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AP Art History 2011-2012 - Segalla
Early Medieval Europe
Gardner Ch. 16 (pages 408-429)
Context

The terms Medieval, Dark Ages, and Middle Ages describe the approximately 1000 years
between the end of the Roman era and the beginning of the Renaissance; these terms were
pejorative and reflect a bias toward Classical forms and traditions

Small, portable objects (treasures) reflect the mobility of nomadic peoples (like Viking
marauders); these small treasures were also used as currency; “Migratory” is a term often
used to describe art work from this period

Development of monasticism as a way of life; creation of religious orders, in particular the
Benedictine Order (after Saint Benedict)

The term Carolingian refers to Charlemagne; Charlemagne, King of the Franks united Europe
calling it the Holy Roman Empire; Ottonians (Saxons, enemies to the Franks) gain control
shortly after Charlemagne’s death and maintain dominance for the next three generations
Short cut dating of cultures and art works
Vikings (Norman):
Anglo-Saxons:
Hiberno-Saxon:
Carolingian:
Ottonian:
ca. 800-1100 CE
ca. 500 CE
ca. 600-800 CE
ca. 800 CE
ca. 1000 CE
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AP Art History 2011-2012 - Segalla
20 Important Dates
313
Constantine legalizes Christianity
330
Constantine formally makes Constantinople the capital of the (Eastern) Roman Empire;
Constantinople is later called Byzantium; today it is called Istanbul
402
Rome is essentially abandoned as the capital of the (Western) Roman Empire
410
Ravenna (Italy) becomes the capital of the (Western) Roman Empire
476
Odoacer conquers “Italy” effectively ending the (Ancient)Roman Empire
527
Justinian begins rule of the (Eastern) Roman Empire
570
Mohammed born; Mecca becomes the religious center
622
Year One of the Islamic calendar
750
Islam expands from Asia Minor through North Africa to Spain
600
Pope Gregory establishes the papacy as a political power
768
Charlemagne begins rule; unites the Holy Roman Empire
800
Charlemagne is crowned
840
Viking invasions of Northern Europe
910
Abbey of Cluny founded
1095
First Crusade
1147
Second Crusade
1150
Founding of several great universities: Paris, Oxford, Cambridge and Bologna
1210
Saint Francis of Assisi founds the Franciscan Order
1348
Black Death (bubonic plague) sweeps across Europe
1453
Constantinople falls to the Ottoman Turks; renamed Istanbul
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AP Art History 2011-2012 - Segalla
Art and Architecture
Style/Date
Anglo-Saxon
ca. 625 CE
Name/Title
Sutton Hoo Purse Cover
not known
Artist
location in text
p. 409, figure 16-3
Anglo-Saxon,
(specifically
Merovingian)
ca. 550 CE
a pair of looped fibulae (a fibula is a
garment clasp)
not known
p. 408, figures 16-2
Viking
ca. 834 CE
Animal-head post, from the Viking
ship burial at Oseberg in Norway
not known
p. 410, figure 16-4
(animal form and interlace, the two fundamental
motifs of the warrior-lord culture)
Viking
ca. 1050 CE
Wooden doorway of the Stave Church
in Urnes, Norway
not known
p. 411, figure 16-5
Hiberno-Saxon
ca. 660 CE
not known
p. 412, figure 16-6
Hiberno-Saxon
ca. 700 CE
Man (symbol of Saint Matthew) from
the Book of Durrow, from Iona,
Scotland(?)
Saint Matthew page from the
Lindisfarne Gospels from England
not known
p. 413, figure 16-7
Hiberno-Saxon
ca. 700 CE
Cross-inscribed carpet page from the
Lindisfarne Gospels from England
not known
p. 406, figure 16-1
Hiberno-Saxon
ca. 800 CE
Chi-Rho-Iota (XPI) page from the
Book of Kells,
from Iona, Scotland(?)
not known
p. 414, figure 16-8
Carolingian
ca. 800 CE
Equestrian Portrait of Charlemagne
(or Charles The Bald), Metz, France
not known
p. 416, figure 16-12
Carolingian
ca. 800 CE
Saint Matthew from the Coronation
Gospels (also called the Gospel Book
of Charlemagne)
not known
p. 417, figure 16-13
Carolingian
ca. 800 CE
St. Matthew from the Ebbo Gospels
(also called the Gospel Book of
Archbishop Ebbo of Reims)
not known
p. 417, figure 16-14
Carolingian
ca. 870 CE
Crucifixion, front cover of the Lindau
Gospels
not known
p. 418, figure 16-16
Carolingian
ca. 800 CE
Palatine (Royal) Chapel of
Charlemagne in Aachen, Germany
not known
p. 419, figures 16-17
and 16-18
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AP Art History 2011-2012 - Segalla
Ottonian
ca. 1000 CE
Saint Michael’s, Hildesheim, Germany
including the bronze doors and the
column
not known
p. 423-425, figures 1622, 23, 24 and 25
Ottonian
ca. 1000 CE
Crucifix commissioned by Archbishop
Gero for Cologne Cathedral, Germany
not known
p. 425, figure 16-26
Ottonian
ca. 1000 CE
Abbess Uta Dedicating her Codex to
the Virgin from the Uta Codex,
Germany
not known
p. 426, figure 16-27
Vocabulary
Term
Definition
Beowulf, p. 408
zoomorphic,
(serpentine) p. 408
fibula, p. 408
cloisonné, cloisons,
soldering, p. 409
interlacements, p. 409
staves, p. 410
Hibernia, p. 410
Insular, p. 410
scriptoria (fig. 16-11),
carpet page Vulgate,
manuscriptus,
Pentateuch, “gospels”
Eusebius of Caesarea,
Psalter, Lectionary,
breviaries,
Sacramentaries,
benedictionals, Book
of Hours, p. 411
the four evangelists –
Matthew, Mark, Luke
and John, p. 412
relic, p. 413
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AP Art History 2011-2012 - Segalla
Mozarabic, p. 415
repoussé, p. 418
Benedict of Nursia,
p. 420
Regula Sancti
Benedicti, p. 420
abbey, abbot, abbess,
p. 420
cloister, p. 421
westwork, p. 421
alternate support
system (at Gernrode),
p. 422
Virgo Virginum,
p. 427
Ornamental Art (Decorative)
Iconic Art (Symbolic)

interlace patter and complex design

Icon = an image symbolic of an idea

complex pattern composed of a single line which
overlaps and intertwines

conceptual experience of the work of art


organic and animal forms simplified and abstracted into
geometric patterns
simplification of an image into an easily recognizable
form


decorative elements can dominate geometric
organization with extreme complexity in design and
elements
clarity of purpose – unambiguous image – the decorative
elements are secondary to the central image or icon

simplification and stylization

miniaturist sensibility – extremely fine work
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