Journal Entry #12 - Animals in Medieval Art

Animals, sometimes real and mythical, hold a high standard of importance in medieval art. Animals carried a vast variety of associations that were drawn from the past. Ex - The lamb as a symbol of christ, the griffin as an attendant of Apollo and keeper of light, and the dove as a description of the Holy Spirit.

Plague with Agnus Dei and Four Evangelists

9th Century

Ivory Carving

Incipit Page to the Gospel of John

1300-1310

Vellum, pigments, and gold.

-four symbols of evangelists

*ox for luke

*eagle for john

*angel for matthew

*lion for mark

Journal Entry #11 - Codex Aureus of St. Emmeram

Codex Aureus of St. Emmeram

9th Century

Munich

The Codex of St. Emmeram is an illuminated Gospel Book that's cover page is highly illimunated with the use of gold and gems.  It was produced for the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles II. The middle of the cover page shows an illustration of the Emperor. This decision was made in 1930 to make this official. With careful study of the text,  a connection between the written work and the picture on the cover became apparent. 

The book was written out by the monks Liuthard and Beringer. 

This video goes in depth with the history of manuscript making.

The adoration of the Lamb from the Codex Aureus of St. Emmeram

Romanesque Art - Journal Entry #10

The Morgan Leaf

Detached from the Winchester Bible

1160-75

As we discussed in class and viewed in the video that demonstrated manuscript making, many people during this time were illiterate and did not have the opportunity to learn how to read. It is with pictorial depictions that this detriment can be excused. The artistans who crafted these books acknowledged the fact that to spread and influence others of Christianity, they must illustrate the stories that took place in the bible to help it's viewers understand them. The Morgan Leaf demonstrates this with careful detail oriented work to help instruct scenes from the life of David.

Romanesque Art - Journal Entry #9

Early 12th Century

V&A Museum

This Romanesque piece of artwork was created with the "lost wax" technique. It was created in three sections. The metal used was bronze but also features lead, nickel, iron, arsenic, and a large amount of silver. It has been suggested that the candlestick was made from gold coins. 

The candlestick is composed of human figures, apes, and mythical beasts that are intertwined throughout the piece.  

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/gloucester-candlestick/

Early Christian Art - Entry #8

The Good Shepard

This mid-3rd century catacomb painting shows one of the most recurrent themes in Early Christian art: the Shepherd carrying a sheep, (John 10:1-21;Luke 15:1-7 and 11-32). The Shepherd represents Jesus who will search lovingly for even one wandering Child of God and rejoice when it is found. In the Priscilla "Good Shepherd" the Shepherd holds the lost sheep upon his shoulders as two other sheep look on with rapt attention. What is left of the chipping plaster shows paints of an earthy green and brown. The figures are relatively small and are a part of a larger wall painting that includes praying figures and the Old Testament story of Jonah and the Whale, (Lowden p.26).


Lowden, John. Early Christian and Byzantine Art. London: Phaidon Press Limited, 1997.

Early Christian Art - Entry #7

Catacombs of Rome

Early Christian art is somewhat deceivingly hidden in history between the second century after the birth of Christ until the year 313, when Constantine came to power and stopped the persecutions of Christians in the Roman Empire. Catacombs are the name given to "subterranean galleries cut into the tufa beds outside of Rome," (Gough, p.24). They were rediscovered by the modern world during the nineteenth century and the few that have been excavated provide information about the world in 250 AD.  The catacombs contain most of what we know about Early Christian art in wall paintings called frescoes, (wall paintings made by mixing paints with wet plaster and creating a virtually indestructible work of art)  Contrary to some modern beliefs, these catacombs were not  a secret to anybody in Rome; indeed, the catacombs were used as Christian cemeteries not because they needed secrecy. In reality, the Roman law strictly protected tombs from violation. 


Gough, Michael. The Origins of Christian Art London: Thames and Hudson,1973.

Journal Entry #6

This video demonstrates how the Ancient Greeks strived to create a perfect representation of the human body, a truly monumental part of the development of art as we know it. Although we have discussed some of the topics depicted in this video, the idea of how the Greeks stopped this realistic style over a generation sparks interest. As the video explains, the Greeks later realized that the brain needed to experience some sort of distortion.

The artist, Polyclitius, would later be explained in regards to his process and how he created a body with one side in motion, and the other in rest. 

Journal Entry #5 - Ancient Greece

Ancient Greek life was engulfed by religion and celebration of their gods. This can be associated with the immense and iconic temples that the Greeks built in their era. Although some of their temples were sometimes associated with politics and persons of power, religion was the main source of influence in regards to their undertaking.

The three systems of architecture and were called "orders". The three orders are doric, ionic, and corinthian.

Doric.

The Doric style is rather sturdy and its top is plain. This style was used in mainland Greece and the colonies in southern Italy and Sicily.

Temples/Palaces in Doric Style = Parthenon

Ionic.

The Ionic style is thinner and more stylized. Its capital is decorated with a scroll-like design. This style was found in eastern Greece and the islands.

Temples/Palaces in Ionic Style = Erechtheum, The Temple of Apollo at Didyma, The Temple of Athena Nike

Corinthian.

The Corinthian style is seldom used in the Greek world, but often seen on Roman temples. Its capital is very elaborate and decorated with acanthus leaves.

Temples/Palaces in Corinthian Style = Apollo at Bassae, Zeus at Athens

Journal Entry #4 Minoan Art

Minoan Dolphins - Fresco

Late Bronze Age (LBA)
Late Minoan I (LM I) Period
Knossos, Crete, Greece

The frescos here are a reflection of the culture of the Minoans. Dolphins and fish were prevalent in the waters that the Minoan people lived their daily lives. In many of the Minoan pieces we have viewed in class, it can be concluded or proposed that artisans and craftpersons were highly motivated by their surrounding areas and how the different lifeforms around them interacted.

The fresco seems to give the metaphor of the "circle of life". Although the painting depicts primarily dolphins, many types of smaller fish are also part of the iconography. The fresco's also persuade movement in the directions that the dolphins are traveling, giving the "circle of life" idea some truth.

To this day, tourists who visit Crete have the option of viewing these dolphins as they are highly rooted in Ancient Minoan/Greek culture.

Journal Entry #3 Minoan and Mycenean Art

Journal Entry #2

Egyptian Book of the Dead - Entry #1