Medieval religious art was made primarily to send a message to the laypeople and therefor artists and patrons had a keen idea of the audience they were reaching with each piece. Interior art was meant to educate captive audiences who were already in a religious setting; primarily this exposure would only take place during the mass on Sundays. Exterior art is able to educate and send a message to anyone passing by the cathedral and no longer had a limited exposure time.
Beginning in the eleventh century churches started to employ relief carving on the exterior especially around doors and large entrances. These were used to send a message about the important religious ideas and messages associated with that church. After this development took place the architecture and relief sculpture surrounding these areas grew to become increasingly elaborate in order to communicate more with a growing body of viewers. Medieval people realized the potential of these doorways to reach an audience and send a dramatic message and by the 1130’s portal sculpture was a commonly used method of communication for Churches primary message. The west portal at Chartres is an example of this development in architectural style as its monumental doors make a very strong statement concerning Church values that were intended to give a strong first impression about the message of the Church. In 1137 the western façade of Chartres was destroyed by what some art historians have pointed out to be a very convenient fire. This opportunity for reconstruction was jumped upon by the church and the west end of Chartres was built in the new style that many other old Romanesque churches were being redone in, St. Dennis being one of these examples. The west front was...
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...on top of an altar as he is visited by both men and animals. Mary shares many of the scenes with Christ but her actions are the subject of the narrative displayed. She receives the annunciation on the lower left side of the tympanum, leans up to look at the child she recently gave birth to, presents him at the temple and finally is enthroned with him as the dominate figure represented. (Fig 1) Although this is the first case of a female subject being depicted in such a way on exterior church sculpture the scenes themselves are not particularly revolutionary. Images of a seated Virgin and Child as well as the adoration of the Magi had a long history aligning with the oldest representations of these scenes dating back to early Christianity in Byzantium. In the tympanum of the southern door in the west portal these old themes are used again in a more significant way.
The original Chartres Cathedral was designed by Fulbert and lasted until 1194, when a fire destroyed almost the entire church. The townspeople pulled together to make a large contribution to the reconstruction of the cathedral (Miller, Malcolm, Chartres Cathedral, Riverside Book Company, 1980, p.5). The present Chartres Cathedral is largely the work of the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. However, there are substantial remains of older monuments, notably in the crypt and on the wes...
Another example of Christian iconography is The Transfiguration. It is located in the Church of Saint Catherine’s monaster...
Thesis: Both St. John the Baptist Cathedral and Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Chartres are constructed in French Gothic style which means that architecturally they have many similarities. However, the 700 year gap between their construction offers St. John the Baptist more flexibility in design and style. Still, their likeness and variations extend far beyond the realm of their design.
During the 15th century, Europe started to have different cultural traditions that impacted the type artwork of artwork that was produced. There are several elements that have evolved during this time. Two artworks will be compared so that we will be able to evaluate how various techniques that are used can be used to portray the meaning of the painting as well as how the audience views the scene as well. One of the paintings that we will compare is a Annunciation panel (from the Merode Triptych), which was painted by Robert Campin in 1426. This painting will be compared to Holy Trinity, which was created by Masaccio in 1425. By comparing these two paintings, we will get a sense of what themes and ideals were valued during this time period.
Both sculptures represent Mary holding the dead body of Jesus. According to our textbook, “This figure group represented a challenge for sculptors, because the body of the adult Christ had to be positioned across his mother’s lap,” (139). Both of the sculptures were created through carving. This is a “subtractive process in which a block of material is cut away to reveal the desired form,” (Carving).
The Mérode Altarpiece is a triptych because it includes 3 paintings in one or 3 panels with hinges that can be closed together. The painting on the left shows two people praying and on the right a man is working. As can be seen, the painting in the middle is a recreation of the Annunciation scene stated in the Bible where the angel Gabriel descends from heaven to tell Mary that she will have a baby named Jesus who is the son of God.
The Merode Altarpiece is a triptych painting that represents the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. This work displays the main characteristics of the Northern Late Gothic period. There is so much detail in this work of art. Campin utilizes many symbols in this altarpiec. The setting of the painting is in a Flemish middle class house. The Annunciation theme is being depicted in the central panel. A scene of Saint Joseph at work as a carpenter occupies the right-hand panel. The portraits of the donors are depicted in the left hand panel. Campin failed to understand the scientific perspective. To illustrate, there is no focal point in the painting and the table looks tilted. Campin used no aerial perspective. To illustrate, the background is still very crisp when seen from a distance. The most important aspect of the painting is the symbolism. For example, the lilies represent Mary's purity, the candle represents the Holy Spirit, even the mouse traps represent trapping evil. Campin also made use of bright, rich colors. In the central panel, the drapery of the figures are filled with colors of red and white. Campin has also made a good use of illusion of the space by making the town seem to be far away by distance by making them appear blurry. Furthermore, Campin has created figures that are not in proper proportion. To illustrate, the figure’s head is small and the bodies are big and it seems that if they get will hit their head if they get up. They look very unrealistic. Although they are not in proportion, the figures seem to have very sharp edges. The figures also look very stiff and rigid. In Merode Altarpiece, the light is arbitrary and the figures do not cast any...
