For my previous thoughts on the roles of the arts in medieval Christianity, see the following post:
https://themedievalist.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-relation-of-arts-to-theology-in.html
Introduction:
Christianity informed the Middle Ages of much of what it was about. Unlike some other eras in history that preceded it and came after it, almost all Medieval literature and art is about Biblical themes or Christianity in some way. As discussed in my previous post, the theologian Hugh of Saint Victor believed that both the philosophy and the arts could be used to support theology.
Medieval Art:
The arts greatly defined the theological characteristics of the Middle Ages. For example, the great use of stone in Notre Dame personifies (in my view at least) the seriousness of the cathedral's place in Paris. However, I want to discuss more than just my interpretation of the medievals' works.
While I appreciate the study of Byzantine and Islamic art, I prefer the study of the western art of the Middle Ages. Furthermore, I'm going to be emphasizing aspects of the later medieval art only in this post. While I appreciate Early Medieval and Romanesque art, the cathedrals and illuminated manuscripts of the Gothic and the fourteenth-century eras of art are in my view, the best of post-classical art until the Renaissance. In particular, I am fascinated by the powerful presence of the Gothic cathedrals which in many ways, demonstrated as much influence as the local castle in the High Middle Ages.
Speaking of Gothic architecture, medievalist and art historian Marilyn Stokstad wrote, ''Truly, Gothic churches became the glorious jeweled houses of God, evocations of the heavenly Jerusalem. They were also glowing manifestations of Christian doctrine, and invitations to faithful living, encouraging worshipers to follow in the footsteps of the saints whose lives were frequently featured in the windows of Gothic churches. Stained glass soon became the medium of monumental painting (Stokstad, 491).''
I could not agree more with Stockstad. Look at the Scenes From Genesis in the Good Samaritan Window of Notre Dame's cathedral. In this masterpiece, you will observe Biblical stories across the stained glass. The artwork was not made by the medievals simply because they loved to make art, but because art was a means of demonstrating a theological truth. For example, in Scenes from Genesis, Adam and Eve are found to be nude at the top right corner of the painting. They are looking up with fearful faces as they are being judged for their sin. This reflects the importance of the doctrine of original sin in Medieval Christianity. To those living in the Gothic era of Medieval Art (twelfth-thirteenth centuries), the fear of God's judgment upon them for their sins was central to their faith and their religious practices.
Of course, the use of art within the church was controversial at times. Abbot Sugar, one of the masterminds behind Saint-Denis Cathedral, was for the use of art in monasteries for the purpose of monks growing in their faith. Saint Bernard of the Cistercian order had more reservations about such works, however. To him, it was better that monasteries be more simple and simply focus on God without art being a distraction. Whoever's view one agrees with here, both sides had the same goal in mind: to glorify the Creator while simultaneously promoting strict religious adherence.
On a similar note, I would like to mention the fact that the early medievals were afraid of breaking the second commandment. Because they did not want God to be violated through false imagery, many portrayed Christ as vague in their art (something that the Renaissance would not imitate later). To the early medievals, the second commandment did not mean what it would later mean to the sixteenth-century puritans. The latter group had a clear-cut understanding of the second commandment: all images and works of art about Christ are wrong. The early medievals though did not see abstract and one-dimensional art as violating the second commandment. Indeed, the concept of all images and pictures violating the second commandment was largely unknown to Christian history before the Reformation. While there had been Carologians who took issue with the Byzantine icons in the Early Medieval period, this does not mean that they were against all works of art about Christ. In fact, there had been works of art on the catacombs concerning Christ since the persecution of Christians in the early centuries. Many of the Reformed churches of the sixteenth century made a radical breach from the past by removing all works of art from churches.*1
One of my favorite aspects of Medieval art is The Rose Window and Lancets from Chartres Cathedral. This beautiful illumination from 1230-1235 A.D. is truly a piece of beauty. Imagine the sunshine flowing through the glass as it gives to us the light of heaven. Likewise, no matter the time of day, those standing below the window could look above and be grateful for the saints praying for them. The Rose Window was also a reminder that this world was not the beginning nor the end of everything. Eternity (as depicted here), was either with God and His holy saints or with the damned in the fires of destruction.
