Early Christian Art of EuropeReadingStokstad, 429-437
Range600-1100 CEAnglo-Saxon, Hiberno-Saxon, Norse, Merovingian
Terms/ConceptsVellum, parchment, Genesis, Pentateuch, Gospels, Evangelist, Carpet Page, Incipit Page, illumination,
Monument ListSt. Matthew from the Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 7th Century CE.The Evangelist Matthew, Lindisfarne Gospels, Hiberno-Saxon, 710-725 CE.Chi-Rho Page, Book of Kells, Hiberno-Saxon, 9th CenturyPage with the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel, Lindisfarne Gospels, Hiberno-Saxon, 710-725 CE.Carpet Page, Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon 7th Century CE
Byzantine Empire
“An able Goth wants to be like a Roman; only a poor Roman would want to be like a Goth.” –Theodoric, King of the Visigoths
Early Medieval Art in the West
DANES(c. 960)
NORSE(c. 970-1025)
Areas Christianized, 900-1100
Parchment: Lambskin prepared as a surface for writing or painting.
Vellum: Calfskin prepared as a surface for writing or painting.
The Medieval Manuscript
Preparation of parchment
• Placed on a stretcher
• Then it was scraped
In some instances, the animal’s skin is then sanded.
Purple Dye = Murex Shell
Blue = Lapis Lazuli
Green = Verdigris
Gold Leaf
Genesis
Captain Marvel Origin Story, 1973.
Rebecca at the Well, Vienna Genesis, 6th Century CE.
Pentateuch
Story of Adam and Eve, from the Ashburnham Pentateuch, 6th Century CE.
Abel tending his flockCain working the land
Cain Murdering Abel
Gospels
Ascension, Rabbula Gospels, 6th century CE.
Matthew, the Man
Luke, the Ox
Mark, the Lion John, the Eagle
Durrow
The British Isles
Carpet Page, Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon 600-660 CE
Gospel Page Carpet Page Incipit Page
Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 660-680
Man (symbol of St. Matthew)
Eagle (symbol of St. John)
Ox (symbol of St. Luke)
Lion (symbol of St. Mark)
Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 660-680
St. Matthew from the Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 660-680
Detail from the Purse Cover, Sutton Hoo, Anglo-Saxon, 7th century.
St. Matthew from the Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 660-680
Detail from the Purse Cover, Sutton Hoo, Anglo-Saxon, 7th century.
St. John from the Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 660-680
Detail from the Purse Cover, Sutton Hoo, Anglo-Saxon, 7th century.
Mirror, Desborough, Anglo-Saxon, 1st century BCE
Carpet Page, Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon 600-660 CE
Book of Durrow, Hiberno-Saxon, 660-680
Lindesfarne
The British Isles
Carpet Page, Lindisfarne Gospels, Scotland 710-725 CE.
Lindisfarne Monastery, Scotland.
Gospel Pages, Lindisfarne Gospels, Scotland 710-725 CE.
Gospel Page Carpet Page Incipit Page
Matthew LukeMark John
Gospel Pages, Lindisfarne Gospels, Scotland 710-725 CE.
The Evangelist Matthew, Lindisfarne Gospels, Scotland 710-725 CE.
Ezra Repairing the Gospels, Codex Amiatinus, 680-715.
Carpet Page, Lindisfarne Gospels, Scotland 710-725 CE.
Incipit Page, Lindisfarne Gospels, Scotland 710-725 CE.
The British Isles
Chi-Rho Page, Book of Kells, 9th Century CE
Iona
Gospel Page Carpet Page Incipit Page
Book of Kells, Hiberno-Saxon, 9th Century CE.
St. Matthew, Book of Kells, Hiberno-Saxon, 9th Century
Carpet Page, Book of Kells, Hiberno-Saxon, 9th Century CE.
Beginning of Matthew, Book of Kells, Hiberno-Saxon, 9th Century CE.
Chi-Rho, San Vitale Ravenna, 547 CE
Chi Rho Iota Page, Book of Kells, Hiberno-Saxon, 9th Century CE.
Two Cats Catching Mice
Wafer
Gelasian Sacramentary, Merovingian, 8th century
Alpha Omega
The beginning and the end.
Gelasian Sacramentary, Merovingian, 8th century
Fish = Ichthus
IesousChristosTheouUiosSotor
Gelasian Sacramentary, Merovingian, 8th century
Visigothic Eagle Fibulae, Spain, 5-6th century CE
Stave Church, Urnes, Norway, 12th Century
Stave Church, Urnes, Norway, 12th Century CE
Detail of Carving, Oseberg Ship Burial, Osberg, Norway, 825 CE.
Stave Church, Urnes, Norway, 12th century
The Secret of Kells, 2009.
The Secret of Kells, 2009.
The Secret of Kells, 2009.
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The Secret of Kells, 2009.
The Secret of Kells, 2009.
Critical Thinking Questions
1. How are both classical and northern traditions present in early Medieval manuscripts?
2. Why was the entire Bible not commonly reproduced? What types of book were produced instead?
3. How is “barbarian” metalwork significant to the history of northern manuscript painting?