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Early Medieval Art
A survey of Early Medieval Art
10
Art History
Undergraduate 1
05/04/2010

Additional Art History Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
[image]
Definition

Title: Purse cover, form the Sutton Hoo ship burial in Suffolk, England

Artist: unknown

Date: 7th century

Medium: gold, glass, and cloisonne garnets

Period: Early Medieval

Historical Importance: Highlights many hallmarks of early medieval art, including geometric design and patterns integrated with abstract animal forms (such as the eagles, ducks, and beasts here), intricate metalwork, and the cloisonne technique, whereby small metal strips would be formed to outline designs that were then filled in with semiprecious stones.

Term
[image]
Definition

Title: ANimal-head post, from the Viking ship burial, Oseburg, Norway

Artist: unknown

Date: 9th century

Medium: carved wood

Period: Early Medieval

Historical Importance: This animal-head post features an interlace pattern composed of tightly interwoven animals carved into the roaring animal's head, making the object a strong example of two important motifs in early medieval art in western Europe: the animal and the interlace pattern.

Term
[image]
Definition

Title: Saint Matthew, folio 25 verso of the Lindisfarne Gospels

Artist: unknown

Date: early 8th century

Medium: tempera on vellum

Period: Early Medieval

Historical Importance:  The imagery for this author's portrait is modeled on an Italian Gospel book, as the Saint Matthew figure is sitting and writing in a similar style to those ealrier works. He is also seated on an angled bench and placed in an interior space, as evidenced by the curtain. However, this older style is married with the new early medieval style, as the volume, perspective, and shading of classical works are ignored in favor of sharp lines and flat colors.

Term
[image]
Definition

Title: Chi-rho-iota page, from the Book of Kells

Artist: unknown

Date: early 9th century

Medium: tempera on vellum

Period: Early Medieval

Historical Importance: you know this ish, way obvious. most bootyful ever, way intricate, etc etc

Term
[image]
Definition

Title: Equestrian portrait of Charlemagne

Artist: unknown

Date: early 9th century

Medium: bronze statue

Period: Early Medieval

Historical Importance: This representation of Charlemagne on a horse evokes the classical statuettes of Marcus Aurelius, a similarity that perfectly parallels Charlemagne's aims to make his empire as glorious as that of ancient Rome.

Term
[image]
Definition

Title: Saint Matthew, of the Coronation Gospels

Artist: unknown

Date: early 9th century

Medium: ink and tempera on vellum

Period: Early Medieval

Historical Importance: In contrast to the Lindisfarne Gospel illustration of Saint Matthew, this representation builds directly on classical techniques, using light and shading to create volume. This emphasizes the reverence Charlmagne held for ancient Rome, and his court's desire to evoke the classical.

Term
[image]
Definition

Title: Saint Matthew, of the Ebbo Gospels

Artist: unknown

Date: 9th century

Medium: ink and tempera on vellum

Period: Early Medieval

Historical Importance: Like the Lindisfarne Gospel, this representation of Matthew takes a classical image and translates it into the new style, in this case Carolingian. The artist uses hard, frenzied lines and bright colors to create movement and to give the sense that Matthew is writing frantically.

Term
[image]
Definition

Title: Doors with relief panels, Saint Michael's at Hildesheim

Artist: commissioned by Bishop Bernward

Date: 11th century

Medium: bronze

Period: Early Medieval

Historical Importance: By depicting the Old Testament story of Adam and Eve alongside the Gospel story of Christ, the doors seek to draw a parallel between Adam and Eve's transgression and Christ's crucifixion, as well as his resurrection (new beginning) and the creation of man.These specific comparisons are made  in the order the specific door panels are juxtaposed.

Term
[image]
Definition

Title: Column with reliefs illustrating the life of Christ, Saint Michael's at Hildesheim

Artist: commissioned by Bishop Bernward

Date: 11th century

Medium: bronze

Period: Early Medieval

Historical Importance: This column's depiction of the life of Christ is undoubtably modeled on the Column of Trajan. This not only suggests victory and triumph in Christ, but also helps support the Ottonian emerpor's claims that they were to be the heirs to Charlemagne's renovatio imperii Romani.

Term
[image]
Definition

Title: Crucifix, Cologne Cathedral

Artist: commissioned by Archbishop Gero

Date: 10th century

Medium: carved and painted wood

Period: Early Medieval

Historical Importance: This crucifix shows a completely different Christ from that depicted in Early Christian work. He is experiencing very human suffering here, as shown in his weighted body, stretched muscles, intense bleeding and contorted facial expression.

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