Transcript
THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES
Introduction:
The early middle ages refer to the era after the decline of the Roman Empire.
From the 7th to the 10th century Islamic forces entered Europe from the Middle East after the Germanic invasions.
During the 8th century, 3 powers inherited Rome:
Byzantine (includes Russia and Armenia), aside with the Orthodox Church.
Western Rome
Islam
The Hagia Sophia was built to reunite the east with the west. First as a church then became a mosque then a museum.
In 732 A.D, a 100 years after the Prophet Mohammed’s death, Islam expanded to North Africa and Spain, this threatened France.
Ports were occupied with Muslim forces.
The pope had to align himself with Emperor Charlemagne.
In the 7th century the Arabian region was under a relative state of anarchy (political chaos, instability).
Islamic Art:
Spain was Islamic up to the 15th century; the final unification of Spain under Christianity was in 1492.
1492 was also the year that Columbus sailed to America, coincides with the power of Islam slipping from Spain remaining only in Granada.
One of the most particular characteristics of Islamic Art and Architecture is related to it being in a dessert.
Being in a dessert culture, it was threatening to their survival.
They were nomadic, meaning they move from one location to another in search of a better place with water.
They travel light, not much heavy material, their houses were moveable.
The Bedouins developed a technology, namely the tents that aid them in traveling light.
The dessert is known for sandstorms, and fluctuating temperatures.
To cope, a ventilation system was developed by making small holes on the tent fabric. These holes inhibit and control air blow, the smaller the opening the more the ventilation. It cools the air.
Scarcity of water led to a dense settlement.
Water used to be carried in heavy containers by women.
When they first began building their homes with stones and mud bricks, they built them close to each other; “the Arab house” style was introduced. In contrary to westerners whose houses are extroverted, open and away from one another, with many windows to allow sunlight and heat to slip in. Contrary to the Arab house which had very little, to no window to block sunlight and the heat that came with it.
Saudi houses built interior courtyards to enhance privacy.
Islamic art rejected Idolatry and figurative representations.
Islamic paintings consist mostly of geometric shapes.
Sculpting was considered the work of Satan.
Monumental architecture and architectural decoration flourished in Islam.
Primary architectural expression of Islam is the Mosque, which is the place of worship of Muslims, where they pray, facing Mecca.
Main features in a mosque:
Sahn: the enclosed courtyard
Qibla (niche) is the prayer wall, directed towards the ka’aba. Usually it includes a Mihrab, which is a small niche indicating the direction of Mecca.
Minaret: Originating from the Arabic word “manara” meaning to light, or shining.
Muezzin: is the crier who calls the faithful prayer at the prayer times each day.
The golden dome in Jerusalem is the dome of the rock; it was a place of worship.
The golden dome was the first qibla.
Under the rock dome was the location of prophet Ibrahim’s sacrifice.
The temple was the temple of Jews. But temples were built on top of one another when a new religion came about.
A church was built were it was thought that Jesus was crucified, or buried.
Mosaics were added in the byzantine style.
The mosque of the rock was a centralized style (square, circular…)
Islamic art generally had the fear of emptiness, “horror vaccuey”
As a result it had many patterns and colors.
It has a non-structured appearance, contrary to the Romans and Greeks who expressed the structures, the Islamic architecture hid the function of certain elements.
Islam:
By the age of 40 a man by the name of Muhammad began speaking of revelation which told him he needed to reform religion, especially pilgrimage in Mecca.
He was born in 570 A.D, and died in 632 A.D.
Mecca was a trading center, trading spices, frankincense and dates
The incenses were used for ritualistic purposes in the mass, since god cannot be seen, and he presents himself “hidden” the presence of the incenses indicates the presence of god.
Mecca was a spot of pilgrimage, it had provided: Safety (shelter for the travelers), souks, and entertainments, all to provide worship opportunity.
The prophet wanted to clean the idols, and icons from Mecca; which threatened Mecca’s commercial. The reform of Muhammad was rejected at first.
The Ka’aba attracted different religions.
