD in
Rome sarcophagus of Junius Bassus,
Detailed, Marble
sarcophagus of Junius
Bassus.
Illuminated
manuscripts 
■ They were hand-made books, usually
on Christian scripture or practice.
■ They are so called because of the use
of gold and silver which illuminates
the text and accompanying
illustrations.

Book of Kells, illuminated gospel book

that is a masterpiece of the ornate 
Hiberno-Saxon style.
 Characteristics:
■ Sculptures that can be viewed from all sides are prohibited.
■ Since the artists of this time came from different backgrounds/ beliefs so its style
and imagery were completely new.
■ Mostly religious
■ Flat & stiff with no movement.
■ Important figures are large.
■ Fully clothed, draped in deeply carved, stiff looking clothes.
■ Faces have little emotion
■ Paintings use vibrant colors.
■ Flat 2 dimensional painted figures.
■ Background single color, often Gold
■ Religious figures had halos.