There is much to be observed from The Rose Window. I love the references to the Holy Spirit as the dove throughout this stained glass window. Looking at the painting, I also admire admiration for France as shown in the Fleur-de-Lions throughout. Last, but certainly not least, the blessed Virgin Mary is in the center of the picture as she holds the Babe Savior. To me, this is one of the great masterpieces of the Gothic era.
As a partial result of the Italian Renaissance, many in the fourteenth-century came to desire a return to the literature and art forms of the classical world. Petrarch's love sonnets about a married woman named ''Laura'' reflected a change in literature from the previous religious Christendom. More and more, writings and paintings reflected the loss of influence in the church. Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, for example, depicts corrupt clergy throughout its stories.
Nevertheless, as the Italian Renaissance began, some countries were certainly less impacted by it than others. While Chaucer drew from Italian and French writers, England as a whole remained quite medieval. The Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux depicted Judas Iscariot betraying His Lord. Likewise, while Chaucer satirized church leaders, this does not mean that he was opposed to orthodox Christianity.
There was hardly a breach in fourteenth-century Medieval English art from the previous centuries of England's history. Much of the artwork in England still reflected traditional concepts as had been betrayed in earlier Medieval art. One of the best examples of this would be The Opus Anglicanum. This work of art was made from pictorial needlework and became popular throughout Europe. It was often used during Mass.
Renaissance Art:
The fourteenth-century was significantly different for England than it had been for Italy. For the former, the Middle Ages had not yet passed. For the latter however, a new era had already begun.
The Renaissance brought on many challenges to previous philosophical beliefs of the Middle Ages. For example, after the Black Plague, less artwork and literature came to reflect Christianity as it had previously. Furthermore, many Renaissance philosophers came to challenge widely accepted theological dogmas of their age. At the same time, however, this was still a Christian era. Though there was more emphasis on secular themes and nude figures than there had been previously, many artists and writers of the Renaissance still portrayed the blessed virgin and her Son as gloriously as they had always been demonstrated in past works of art.
Below, I have copied some of my work for one of my previous assignments from ARTS 204: Medieval Art. Now that I have finished this course, I can say that I was very pleased to study this topic through Liberty University's online programs.
Both Madonna Enthroned with Angels and Prophets by Cimabue and Madonna Enthroned by Giotto are beautiful pictures. Each of these works was composed in the fourteenth century. Likewise, there are a lot of similarities between these two works of art. Both paintings contain golden backgrounds, both place the blessed virgin and her Babe Son as the central focus, and both show holy persons surrounding Mary and Christ. However, there are also some significant differences between the two.
Giotto's Madonna Enthroned is often considered the first work of the Renaissance. Whereas it shows both angels and saints surrounding the holy queen on her left and right, Cimabue's Madonna Enthroned with Angels and Prophets shows only angels on both sides of the Mother of God while demonstrating saints below her. While both reflect the divine, Giotto also colors the halos behind Mary and Christ more than Cimbaue's portrayal. Perhaps even more striking, however, is the fact that Mary and Christ sit within a covered throne only in Giotto's painting.
Pictures of the Virgin Mary with her Son were frequent in Latin Churches since at least the thirteenth century. Reflecting Byzantine styles, these pictures reflected the importance of Mariology to the medievals. The Nativity was central to the medieval narrative of Christ, and it would only be natural that they should pay tribute to the virgin Mary considering her contribution to this story.
I enjoyed the study of Giotto and Cimabue's works of art. As is the case for me always, I feel illuminated by the study of the Middle Ages.
One of the things I noticed most about these paintings from Giotto and Cimabue was their recurrent use of bright colors in their portraits. It reminded me of how the later Renaissance movements would substantially use this technique. In short, I began to wonder, did Giotto and Cimabue influence the forthcoming artists in this regard?
Conclusion:
The medievals and their renaissance descendants left quite the legacy of art for us to learn from their examples. Their meticulous attention to detail is admirable. In honor of them, I end this post with a poem:
As the Saints do Sing,
Angelic art we do bring,
The troubadours play for love,
but the pilgrims turn to heaven above.
1* It should be noted that there is debate about why the Reformed Churches removed images in churches. However, that is not the purpose of this post.
References:
Stokstad, Marilyn. Art History Volume One. (2011). Pearson.
