Early Medieval Art

Earliest Christian art - Saints and holy places - Holy images - Artistic production for the wealthy - Icons & iconography.

Originally published by Prentice-Hall, 1971.

In the rapidly changing world of the early Middle Ages, depictions of the cosmos represented a consistent point of reference across the three dominant states--the Frankish, Byzantine, and Islamic Empires. As these empires diverged from their Greco-Roman roots between 700 and 1000 A.D. and established distinctive medieval artistic traditions, cosmic imagery created a web of visual continuity, though local meanings of these images varied greatly. Benjamin Anderson uses thrones, tables, mantles, frescoes, and manuscripts to show how cosmological motifs informed relationships between individuals, especially the ruling elite, and communities, demonstrating how domestic and global politics informed the production and reception of these depictions. The first book to consider such imagery across the dramatically diverse cultures of Western Europe, Byzantium, and the Islamic Middle East, Cosmos and Community in Early Medieval Art illuminates the distinctions between the cosmological art of these three cultural spheres, and reasserts the centrality of astronomical imagery to the study of art history.

Beginning with the coronation of Charlemagne as Emperor of the West in A.D. 800, John Beckwith guides us through the architecture, painting, sculpture, illuminations and ivories of the three great periods of early medieval art. The Ottonian period, perhaps best known for the great center of art and craftsmanship attached to the court, presented an artistic style which had developed from early Christian and Carolingian sources--a style which was the gateway to the great artistic revival in the eleventh and twelfth centuries--the Romanesque period.

Describes styles and examples of manuscript illumination, painting, sculpture, architecture, and metalwork dating from the sixth to the early-eleventh century

"This book is a companion to the new gallery at the British Museum displaying objects from the late Roman world to the early Middle Ages dating from between AD 300 and 1100."--Page 7.

"The depiction and symbolism of animals have always fascinated us. This book illustrates their crucial importance in medieval art from the sixth to the eleventh centuries, and describes their use in sculpture, manuscripts, embroidery and metalwork. It shows how the underlying Celtic and Germanic traditions combined with Mediterranean influences to produce a far stronger animal art in Britain than anywhere else in Europe. Here, pagan imagery and symbolism were transmuted into Christian art and teaching, and by studying animal subjects in the whole of the British Isles rather than one region in particular, the artistic links between the Picts, Anglo-Saxons and Irish gradually emerge. Placing the emphasis on the naturalist tradition as well as the characteristic interlacing forms, Animals In Early Medieval Art uncovers the origins of the fantastic beasts of the bestiary, and draws conclusions about the transmission of motifs and ideas in general."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This title brings together leading experts on the European early Middles Ages in a celebration of the life and work of internationally renowned scholar James Graham-Campbell. The geographical coverage of this volume reflects Graham-Campbell's interests and expertise which ranges from Ireland to Eastern Europe and from Scandinavia to Spain.

Drawing on new work published over the past twenty years, the author offers a history of building in Western Europe from 300 to 1200. Medieval castles, church spires, and monastic cloisters are just some of the areas covered.

This up-to-date, reliable introductory account and interpretation of early medieval art combines art, history, and ideas from around 600 to 1050. Diebold describes diversity and complexity of early medieval art by examining the relationship of word and image. The concept of word and image is broad enough to encompass the Anglo-Saxon art and oral culture of the Sutton Hoo treasure, as well as the literate art of the Carolingian and Ottonian courts. Diebold describes the stunning variety of early medieval objectsillustrated manuscripts, rich metalwork, ivories, textiles, statuary, jewels, painting and architecture. There are 63 black and white illustrations and 4 plates in color. }This up-to-date, reliable introductory account and interpretation of early medieval art combines art, history, and ideas from around 600 to 1050. Diebold describes diversity and complexity of early medieval art by examining the relationship of word and image. The concept of word and image is broad enough to encompass the Anglo-Saxon art and oral culture of the Sutton Hoo treasure, as well as the literate art of the Carolingian and Ottonian courts. Diebold describes and explains the stunning variety of early medieval objects--illustrated manuscripts, rich metal work, ivories, textiles, statuary, jewels, painting and architecture produced north of the Alps beginning with Pope Gregory's Christianization of England and his justification of images, and ending with the spectacular gold reliquary statue of Ste. Foy at Conques, which separates Early Medieval art from the Romanesque. Diebold also discusses the function of (and audience for) medieval art; he shows why, how, and for whom it was made. Diebold outlines the role of artists and patrons in medieval society, and he explains art's institutional and social status. He defines basic historical and art-historical terms and concepts as they are encountered, and illustrations, a map, a glossary, notes, suggestions for further reading, and an index are included.

This Book Provides A Study Of The Art Style, Forms, Art-Centres, Iconographic Details And The Role Of Haryana In The Field Of Art Activities During The Early Medieval Period In Relation With The Indian Sub Continent.

Also available in hardback (ISBN 033711207X)

This beautifully produced survey of over a thousand years of Western art and architecture introduces the reader to a vast period of history ranging from ancient Rome to the age of exploration. The monumental arts and the diverse minor arts of the Middle Ages are presented here within the social, religious, and political frameworks of lands as varied as France and Denmark, Spain and Turkey. Marilyn Stokstad also teaches her reader how to look at medieval art-which aspects of architecture, sculpture, or painting are important and for what reasons. Stylistic and iconographic issues and themes are thoroughly addressed with attention paid to aesthetic and social contexts. Significantly updated, this second edition of Medieval Art spans the period from the second to the fifteenth centuries and includes over 4000 illustrations, over 100 in color, detailed maps, a time-line, glossary, bibliography, and index-all in a larger 8 by 10 inch trim size.

This volume contains the proceedings of the second International Conference on Insular Art held in the National Museums of Scotland in 1991. It covers the latest research by over 30 of Europe and America's leading scholars on the sculpture, metalwork and manuscripts of early-medieval northern Britain and Ireland. The book provides a detailed investigation into styles and influences, with keynote papers from Ernst Kitzinger, George Henderson, R.K.B. Stevenson and Isobel Henderson.