Early Medieval Art
“Barbarian” Art
Frankish Looped Fibula
France
6th - 7th Centuries
silver gilt worked in filigree
with inlays of garnets and other stones
4 in. long
Purse cover
from the Sutton Hoo ship burial
Suffolk, England
ca. 625
gold, glass and enamel cloisonné with garnets and emeralds
7 1/2 in. long
                                                         Compare to Islamic interlace patterns
Scandinavian “Viking” Art
Burial Ship
Oseberg, Norway
ca. 825
wood
75 1/2 ft. long
Animal-Head Post
Oseberg, Norway
ca. 825
wood
approximately 5 in. high
Wood carved portal
of the stave church at Urnes
Urnes, Norway
ca. 1050 - 1070
wood
Hiberno-Saxon Art
Man (symbol of St. Matthew)
Book of Durrow
possibly from Iona, Scotland
ca. 660-680
ink and tempera on parchment
9 5/8 x 6 1/8 in.
Lion (symbol of St. Mark)
Book of Durrow
possibly from Iona, Scotland
ca. 660-680
ink and tempera on parchment
9 5/8 x 6 1/8 in.
The 4 Evangelists
  “one who announces good news”


  • Matthew – Angel, human ancestry
    of Christ
  • Mark – Lion, his Gospel begins
    with a voice crying in the
    wilderness
  • Luke – Ox, Gospel opens with
    priest Zacharias sacrificing an ox
  • John – eagle, soaring bird related
    to his apocalyptic visions
Cross and Carpet page
Lindisfarne Gospels
Northumbria, England
ca. 698 - 721
tempera on vellum
13 1/2 x 9 1/4 in.
Saint Matthew page
Lindisfarne Gospels
Northumbria, England
ca. 698 - 721
tempera on vellum
13 1/2 x 9 1/4 in.
*Horror Vacui – latin for
 “fear of empty spaces”




Chi-rho-iota page
Book of Kells
from Iona, Scotland
8th - 9th centuries
tempera on vellum
13 x 9 1/2 in.
Evangelists symbols page
Book of Kells
from Iona, Scotland
8th - 9th centuries
tempera on vellum
13 x 9 1/2 in.
Virgin and Child page
Book of Kells
from Iona, Scotland
8th - 9th centuries
tempera on vellum
13 x 9 1/2 in.
High Cross of Muiredach
(east side)
Monasterboice, Ireland
ca. 923
16 ft. high
High Cross of Muiredach(east side)   Last Judgment

Monasterboice, Ireland
ca. 923
16 ft. high
High Cross of Muiredach
(west side)
Monasterboice, Ireland
ca. 923
16 ft. high
Carolingian Art
Equestrian portrait of Charlemagne(?)
from Metz, France
early 9th century
bronze, originally gilt
9 1/2 in. high
St. Matthew
Coronation Gospels
Aachen, Germany
ca. 800-810
ink and tempera on vellum
12 3/4 x 10 in.
Saint Matthew
Ebbo Gospels
Hautvillers, France
ca. 816 - 835
ink and tempera on vellum
10 1/4 x 8 3/4 in.
Psalm 44 of folio 25 recto of the
Utrecht Psalter
Hautvillers, France (near Reims)
ca. 820 - 835
ink on vellum
1 ft. 1 in. x 9 7/8 in.
Psalm 57 front cover
Psalter of Charles the Bald
Denis, France
ca. 865
ivory panel set in silver-gilt with
filigree work and precious stones
panel 5 1/2 x 5 1/4 in.
cover 9 1/2 x 7 3/4 in.
Psalm 57 front cover
Psalter of Charles the Bald
Denis, France
ca. 865
ivory panel set in silver-gilt with
filigree work and precious stones
panel 5 1/2 x 5 1/4 in.
cover 9 1/2 x 7 3/4 in.
Crucifixion front cover
Lindau Gospels
Pierpont Morgan Library, New York
ca. 870
gold, precious stones and pearls
13 3/8 x 10 3/8 in.
Byzantine: San Vitale (Ravenna)




Odo of Metz
Interior of the Palatine Chapel
of Charlemagne
Aachen, Germany
ca. 792-805
Odo of Metz
Interior of the Palatine Chapel
of Charlemagne
Aachen, Germany
ca. 792-805
9th C. ms. And 20th C. model
St. Gall, Switzerland
ca. 819
Schematic plan for a monastery
St. Gall, Switzerland
ca. 819
redrawn after a 9th century manuscript
Torhalle (gatehouse)
Lorsch, Germany
9th century
Turret


Torhalle (gatehouse)
Lorsch, Germany
9th century
*sometimes called castellum




Westwork of the Abbey Church
Corvey, Germany
ca. 873-885
Ottonian Art
Nave of the church of St. Cyriakus
Gernrode, Germany
ca. 961-963
Abbey Church of St. Michael’s
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1001-1031
Abbey Church of St. Michael’s
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1001-1031
Abbey Church of St. Michael’s
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1001-1031
Abbey Church of St. Michael’s
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1001-1031
Abbey Church of St. Michael’s
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1001-1031
Doors with relief panels
Genesis, left door - Christ, right door
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1001-1031
Doors with relief panels
Genesis, left door - Christ, right door
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1001-1031
Middle                   Bottom
Doors with relief panels
Genesis, left door - Christ, right door
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1001-1031
Doors with relief panels
Genesis, left door - Christ, right door
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1001-1031
Doors with relief panels
Genesis, left door - Christ, right door
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1001-1031


                               Utrecht Psalter
Doors with relief panels
Genesis, left door - Christ, right door
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1001-1031
Column with reliefs
illustrating the life of Christ
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1015-1022
bronze 12 ft. 6 in. high
Column with reliefs
illustrating the life of Christ
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1015-1022
bronze 12 ft. 6 in. high
Column with reliefs
illustrating the life of Christ
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1015-1022
bronze 12 ft. 6 in. high
Column with reliefs
illustrating the life of Christ
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1015-1022
bronze 12 ft. 6 in. high
Column with reliefs
illustrating the life of Christ
Hildesheim, Germany
ca. 1015-1022
bronze 12 ft. 6 in. high
Crucifix
commissioned by Archbishop Gero
Cologne Cathedral, Germany

ca. 970
painted wood
6 ft. 2 in. high
Abbess Uta
folio 2 of the Uta Codex
Regensburg, Germany
ca. 1025
tempera on parchment
9 5/8 in. x 5 1/8 in.
Annunciation to the Shepherds
Lectionary of Henry II
from Reichenau, Germany
ca. 1002-1014
tempera on vellum
17 x 13 in.
Otto III enthroned
Gospel Book of Otto III
from Trier, Germany
ca. 997-1000
tempera on vellum
13 x 9 3/8 in.

Early medieval art

Editor's Notes

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