Overview
This lecture covers key developments in Roman art and society, the transition to the Middle Ages, and the major characteristics of medieval art, including sculpture, painting, embroidery, and architecture.
Roman Art and Society
- Roman art is divided into the Republic period and the Empire period, with more monumental building projects during the Empire.
- Roman society was patriarchal and borrowed heavily from Greek and, to a lesser extent, Egyptian art.
- Romans often transported art and architectural elements (like obelisks) from conquered lands to Rome.
- Roman statues are highly polished, often with blank eyes, and may include painted features or inlaid materials for realism.
- Roman sculpture valued age and experience, showing older features unlike classical Greek art.
- Roman frescoes, especially from Pompeii, provide insight into daily life, fashion, and societal activities.
- Frescoes use wet plaster and vibrant pigments, often surviving if walls remain intact.
- Relief sculpture, like on the Column of Trajan, is detailed and often dynamic, reflecting daily or historical scenes.
- Female patrons such as Olivia, Plancia Magna, and Saint Helena played important roles in supporting Roman art and architecture.
Introduction to the Middle Ages
- The Middle Ages span from the fall of Rome to the beginning of the Renaissance.
- Divided into Early (post-Rome, ruralization), High (reurbanization, universities), and Late (Black Death, wars, reformation, overlaps with Renaissance) periods.
- Medieval art is predominantly Christian due to the influence and wealth of the Church.
- Medieval art is more stylized and "cartoonish," focusing less on realism and more on narrative or symbolic content.
- Children in medieval art often appear as small adults rather than with true childlike features.
Major Medieval Art Forms
- Religious altarpieces are ornate and expensive, displaying less concern for realism or scale.
- Love and chivalry are common themes, but romantic depictions do not always reflect marriage or realism.
- Illuminated manuscripts, decorated with gold/silver leaf, were hand-copied and illustrated, initially by monks/nuns, then later by professionals.
- Manuscripts include both religious and secular subjects, with highly detailed illustrations.
- Embroidery and tapestries were mainly made by noblewomen and nuns, later becoming commercial; the Bayeux Tapestry is a famous example.
- Opus Anglicanum refers to highly prized English embroidery using gold and silver threads.
Medieval Architecture
- Gothic and Romanesque architecture are distinguished by arch shapes: rounded (Romanesque), pointed (Gothic).
- Features like ribbed vaults and flying buttresses allow for taller structures and larger windows, as seen in Notre Dame de Paris.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Republic Period — The era when Rome was governed as a republic before becoming an empire.
- Fresco — Wall painting technique applying pigment to wet plaster for durability.
- Relief Sculpture — Sculpture where figures project from a background.
- Patron — Someone who financially supports artists and the arts.
- Illuminated Manuscript — Hand-copied and decorated book, often including gold or silver.
- Opus Anglicanum — High-quality English embroidery using metallic threads.
- Romanesque Architecture — Characterized by rounded arches and thick walls.
- Gothic Architecture — Marked by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Visit the Bayeux Tapestry website or museum site to view the full artifact.
- Prepare for the next lecture starting with the Renaissance and moving into modern art.
- Review previous notes on Gothic and Romanesque architecture for better understanding.