The beginning of the middle ages. The beginning of Christianity—therefore a very religious time period Early Christian art was illegal and practiced in secret: may symbols (i.e the fish for Christ) were used to indicate to people where meetings were to be held Later became the accepted religion and art was for the servant of the church: to decorate and to instruct and demonstrate (many people could not read—paintings taught them)

The human body became stylized, simple, unrealistic: supposed to represent but not realistically. Nudes were forbidden, and all clothed figures were incorrect in proportion. An Icon is a painting on a wood panel, depicting Christ, Mary, or a saint, that was hung in a church or home. Iconoclast Period: “Breaking of Icons” Church leaders were worried that people might start to worship icons instead of the holy people they represented so icons were forbidden by Emperor Leo III in 726. This decree was lifted in 843 and icons remained an important part of Byzantine art.

Churches were plain on the outside, but highly decorated on the inside with gold and shiny glass mosaics (as opposed to Roman mosaics which were created with duller tile)—they wanted to create a “heaven within the church” The Roman cross church format was created at this time—still the basis of churches today

DESCRIBED AS HEAVEN ON EARTH: Characteristics: huge dome on square with pendentives—creating huge, airy space with lots of windows and covered in gold and glass mosaics; the dome is 50 m above the ground! Was sacked by the Moslems in 1453, and turned into a mosque—all mosaics were plastered over, now it is a museum and is returned to original spendor.

Middle of the Medieval Time Period

The art was primarily religious and effort was put into constructing churches and decorating them—churches were huge to accommodate pilgrims and vastly growing towns. Churches were cross shaped topped with a huge tower at the crossing. Most churches, and castles, were low and dark and heavy. Italian churches were brighter. Wooden roofs of previous times were replaced with barrel vault and groin vault—this helped prevent fires. There were small windows inside so as to not weaken the walls—the problem of weight had not yet been solved. Rounded arches (roman influence) over doors and windows.

St. Sernin church in France was a huge church for pilgrimages—built to hold 1000s of travelers on their way to sacred shrines

A revival! Much sculpture had been lost, destroyed or not made for 100s of years. Sculpture was used to decorate the churches, columns and around the doors. Most sculpture is elongated and distorted— emphasizing the message not the realism; and the all fearful God; was used for teaching and prophecies.

The peak of the medieval time period

Essence of Gothic— let there be light! Stained glass windows---beautiful and huge, rose windows and tracery (intricate frames around stained glass windows). Thinner walls, allowed for more windows---flying buttresses provided outside support which allowed for tall, delicate churches and cathedrals—churches were higher and more ornate than ever before—tall spires to reach heaven. Church now seen as a beautiful place of worship, airy and filled with light. Had pointed arches inside and on windows. Highly decorative and detailed.

How flying buttress work!

In architecture a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building. Preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls is important because running water erodes the mortar between the stone blocks. Architects often used multiple gargoyles on buildings to divide the flow of rainwater off the roof to minimize the potential damage from a rainstorm. A trough is cut in the back of the gargoyle and rainwater typically exits through the open mouth. Gargoyles are usually an elongated fantastic animal because the length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall.

Often gargoyles were used to assist the Church in conveying messages to the common people. Since literacy was uncommon, images were the best way to constantly convey ideas. Gargoyles were used as a representation of evil. It is thought that they were used to scare people into coming to church, reminding them that the end of days is near. It is also thought that their presence assured congregants that evil is kept outside of the church’s walls.

French legend that sprang up around the name of St. Romanus (AD 631–641), the former chancellor of the King, relates how he delivered the country from a monster called Gargouille or Goji.Gargouille La Gargouille is said to have been the typical dragon with batlike wings, a long neck, and the ability to breathe fire from its mouth. There are multiple versions of the story, either that St. Romanus subdued the creature with a crucifix, or he captured the creature with the help of the only volunteer, a condemned man. In each, the monster is lead back to Rouen and burned, but its head and neck would not, due to being tempered by its own fire breath. The head was then mounted on the walls of the newly built church to scare off evil spirits, and used for protection