The interior of the Pantheon is an open circular floor plan and, was painted blue and gold to resemble the vault of heaven (The Humanistic Tradition). The interior of the Pantheon was purposely meant to outshine the exterior. Unlike the Pantheons more interior design the Cathedral has a more exterior design. The interior of the Cathedral of Chartres has a network of open and closed spaces. The exterior of the Cathedral is lined with sculptures that are linked to the Old and New Testaments. Along with t...
The immediate background consists of natural mounds of dirt and a brick wall that enclose the Virgin, Child, and St. John, amplifying the protective effect that Mary’s figure has. The dirt mounds roll inward with a brick wall bordering them on the right, drawing the viewer’s attention towards the three figures. The background is painted in broad terms, with a simple, uniform depiction of tree leaves and smooth rock faces on the horizon. This contrasts with the fine-lined detail and texture of Mary’s hair, facial features, and veil, which further contribute to her elegance and highlight her
The ability to create a picture of The Annunciation in one’s mind is a key factor in understanding the analysis of the work. Francisco de Zurbaran approaches the painting with a naturalistic style. The painting features a room in which a woman – like angel is seen at the left kneeling on the ground before the Virgin Mary. The figure of Mary is placed between a chair and a small wooden table draped with a green cloth. Mary disregards an open Bible on the table, as she appears solemn while staring at the floor. Floating above the two main figures in the upper left side of the painting are cherubs resting on a bed of clouds. They happily gaze down at Mary with eyes from Heaven.
This cathedral was built during the Medieval Period for the worshipers of God. To this day pilgrims come to see the pure, Gothic cathedral. The massive cathedral seems to loom overhead as if a symbol of God watching over the worshippers that visit. The earlier church burned in 1194, it was rebuilt and has gained a much more appreciated and admirable character distinction, statuary, and stained glass. The distinct character of the thirteenth century was captured, through the “Age of Faith” period. The architecture is Gothic which was very popular in the 1200s. Gothic architects created a frame of support with columns and arches so that the walls no longer need to support the ceilings, but are freed up to hold windows. The Gothic structure allows for plenty of windows. Chartres has a significant collection of medieval stained glass, with over 150 early thirteenth century windows. The windows allowed sunlight to enter the dark, Gothic cathedral in order to highlight the story of Christ through the stained glass windows told throughout history to pilgrims alike. These windows create a spiritual and promising place for thought and prayer. Stained glass was used to help teach the stories of Christ to people that were illiterate during the medieval times. While most worshippers of that day were illiterate, comprehending the symbolism of the story of Christ in each of the windows was vital and gave meaning towards adversity during the medieval ages, as they struggled through their dark and dreary lives, which were filled with hopefulness, while viewing the story through the stained glass windows. The windows are also...
As I walked into the first gallery, I saw a wood sculpture that stood in the center of the room. This carving depicted “the crucified Christ, flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Evangelist with Angels holding instruments of the Passion”. It was painted oak and very appealing to the eye. It stood approximately 15 feet in the air. The origin of this sculpture is unknown, but it was found in a Belgium church. This kind of sculpture usually stood at the entrance or at the center of the alter in the church facing the congregation. This image of the suffering Christ relates to the Christian ideas of suffering and Christ’s salvation of all mankind.
Art has so many sides as to look creativity of the world. In chapter 20 Late Medieval and Early Renaissance Northern Europe by Fred S. Kleiner, you will see Disguised Symbolism which is a Bisociations of visual forms which occur so subtly that they are not directly or readily apparent to the conscious mind of the viewer. Adding onto that A Northern Renaissance technique of giving a spiritual meaning to ordinary objects in the painting so that these detail can carry the religious message. The 15th century, the majority of clients engaging artwork changed from ministry members to lay patrons. Due to the change, the images being represented altered to combine everyday life with a disguised religious symbol. Reconciling these
Cathedrals had a floor plan shaped like a cross. The head of the church pointed east towards the holy city of Jerusalem. The transept, running north and south, represented the cross-bar of the cross. The foot of the cross, at the west end, provided the entrance to the church and personal salvation. The interior of a gothic cathedral gave the worshipper the impression of light and height, with slender columns framing large tall windows and reaching up to support a ribbed stone roof. The exterior was encrusted with statues, bobbly pinnacles, and the open fretwork (interlaced decorative design carved in low relief on a solid background) of flying buttresses. As the worshipper entered the portal, which was the
The piece that I have chosen is Donatello’s Mary Magdalene, a painted wooden sculpture created in 1455. From first glance, it does not even appear to be Mary Magdalene being depicted in this piece. In most cases, the former prostitute is depicted as she was when she was younger: beautiful, passionate, and fashionable. It is a point of interest to understand why Donatello chose to instead portray Mary Magdalene as the hermit she turns into in her old age. It is believed that this Mary is a way to represent repentance, taking God into your life, and denouncing worldly desires.