To be able to expand his reform, the prophet left Mecca to Medina in 622 A.D known as the “Hijra”
Indicating the beginning of the Islamic calendar.
In Pilgrimage, the people rotate around the ka’aba counter clockwise. Against the sun to transfer the energy, and power of blessing when the rays face them. (Sun can be feminine, masculine or neutral in languages).
Mecca has strong spiritual strength, but it was not the first mosque.
The oldest existing mosque exists in Damascus “Umayyad” mosque, built in 710; it was built over other temples. However, the first mosque built was in Medina.
Mosques have five general types:
Transverse:
It is horizontal in relation to the qibla, to allow more to be closer to the wall.
It is basically rectangular in shape.
Example: Umayyad mosque in Damascus.
Hypostyle:
It started out as an Army mosque.
It has lots of columns.
They appear first in Mesopotamia (Iraq) in the mosque of Sammara.
The qibla is the most shaded area, that is where the people are closer to the wall, and they would need shade.
Little survived due to weak material (namely mud bricks)
It has a spiral tower, similar to a ziggurat.
Iowan:
Originated in Iran
Space that is only open from one arch “Iowan”
Iowans facing each other called 4-Iwan Mosques.
It was exported to many Muslim countries, namely Egypt.
Madrasa Mosque:
Mosques had many functions not only prayer, one of which is schooling.
The madrasa mosque served for prayer, madrasa (schooling), library, hospital, and tombs (usually dedicated to the one who financed the mosque).
Dome on a square:
Dome on a square produces pendentives
Hagia Sophia is an example of a dome on a square. (4 minarets).
The blue mosque (which has 6 minarets) and one central dome is another example.
The Great Mosque, Cordoba: (p.171-172)
The mosque of Cordoba was issued by Abdar-Rahman the first. It was built in 786.
It was turned into a church in the 13th century.
Its columns were originally short.
Its double arches were unique to it, and it was a later addition.
The columns filling the interior are derived or salvaged from Roman and Early Christian buildings.
It was enlarged several times.
It has a large hall with low ceilings, which meant no windows it would be dark.
Because the low ceiling and darkness, another layer of columns were placed on top of the first one to heighten it, and allow light and more space.
The second arches emerge from piers. The roof rested on them, but was later replaced by wooden vaulting.
The north of the mosque was for the caliph and his retinue it consists of three domed chambers.
The arches altered color between red and white.
The dome was built atop of 8 intersecting arches “ribs”
Text had had the highest status; it was the main art for in Islamic art (calligraphy).
Islam offered order, military fence; it allowed Christianity tolerance and other book-religions if they paid taxes. Its simplicity aided in its expansion.
The Quran is very much reliable because it was saved as the prophet said it.
Large architecture was not common during the early Islamic era.
The prophet had stated that it would be most wasteful to build big buildings.
Sculptures were viewed as evil, and often would be mistaken for idols, text replaced sculptures in mosques.
Fundamental requirement for mosques was the space and direction. After which comes ablution fountains.
Northern European Art:
The Middle Ages range from 500 – 1200.
It is also called “the dark ages” because illiteracy spread, Roman knowledge was lost, and Europe returned to an earlier level.
Force of religion began to restore some of the former glory.
North of Europe was a center for political and artistic activity.
South of Europe was where King Charles halted Islamic influence.
Gaul was the old name of France, the name France was derived from the Frank tribes.
No monumental architecture and art, but new crafts and arts developed. Namely metal works.
Anglo-Saxon Metalwork:
The pagan ship burial is a practice indicating the belief that boats carried the souls of the dead to the afterlife.
Many Anglo-Saxon ornaments have the taste for flat crowded interlaced patterns. Organic form was virtually eliminated replaced by patterns.
Beowulf:
It is the earlier surviving European epic; it is tradition of Germanic folklore with a strong sense of Christian morality.
The epic opens with a miraculous birth, and how the child was found on a stream, sent from nowhere.
The epic involved two main parts, the first, the hero Beowulf, a sweetish prince offering his services to the king of Denmark. The second part includes Beowulf becoming kind, and in his old age he is wounded and the epic concludes with the description of his funeral and burial.
