When we think of medieval art, impressive Gothic cathedrals probably come to mind. And, deep down, we relate medieval art with architecture (and, mostly, with religious architecture). However, the Middle Ages was a very rich period on an artistic level, which did not forget, by any means, sculpture and painting.
Even so, if we are asked about medieval painting and sculpture, it is very likely that we will wrinkle our brows and say, in a somewhat condescending tone, that in the Middle Ages they did not know how to draw, paint, or sculpt. But the reality is that we reach this conclusion because we are comparing the Middle Ages with other periods and cultures, whose aesthetic tastes have nothing to do with each other.
If we really want to understand medieval art and fully enjoy it, the first thing we must do is, indeed, stop comparing. For a simple reason: each style has a specific context and is the reflection of the spirit of an era and a group; therefore, it is unique. We will never be able to truly penetrate the ins and outs of medieval art if we constantly compare it with the art of Classical Greece, for example. And be careful, not because in the Middle Ages the classical world had been forgotten, but because Medieval art responds to other needs and a new mentality
5 keys to understanding medieval art
What, then, is medieval art? How can we understand it and, in this way, fully enjoy what it offers us? In this article you will find 5 keys that will help you, a lot, to better understand the art of the Middle Ages.
1. Enjoy the story
In general, medieval art is an art that narrates This is, in fact, one of the most important purposes of art in the Middle Ages: to tell a story. It is unlikely that the medieval artist created a composition with the sole idea of “making it beautiful”; If we go further, we will see that, in reality, what he is trying to convey to us is a message.
This does not mean that medieval artists did not take care of form. Not at all (this is, by the way, one of the clichés that exist about the Middle Ages). In all stages of the medieval era, and especially in the Gothic era, artists never hesitated to beautify reality and use aesthetic resources to give the story greater appeal. But, despite everything, we insist: medieval art is, mainly, an art that expresses, that communicates, that tells stories and transmits concepts. If we keep this in mind, we will enjoy medieval art much more.
2. Medieval art is not a single whole
…nor is the Middle Ages in general. What we know as the “Middle Ages” is a period of no less than 1000 years, and, obviously, we cannot put all these centuries in the same bag. And, of course, not to his art either.
Romanesque art, Gothic art or Carolingian art, to give some examples, are not the same Nor is the art made in the Mediterranean area the same as that of northern Europe. If we are clear about this, a much wider and more generous range of possibilities will appear before our eyes. Because, basically, we will appropriately contextualize each work of art, which will lead us to better understand the message it wants to convey to us.
3. Color and light
Another of the most common clichés about the Middle Ages is the supposed darkness that reigned at the time. This is, in truth, one of the easiest prejudices to banish since, in fact, medieval men and women were in love with light and, therefore, color. In any social or artistic manifestation of the Middle Ages you will find an abundance of colors.
In medieval literature, we find charming passages, such as the one recorded by Chrétien de Troyes, one of the most famous writers of the 12th century, in which the protagonist remains enthralled observing a drop of blood on the snow. The author’s description of the contrast between red and white is extremely delicate. The same goes for suits. Fashion combined almost impossible colors (oranges with yellows, greens with blues, violets with reds…), all to exalt the concept of color, of light, which for medieval human beings was, simply, the presence of God. Let us remember the phrase Ego sum lux mundi (I am the light of the world), which refers to Christ. Light is, therefore, the beginning of all things.
It was this passion of the Middle Ages for light that led its artists to build Gothic cathedrals and place multicolored windows on their walls. Furthermore, the walls of the cathedrals were not bare. On the contrary: They were polychrome with bright colors, and spectacular blue skies full of stars were even painted on the vaults. What better way to show that the Middle Ages were not a dark time? Two of the best examples are, without a doubt, the magnificent Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and the Abbey of Saint-Denis, the first Gothic building in history.
4. Time does not exist
For the medieval human being, time is a mere illusion. The real world is immutable, eternal, because it is where God is, and God has no beginning or end. If we are clear about this idea, and, above all, if we get rid of the concept of space-time unity, we will find ourselves in better conditions to understand medieval art. Because medieval artists did not paint reality. Or, rather, they did not paint human reality, the one we consider as such. They painted divine reality and, therefore, needed resources that allowed them to overcome space and time. Because, how to transmit the idea of Christ, of salvation, of Hell, of Paradise, faithfully following the space-time lines?
Ideas can only be expressed in a field beyond reality, and the medievals knew this. Thus, In medieval plastic representations we also find jumps in time (scenes that are represented together when they actually happened one after the other), as well as characters that appear side by side and who, in reality, never coexisted. Does this mean that medieval artists did not know how to represent? Nothing is further from reality. As we already mentioned in point 1, medieval art is not interested in reflecting the world (at least, our world), but rather everything that is beyond the tangible.
5. The church and the castle, the pillars of the Middle Ages
These are the two key buildings to understand medieval society. The church, of course, had an undoubted religious importance, but also a social one, since events of various kinds were held inside that often had nothing to do with religion. In fact, the classical heritage is clear in this, since the medieval churches are daughters of the Roman basilica, the meeting place par excellence. This is, again, a good example to illustrate how religion was inserted into people’s daily lives; It was something natural, which flowed normally in their lives, just like market days, trials or union meetings.
In the castle we have a living example of the feudal world In the first medieval centuries, eminently rural, these fortifications acquired great strategic, defensive and military importance. Contrary to what is often shown in movies, feudal castles had almost no luxuries, since they were frontier posts. With the advance of the Middle Ages and the rise of the bourgeoisie and the cities, the old feudal castle became what, with the arrival of the Renaissance, would be the beautiful noble residences that, of course, had already lost all character. defensive.
We hope that, through these 5 keys, you can better understand what medieval art is and, in this way, fully enjoy everything that this fascinating and misunderstood era offers us.