For my independent study project 'Art Embodied' I have been studying the art of the Medieval Era last week. I visited the Cluny Museum of the Middle Ages in downtown Paris to get up close and personal with some Dark Ages art — a rather austere and religiously-themed body of work I am not naturally drawn to. After the glorified idealized bodies of Roman Empire art, it has been interesting to study a time period in which the pedagogical potential of art was emphasized over the aesthetic potential. This past week of study has revealed a stark transition when it comes to depictions of the human figure in Roman and Medieval Art. To start off, check out these figures in the stained glass windows of the Cluny museum — simplified and planar, they border on caricature.
With the fall of the Roman Empire in 500 A.D., the artistic goals of realistic depiction of the human figure, illusion of depth and idealization of the human form went to the wayside. The western half of the Roman empire broke into a variety of disorganized, impoverished kingdoms, while the eastern half morphed into a surviving power called the Byzantine Empire. Medieval art, created from 500 to 1500 A.D., straddles several eras: the Dark Ages from 500-1000 A.D., the Romanesque era from 1000-1200, and the Gothic era from 1200 to 1500. During this time art diverged strongly from the style of the Roman Empire.
With the fall of the Roman Empire in 500 A.D., the artistic goals of realistic depiction of the human figure, illusion of depth and idealization of the human form went to the wayside. The western half of the Roman empire broke into a variety of disorganized, impoverished kingdoms, while the eastern half morphed into a surviving power called the Byzantine Empire. Medieval art, created from 500 to 1500 A.D., straddles several eras: the Dark Ages from 500-1000 A.D., the Romanesque era from 1000-1200, and the Gothic era from 1200 to 1500. During this time art diverged strongly from the style of the Roman Empire.
Filling the power vacuum created by the fall of the Roman Empire, Christianity spread through Europe during the Medieval Era and drastically affected the content and style of the art. In Roman art human figures had served as the embodiments of religious figures and celebrated the idealized human form. This approach would no longer fly in post-Roman Europe, where Christian doctrine forbid creating realistic imagery. In Exodus 20:4 God tells Moses the Israelites should not make 'any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.' In addition, prominent Christian theologians in post-Roman Empire Europe, such as St. Augustine of Hippo, were calling realistic imagery a sin. According to St. Augustine's writings, realistic art is a lie — an attempt at truth when it is in fact not reality. This anti-realism campaign among Christian theologians may have been energized by the idea that the production of realistic images would lead to idolatry.
These ideas had powerful ramifications on art created during the Medieval Era. Art retained a place in churches as a powerful way to disseminated religious ideas and color religious rituals. But the idea that realistic imagery walked the tightrope of idolatry motivated Medieval artists to steer clear of realistic depictions and opt for stylized iconographic images more in line with Christian theology. During this time sculpture became less popular while mosaic flourished in the Byzantine empire, mural painting boomed, and illumination —the art of illustrating manuscripts — was born.
As illustrated by the image of Christ above, stylization was the name of the game during the Medieval Era. This was in sharp contrast to the goals of three-dimensionality and realistic movement evident in Roman-era art. Human figures produced during this time, largely under the umbrella of the Byzantine Empire, are planar and static. For example, in this stone carving scale was used to denote symbolic importance of the various characters, rather than to depict the scene in a realistic way. The tiny servant figure in the front left is clearly a nobody compared to the Virgin Mary and Jesus, as the stilted perspective indicates.
In the less-unified eastern half of the old Roman Empire the aesthetic was less unified, but stylization of figures and religious themes are strong undercurrents in many works. The famous Book of Kells was published during this time, shunning realism for planar, stylized figures and displaying intricate patterns over human subject matter.
As illustrated by the image of Christ above, stylization was the name of the game during the Medieval Era. This was in sharp contrast to the goals of three-dimensionality and realistic movement evident in Roman-era art. Human figures produced during this time, largely under the umbrella of the Byzantine Empire, are planar and static. For example, in this stone carving scale was used to denote symbolic importance of the various characters, rather than to depict the scene in a realistic way. The tiny servant figure in the front left is clearly a nobody compared to the Virgin Mary and Jesus, as the stilted perspective indicates.
In the less-unified eastern half of the old Roman Empire the aesthetic was less unified, but stylization of figures and religious themes are strong undercurrents in many works. The famous Book of Kells was published during this time, shunning realism for planar, stylized figures and displaying intricate patterns over human subject matter.
While decorative patterns temporarily dominated the art scene, the human figure returned as a popular artistic subject matter in 750 A.D. Around the year 1000 A.D. the diverse aesthetic of post-Roman Empire European art began to reunify around the 'Romanesque' style, featuring saturated colors and more naturalistic depictions of the human form.
Several hundred years later in 1200 A.D., European art entered the Gothic Age. Functioning as the bridge between the highly-stylized art of the Dark Ages and the dawn of the Renaissance in Italy, Gothic Art features the reemergence of realism as an aesthetic value. Gothic paintings display the development of perspective along with the naturalization of postures and increased representation of depth. Large wall paintings known as frescos became a popular form of art during this time. Giotto di Bondone, an Italian fresco painter who focused on depicting realistic three-dimensional human forms, is one of many influential artists who spearheaded the transition from Medieval to Renaissance art. The statue, 'Adam', below, was made around 1260 A.D. to be placed in the south transept of Notre Dame. With the natural gesture of the right arm, the nuanced stance of the figure and the subtle depiction of abdomen muscles, the statues is representative of the gradual transition toward naturalism that occurred during the Gothic era.
Artwork made during the Medieval Era functioned as a valuable tool for a motivated and powerful religious agenda. The goal was to employ art as an aesthetic tool to embellish churches, but also to engage it as a pedagogical tool to relay religious stories and dogmas to churchgoers. The carnal body was dismissed as sinful and hidden under layers of drapery, such as in the stained glass figure below. Realistic depiction of the human figure coupled with a strong dose of idealism evident in Roman art gave way to simplification of the human form and abandonment of perspective during Medieval times. With religious institutions condemning imagery and interpreting the physical body as inherently sinful, this may have been the era when art was the least 'embodied' of all.
Several hundred years later in 1200 A.D., European art entered the Gothic Age. Functioning as the bridge between the highly-stylized art of the Dark Ages and the dawn of the Renaissance in Italy, Gothic Art features the reemergence of realism as an aesthetic value. Gothic paintings display the development of perspective along with the naturalization of postures and increased representation of depth. Large wall paintings known as frescos became a popular form of art during this time. Giotto di Bondone, an Italian fresco painter who focused on depicting realistic three-dimensional human forms, is one of many influential artists who spearheaded the transition from Medieval to Renaissance art. The statue, 'Adam', below, was made around 1260 A.D. to be placed in the south transept of Notre Dame. With the natural gesture of the right arm, the nuanced stance of the figure and the subtle depiction of abdomen muscles, the statues is representative of the gradual transition toward naturalism that occurred during the Gothic era.
Artwork made during the Medieval Era functioned as a valuable tool for a motivated and powerful religious agenda. The goal was to employ art as an aesthetic tool to embellish churches, but also to engage it as a pedagogical tool to relay religious stories and dogmas to churchgoers. The carnal body was dismissed as sinful and hidden under layers of drapery, such as in the stained glass figure below. Realistic depiction of the human figure coupled with a strong dose of idealism evident in Roman art gave way to simplification of the human form and abandonment of perspective during Medieval times. With religious institutions condemning imagery and interpreting the physical body as inherently sinful, this may have been the era when art was the least 'embodied' of all.
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