Hiberno-Saxon Art:
The expansion of Christian art in Ireland.
It is also called “insular” or “hiberno-Saxon” Hibernia is Latin for “Ireland”.
Manuscript Illumination:
They originated in Ireland.
They are very colorful, and they don’t normally depict organic or figurative subjects, it is commonly an abstract interlacing style.
They decorated written texts, and are done in Scriptoria.
Most famous Hiberno-Saxon illuminated manuscript is the Book of Kells.
Manuscript Illumination:
They are hand decorated pages of text.
They were used to spread Christianity.
Most were made during the middle ages.
They were copied in monastery Scriptoria (Latin to mean “writing place”).
Scribes had to know Latin, and have good penmanship and eye to read and understand the writings of other scribes.
Not all used tool for creating the manuscripts are known.
Normally first letters of chapters are well decorated.
Carolingian Period:
800 King Charlemagne was crowned king (Charles the great).
He established a lot of monasteries, namely the Benedictine monasteries.
He presided over a cultural revival, which had a major impact on artistic style.
Carolingian period, is derived from the name of Charlemagne, Carlous is Latin for Charles.
Educational reforms led to curriculums. The curriculum is divided into two parts based on the seven liberal arts. Trivium consisted of rhetoric, dialectic, and grammar. The quadrivium consisted of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music.
Revelation and the Four Symbols of the Evangelists:
The book of revelation is written by Saint john, and it is the last book of the new testament.
The book is believed to be john’s account of Christ’s word and all he is shown in heaven.
Four symbols represent the four evangelists. The Lion (Mark), The bull (Luke) , The man (Matthew), and the Eagle (John).
The images were stylized, and un-naturalistic.
Manuscripts:
Cloisonné (means cells), it is a technique of metal work, enamel is melted and put in cells.
Because education was an important aspect of Charlemagne’s reforms, the manuscripts were a practical form of artistic educational communication.
Classical revival is demonstrated in the Carolingian gospel book, shading and three dimensionality is visible in the body and face, but halos remain 2D.
After Charles’s death, a more apocalyptic approach to manuscripts became the norm in France.
The space is flat, and the figures are connected by geometric shapes rather than landscape.
Monasteries:
Monasteries were basilica types with two towers.
They were important in Charles’s expansions, and control over conquered territories.
It created a network connecting artists and scholars.
It is a religious and administrative center; it also had an economic function, namely agricultural production.
The king decided that the monasteries should follow the Benedictine rule.
The Benedictine rule stated that monks should be dedicated to study, work and prayer.
Benedictine abbeys were created. Abbot is the head of the abbey, which is a monastery.
Monasticism: Chastity, Obedience, and Poverty:
It is a religious way of life, where the individual takes vows of chastity, obedience, and poverty.
Single men and women.
Life for learning.
Celibacy (life without sex).
Economic activity included agriculture, food and wine productions.
Ottonian Period: (not important).
Rulers after Charles weren’t effective.
Europe fell again into invasions.
Otto I continued Charles’s revival of classical antiquity.
The name of the period referred to the three Ottos that ruled after Charles.
The empire included Germany and parts of northern Italy.
The major architectural work of the time was the Benedictine abbey church of St. Michael’s Hildesheim. The metal work that was used was among the largest bronze-casting since antiquity.
SLIDE IDENTIFICATION
Slide
Name
Location
type
Time Era
Great Mosque of Cordoba
Plan
Islamic
Great Mosque of Cordoba
Interior
Islamic
Mihrab Dome
Great Mosque of Cordoba
Islamic
Vocabulary
Word
Meaning
Islam “submission” to God’s will
Qibla wall denoting direction of Mecca
Mihrab prayer niche in the qibla
Minbar pulpit
Cloisonné Colored enamel in metalwork
Illuminated manuscript Hand decorated medieval text, usually biblical
Charlemagne First emperor of Holy Roman Empire, crowned 800
Seven liberal arts Medieval school curriculum
Apocalypse End of the world
Monastery Community of monks, included educational, agricultural
and religious services
