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Art from the
Medieval Era
In Medieval times,
people concentrated
mainly on the church,
God, and the eternal
life.
In a society of almost
complete illiteracy,
constant outbreaks of
plague, smallpox,
leprosy, and the ever
present threat of
starvation, the beauty
of art and architecture
was a true haven. The
average peasant was
overcome with devotion
and wonderment upon
entering the local
church and seeing a
magnificent altarpiece
or statue.
According to noted historian, Hendrik
van Loon"
First of all, remember
that the people of the
Middle Ages never
thought of themselves as
free-born citizens, who
could come and go at
will and shape their
fate according to their
ability or energy or
luck. On the contrary,
they all considered
themselves part of the
general scheme of
things, which included
emperors and serfs,
popes and heretics,
heroes and
swashbucklers, rich men,
poor men, beggar men and
thieves. They accepted
this divine ordinance
and asked no questions."
Medieval artists
were not simply
anonymous lowly
craftsmen, but well
respects professionals.
They were the rock stars
of their day and
regularly interacted
with Popes and royalty.
Many lived interesting,
scandalous and rather
outrageous lives. They
were the subject of
gossip and innuendo.
According
to Medieval historian,
Julia De Wolf Addison, "In
mediæval times, the
sense of humour in art
was more developed than
at any period except our
own day. Even while the
monk was consecrating
his time to the work of
beautifying the
sanctuary, his sense of
humour was with him, and
must crop out. The
grotesque has always
played an important part
in art; in the
subterranean Roman
vaults of the early
centuries, one form of
this spirit is
exhibited. But the
element of wit is
almost absent; it is
displayed in
oppressively obvious
forms, so that it loses
its subtlety: it
represents women
terminating in floral
scrolls, or sea-horses
with leaves growing
instead of fins. The
same spirit is seen in
the grotesques of the
Renaissance, where the
sense of humour is not
emphasized, the ideal in
this class of decoration
being simply to fill the
space acceptably, with
voluptuous graceful
lines, mythological
monstrosities, the
inexpressive mingling of
human and vegetable
characteristics,
grinning dragons,
supposed to inspire
horror, and such
conceits, while the
attempt to amuse the
spectator is usually
absent.
The
Medieval Painting Style
Paintings were darkly
mystical, infused with
an ethereal emotional
intensity. The mysticism
of the Medieval period
imparts a sense of
uniqueness and wonder to
art. Painters from this
time period had a taste
for the supernatural and
their use of symbols are
mysterious hints and
glances into the shadowy
religious world that lay
behind the grinding
reality of the times. The style is
distinct and clearly
different from the heavy
Renaissance art
produced in in later
generation.
Medieval painters
imparted to their
pictures an orderly and
elegant element and a
splendor of color and
gilding that recall art
of the
Carolingian period. Paintings
from this period are
incredibly mystical, and
completely enchanting.
Artists were innovative
and produced works
of great beauty and
wonder. As
time went on the
style of painting was a
reflection of the
transformation that was
taking place in Europe,
the change from the
unjust feudal system to
a more enlightened, just
society.
Major Medieval
Artists
Duccio
di Buoninsegna
Coppo di Marcovaldo
Barna da Siena
Pietro Lorenzetti
Ambrogio Lorenzetti
Giotto di Bondone
Lippo Memmi
Segna di Buonaventure
Simone Martini
Taddeo di Bartolo
Bartolo di Fredi
Spinello Aretino
Andrea Vanni
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