Art and Culture of the Middle Ages Preview Main Idea / Reading Focus Visual Arts Literature Thinking and Learning Faces of History: Thomas Aquinas

Art and Culture of the Middle Ages Main Idea During the Middle Ages, great achievements were made in the visual arts, literature, and thinking and learning. Reading Focus What were the major achievements of the visual arts during the Middle Ages? What were the great literary works of the Middle Ages? What new developments were made in medieval thinking and learning?

Visual Arts Many art historians consider the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris to be one of the finest artistic achievements of the Middle Ages. Like most art in the Middle Ages, it was created as a symbol of God. Some of greatest examples of religious feelings found in churches Built in new Gothic style Taller, brighter than previous churches Gothic Architecture Gothic designs possible through advances in engineering New type of support, flying buttress Supported walls from outside Engineering Flying buttresses allowed higher ceilings, eliminated columns Larger windows possible Stained glass showed Biblical scenes, saints Airy Feeling

Decorations Adornments Cathedrals lavishly decorated Statues of saints, kings, figures from Old Testament Exterior had gargoyles, spouts to drain rainwater from roof Many gargoyles carved into likenesses of hideous beasts Adornments Walls painted with elaborate murals of religious scenes Candleholders, crosses, statues intricate works of art Many decorated with gold, precious stones Clothes of priests heavily embroidered, woven with gold threads

Visual Arts Illumination Tapestry Religious texts richly decorated by illumination, decorating manuscript with pictures, designs Illuminators brought pages to life with scenes from manuscript; painted plants, animals, people Decorated the first letter on a page, making it large, colorful, and flowing Illumination Most medieval art religious; some showed daily life, history Tapestries, large woven wall hangings, hung in castles to prevent drafts Many tapestries show scenes from daily life, fantastic creatures, unicorns, dragons Bayeux Tapestry, story of William the Conqueror Tapestry

What were three forms of medieval art? Find the Main Idea What were three forms of medieval art? Answer(s): architecture, illumination, and tapestries

Literature Religious Texts Songs and Poems Writers from the Middle Ages produced works that covered a wide spectrum, including religion, romance and epic adventures. Many writings dealt with religion Few people other than monks, priests could read or write Range of works Sermons on how to live Interpretations of Bible passages Lives of saints Widely read by nobility, clergy Religious Texts Medieval writers created religious songs, poems Hildegard of Bingen, famous poet, nun Wrote dozens of poems, music to accompany them Hildegard, other writers, used Latin, language of Roman Catholic Church Songs and Poems

Literature Literature included epics, romances Long poems, stories of heroes, villains, written in language people spoke every day Epic Poems Tell tales related to war, heroes The Song of Roland, Charlemagne’s fight against Muslims in Spain Romances Tell tales of true love, chivalry Many tell stories of King Arthur and knights of Round Table Epics, romances often performed by troubadours

Major Works Canterbury Tales The Divine Comedy Contributions Geoffrey Chaucer’s collection of stories Group of pilgrims traveling to Canterbury; each tells story to entertain others Characters give insight into what life was like in the Middle Ages The Divine Comedy Dante Alighieri’s story of his imaginary trip through the afterlife Composed in three parts, or cantos On journey, met people from own life, as well as figures from history Contributions Chaucer helped increase use of written English language in England, where many had been speaking French Dante’s writing shaped development of Italian language for centuries

What subjects did medieval authors write about? Summarize What subjects did medieval authors write about? Answer(s): religious subjects; heroes, villains, love; chivalry

Thinking and Learning New Ideas Alchemy Constrictions Great Secrets Religious writers of Middle Ages spread new ideas throughout Europe New ideas gave rise to new ways of thinking and learning Alchemy People in Middle Ages curious about how world worked Began to conduct scientific experiments in alchemy, early form of chemistry Constrictions Experiments constricted by reliance on authority of Greek writers Also by teaching of the Catholic Church Great Secrets Alchemists convinced they could find way to turn base metals into gold, but could not Work in alchemy influenced later growth of science

Universities Thomas Aquinas Teachings Growth of European universities influenced by Islamic scholarship Blending of European, Islamic cultures led to translation of Aristotle, other Greek scholars, from Arabic into Latin European scholars exposed to new ideas Universities taught mainly religious courses first, but later broadened scope to include medicine, law One of most influential medieval scholars, Thomas Aquinas Keenly interested in works of ancient philosophers, especially Aristotle He tried to use Aristotle’s methods of logic to prove existence of God Thomas Aquinas Aquinas’ use of intellect and logic to bring together opposing ideas became known as Scholasticism Teachings helped expand former ways of thinking, understanding New methods helped Europeans place themselves in wider world Teachings

How did thinking and learning change in the Middle Ages? Analyze How did thinking and learning change in the Middle Ages? Answer(s): experiments in alchemy; universities appeared; Aquinas's development of Scholasticism