Ottonian Art
St. Michael's Church, Hildesheim (1001-1031)
Victoria Valdes
After Charlemagne’s legacy had begun to die out, the
warlike tribes in what is now Germany (then Saxony)
banded together to elect a king from among their
nobility. In 919 C.E., they chose Henry the Liudolfing,
the son of a high-ranking duke, a brilliant military
strategist and a well-respected leader. Henry, dubbed
“the Fowler” because of his hobby of bird hunting, led
the Saxon armies to a number of decisive victories
against the Magyars and the Danes. These newly
secured borders ushered in a period of immense
prosperity and artistic productivity for the Saxon
empire.
Henry’s son Otto I (who became emperor in 962) lends
his name to the “Ottonian” period. He forged an
important alliance with the Pope, which allowed him to
be crowned the first official Holy Roman Emperor since
924. This contact with Rome was extremely important
to Ottonian artistic development, since each Ottonian
king was determined to define himself as a Roman
Emperor in the style of Constantine and Charlemagne.
This meant perpetuating a highly intellectual court and
creating an extensive artistic legacy.
Ottonian art takes a number of traditional medieval forms, including elegantly illuminated manuscripts,
lavish metalwork, intricate carving, and Romanesque churches and cathedrals. Perhaps the most famous
of the Ottonian artistic innovations is the Saxon Romanesque architecture style, which is marked by a
careful attention to balance and mathematical harmony. This focus on geometry is based on the texts de
Arithmatica and Ars Geometriae by the 6th century philosopher Boethius. The Ottonians held
mathematical sciences in high regard and this is reflected in many of their artistic productions.
The illuminated manuscripts produced by Ottonian “scriptoria,” or monastery painting and writing
schools, provide documentation of both Ottonian religious and political customs and the stylistic
preferences of the period. Manuscripts were most often produced of religious texts, and usually included
a dedication portrait commemorating the book’s creation. The royal or religious donor is usually shown
presenting the book to the saint of his or her choice.
Source URL: http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/ottonian.html
Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/asth110/#5.4.3
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Uta Codex (Uta Presents the Codex to Mary), c. 1020,
Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm. 13601, folio 2,
recto
Here we see a powerful abbess, Uta, presenting her codex
to St. Mary. Many manuscripts also included a page
depicting the artist or scribe of the work, acknowledging
that the production of a book required not only money
but also artistic labor.
Hillinus Codex (Hillinus Presents the Codex to St. Peter), c.1020, Cologne Dombibliothek, folio 16, verso,
manuscript 12
In the Hillinus Codex, a monk presents the codex that he has written or painted (or both!) to St.
Peter. The work of the artist and scribe were often one and the same, as can be seen in many of the
fantastic decorated initials that begin books or chapters in Ottonian Manuscripts. As you can see from the
dedication pictures, the manuscripts in question are often depicted as they were frequently displayed, that
is with the text securely enclosed between lavish metal covers.
Source URL: http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/ottonian.html
Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/asth110/#5.4.3
Attributed to: SmartHistory
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Cover, "Dormition of the Virgin," Gospels of Otto III, c. 9981001, Munich, Staatsbibliothek, Clm. 4453
Ottonian metalwork took many forms, but one of the most
common productions was bejeweled book covers for their
precious manuscripts. This cover is one of the most
expensive that survives; it includes not only numerous
jewels, but an ivory carving of the death of the Virgin
Mary.
On a larger scale, clerics like Bernward of Hildesheim,
who designed the church we saw earlier, cast his 15' doors
depicting the fall and redemption of mankind out of single
pieces of metal. This was an enormous undertaking, and
the process was so complex that it would not be replicated
until the Renaissance.
Doors of the Hildesheim Church, c. 1015
For a modern viewer, Ottonian art can be a little difficult to understand. The depictions of people and
places don’t conform to a naturalistic style, and the symbolism is often obscure. When you look at
Ottonian art, keep in mind that the aim for these artists was not to create something that looked
“realistic,” but rather to convey abstract concepts, many of which are deeply philosophical in nature. The
focus on symbolism can also be one of the most fascinating aspects of studying Ottonian art, since you can
depend on each part of the compositions to mean something specific. The more time you spend on each
composition, the more rewarding discoveries emerge.
Source URL: http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/ottonian.html
Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/asth110/#5.4.3
Attributed to: SmartHistory
www.saylor.org
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