Early Christian to Late Gothic Art Styles
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Characteristics of Painting Styles from the Early Christian to the Late Gothic
The art style of the Early Christian period is derived from the classical style of the
Romans. The early Christians were, after all, living in the Roman world. The classical
style was what they knew and saw around them. They were preoccupied with the
problems and challenges of establishing a new religion in a hostile atmosphere. We could
not expect them to give much thought to creating a new art style, any more than they
would invent a new language to express their ideas and beliefs.
The earliest Christian art is found in the catacombs, where it was safely hidden. We see
figures and forms modeled in the classical style. The images are framed by painted
architectural features, such as panels and arches, similar to the wall paintings in Roman
houses. Sometimes classical images are borrowed and given a Christian interpretation.
An example is the Good Shepherd, which is visually based on the classical sculpture of
the Calf Bearer. The classical Calf Bearer carries the calf on his shoulders as he takes it to
be sacrificed to Greek gods. The Christian Good Shepherd, of course, is Christ, who
protects the sheep that he carries.
As the history of Christianity evolved, the styles changed and adopted new elements.
These changes reflect the differences in the cultures that produced the art. For a thousand
years the style became more abstract, stylized and metaphysical. Then in the late Gothic
period, as the western world moved toward the humanism of the Renaissance, we will see
a gradual introduction of visual realism that paralleled the awakening interest in real
people living in a real world.
Stylistic Characteristics of Medieval and Early Gothic Art
Medieval and early Gothic art is generally abstract and decorative, with an emphasis on
geometric patterns. Below are some of the characteristics that you will see in the art of
these periods:
•
Icons, as symbols of God, contain a holy essence that is represented by gold and
other precious materials.
The use of gold and the addition of precious stones or pearls indicate the
otherworldly and metaphysical nature of the subject. For example, it is seen in
halos. It is also used as a background to indicate a heavenly setting.
Metaphysical is defined as “beyond the physical realm, beyond that which we can
realize or discover with our five senses.”
•
Natural references, such as animals and human figures are expressed as geometric
patterns. There is a tendency to simplify these forms into geometric shapes. For
example, the traditional iconographic depiction of Mary shows her head as a tilted
oval. Look for examples of geometric shapes in the artwork.
If we try to think like the artists of the time, we will realize that the abstract
treatment of human form reflects the Christian belief that “the body is the prison
of the soul.” If we believe that the body is a corrupt and temporary shell to hold
the soul, we will not be very interested in observing it carefully or in making the
effort to create a realistic image of this distasteful thing.
Early Christian to Late Gothic Art Styles
•
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The simplification of human form contrasts with the minute detail, when the
detail is decorative.
We might think that the artists of the medieval and Gothic periods simplified the
real appearance of natural forms as a matter of convenience. After all, it is very
difficult to create a realistic image. It requires a great deal of training, practice and
careful observation to do this well. But they were not shiftless, or trying to save
time. They lavished great skill and attention on the painstaking detail of
decorative patterns. Often this detail is so minute that we feel compelled to look at
it with a magnifying glass.
•
Symbolic Alteration—the size of the figure denotes its importance. This is also
called Hieratic Alteration. Important figures, such as Christ and Mary are usually
shown larger than any other figures in a painting or sculpture.
•
Irrational depiction of spatial relationships—“piled-up perspective”—figures are
jumbled together in one place. Artists of these periods did not yet have the rules
of linear perspective to help them organize their pictures and they did not really
care. Space and time are worldly concepts. Religious pictures were about
heavenly subjects. We sometimes see figures arranged in spatial relationships that
seem impossible to our modern eyes, such as figures that are both in front of and
behind an object, or feet that are wrapped over the edge of steps.
•
Horror Vacuui—fear of empty spaces.
Children, folk artists and artists of the medieval and Gothic periods often express
horror vacuui in their art. It seems that they cannot abide to let any space stand
empty. They will decorate it with patterns or little people and animals just to fill it
up. Sometimes these images have nothing to do with the main subject of the art.
An example in your text is the bas-de-page illustrations in the Book of Hours of
Jeanne d’Evreux
•
Fantasy—little figures appear in unexpected or unorthodox places (demons,
angels, folk images, etc.) These little figures are usually an expression of horror
vacuui. Sometimes they are naturalistic, but often they are demons or strange
creatures. The stories they play out often come from the folklore of the times and
it can be very fanciful.
We want to remember that the artists of these periods lived in a world where the
line between imagination and reality was not strictly drawn. The population was
largely illiterate and superstitious. The technology and science of our time was
not known to them. Because they did not know why things happened, their
imaginations filled the gap.
Late Gothic Style
As society became less metaphysical and more humanistic, art became less abstract and
geometric and began to show realistic traits. We will see that the gradual shift to a
humanistic worldview in the late Gothic and Renaissance periods was accompanied by
a shift toward greater realism in art.
Early Christian to Late Gothic Art Styles
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A comparison of two artists of the late Gothic period will illustrate the change.
Virgin and Child in Majesty by Duccio di Buoninsegna
Lamentation by Giotto di Bondone
The composition of Duccio’s painting is stylized in patterns and rows of shapes. It is flat
and frontal with a central focal point. Mary and the Christ Child are larger than the other
figures (symbolic alteration). The figures on either side mirror each other to complete the
formal balance. The dominant lines are vertical and horizontal. The overall effect is static
and timeless. The heavy use of gold reminds us that the painting is “otherworldly.”
Giotto’s painting is less organized, just like real life. The asymmetric balance weights the
lower left corner of the painting. The diagonal lines of Christ’s body and the stone wall
that juts to the right, are dynamic, and form a zigzag that pulls our eyes through the
Early Christian to Late Gothic Art Styles
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composition. Although Duccio models his faces, the modeling of the figures and faces in
Giotto’s painting creates a greater degree of realism. The gestures and expressions evoke
emotion, in contrast to the formal and somber figures in Duccio’s work.
Terminology
Stylized
Horror Vacuui
Metaphysical
Bas-de-Page
Simplification
Fantasy
Decorative
Modeling
Abstract
Formal balance
Geometric
Asymmetric balance
Realistic
Central focal point
Symbolic Alteration (also known
as Hieratic Alteration)
Diagonal
Piled-up Perspective
Dynamic
Linear Perspective
Vertical and Horizontal lines