EUH 1000

 Art of the Early Middle Ages in Europe

 

As the barbarians rampaged over Europe, Christians clung to outposts like this, off the coast of Ireland

 

 

Here are their huts, look for the cross in white on the left one

 

 

By the 800's stone buildings were being made again, like this at Iona in Scotland

 

 

METALWORKS AND BOOKS

Dark Age people prized gold and other precious metals and things because they had no other stable thing in life

 

 

The most precious things were books. The cover of this one is studded with jewels

 

 

Books done in the most fancy way were called 'Illuminated Manuscripts.'

Illuminated because it seemed light was coming from them, and manuscripts because they were all one of a kind

 

 

The books of the middle ages were much more detailed in their decoration than any in history

 

 

Over 1000 years old, the Cross of Lothar is one of the most beautiful objects from the distant past.

the front (left) is studded with jewels and the back has a stenciling of the Crucifixion, it is priceless.

 

 

Relics were kept in safe containers decorated with holy images like this one

 

 

Medieval artists even decorated chalices like this with holy scenes, can you see it?

 

 

A knights standard gear

 

 

Here is a helmet used in England a thosand years ago

 

 

A real medieval sword, obviously well used, that would go with the helmet

 

 

SCULPTURE ON BUILDINGS

This frieze portrays Jesus and Mary fleeing to Egypt on a horse

 

 

This one shows Eve, in her hand is the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

 

 

By the time of the gothic cathedrals in the 1100's, sculptures on them became more grand

 

 

The amazing art of stained glass windows like this took years to execute by master artists, but we

usually don't even know their names! (to do something like this 'to be famous' was not the point)

 

 

Here is Christ on the Cross in stained glass

 

 

Entire walls of the cathedrals were murals like this one, of Mary

 

 

PAINTING (ICONS)

Most medieval art in painting was 2 dimensionial, and of course, had Christian themes.

This is the Annunciation (when an angel told Mary that she was pregnant by a divine hand)

 

 

The icon of Mary with Jesus inside her

 

 

The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, as an infant

 

 

Most famous of all Russian icons, Our Lady of Vladimir, Mary with Jesus

 

 

The famous icon of Jesus with a Bible (showing its holiness and its addition of the New Testament)

 

 

The Crucifixion icon

 

 

Icon of the Transfiguration

 

 

The icon of the death of Mary in the later decades, being welcomed into heaven by Jesus

 

 

 

St. Peter and Paul spread Christianity throughout the Roman world,

and Mary (right) interceding with God on peoples' behalf

 

 

The angel Gabriel (left) and St. Michael the Archangel, a Christian would

pray to St. Michael to help them battle the forces of evil

 

 

Another powerful angel, St. George fighting the dragon (serpent, a symbol of Satan)

 

 

The icon of St. Nicholas, who loved children

 

 

Icon of the Divine Fatherhood, appearing with the white dove a symbol of God

 

 

The icon of the Trinity, after which Trinity, Florida was named

 

 


 

The Medieval Town

 

One can still drive around Europe and find medieval towns in some places

 

 

 Artists vision of the medieval town in winter

 

 

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