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Chapter Eighteen: The Age of Faith
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
• Early Christian and Byzantine Art
• The Rise of Islam
• Christian Art in Northern Europe
• Romanesque Art
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
This Chapter Will:
• outline the traditional forms and styles of art in the Christian era
• survey Early Christian and Islamic cultures to gain an appreciation of the
values and behaviors related to art and architecture from the period
KEY TERMS
mosaics flying buttresses Romanesque tympanum
basilica Gothic animal style BCE
tesserae pendentive qibla wall CE
Carolingian art mihrab minaret li
MyArtsLab RESOURCES
Closer Look: Sant ‘Apollinaire, Nuovo
Closer Look: Guo Xi, Early Spring
Closer Look: Brunelleschi's Dome
Podcast: Interview with Marilyn Stokstad on Medieval Art
Podcast: Interview with Jonathan Bloom on Islamic Art
Primary Source Document: Hariulf (ca.1060–1143)
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Primary Source Document: St. Angilbert (ca. 750–814)
Primary Source Document: St. Benedict of Nursia (ca. 480–ca. 553)
Primary Source Document: Description of Cluny
Primary Source Document: From Pilgrim's Guide to Santiago de Compostela (Part I)
Primary Source Document: From Pilgrim's Guide to Santiago de Compostela, (Part II)
LECTURE AND DISCUSSION TOPICS
1. Dating Art
Discuss the dating abbreviations B.C.E. and C.E. instead of B.C. and A.D. C.E. means
“Common Era” and refers to the same dates as “A.D.” or “Anno Domini” does (except
that “A.D.” precedes the year number and “C.E.” follows it: e.g., “A.D. 2002” is the same
year as “2002 C.E.” A.D. (Anno Domini) is Latin for “in the year of Our Lord,” referring
to Jesus Christ. That is, “A.D. 2002” literally means “in the 2002nd year since the birth
2. Early Christian and Byzantine Art
The Edict of Milan in 313 made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire
and resulted in a new kind of religious imagery. Review previous religious art, such as
the Roman Pantheon and the Greek Parthenon, to explain the differences. Ancient
temples, for example, were erected as temples to gods and goddesses and did not require
large interior spaces to accommodate worshippers. The design of Santa Constanza,
have a circular, polygonal, square, or Greek-cross plan. The interior of these churches,
3. The Rise of Islam
Islam grew quickly after the death of the prophet Muhammad, and by 640, his successors
had already conquered much of the Middle East. Two centuries later, Islam had spread
as far east as the Indus River Valley and across north Africa and well up into the Iberian
Peninsula. With it, distinctive Islamic art and architecture also spread. Muslim mosques
differ somewhat depending on the region, but many feature hypostyle halls that are
4. Celtic Art
Celtic art has its origins in the sculpture, carving, and metalwork of the ancient Celtic
peoples who dominated Continental Europe and the British Isles from about 1000 B.C.E.
of the animal style. The abstract tracery of interlace and the representation of animals has
made its way into popular culture as many tattoo parlors have a repertoire of ancient
Celtic designs as part of their catalogue of tattoo designs.
4. The Age of Cathedrals
Discuss the Romanesque and Gothic styles and the reasons that Gothic style of
architecture was favored over the Romanesque. Show examples from Italy, France,
Germany, and Spain to explain how regional differences affected the visual attributes of
6. Hinduism and Art
Hinduism rose to prominence in the 6th and 7th centuries. There are many Hindu gods
including Shiva, Lord of Lords and god of creation and destruction, which in Hindu
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philosophy are considered as one. Kandariya Mahadeva Temple (fig. 607) exemplifies
Hindu ideology with its intricate reliefs representing gods, stories from Hindu tradition,
7. The Cultures of Africa
Many African cultures hit “high points” during the Middle Ages in Europe. There are
accounts of the city of Benin as surpassing, in beauty and cleanliness, any city in Europe
at this time. In present-day Nigeria, the Yoruban-speaking peoples of Ife produced brass
sculptures and plaques that represented the power and wealth of their leaders, called Obas
or Onis. Figure 612 is an example of this. Usually these figures and plaques were
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
1. Hagia Sophia
Have students write a report summarizing the history of Hagia Sophia and the variety of
functions this present-day museum has served.
HANDS-ON PROJECTS
For additional project ideas, remember to investigate the Hands-On Projects found on
1. A Religious Experience
Have students create a video architectural tour of the religious structures in their region.
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2. Manuscript Cover
Have students review the techniques and subjects of illuminated manuscripts of the
Middle Ages. Have them imagine an illuminated manuscript for the electronic world.
3. Contemporary Mosaic
Other Suggested Websites:
Hagia Sophia images, both exterior and interior, can be viewed at
w4u.eexi.gr/~ippotis/sumagiasen.html
The Sutton Hoo Room is a site that shows pictures of the priceless objects found in the
Sutton Hoo burial ship. http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projs4a/
Lindisfarne Gospels page provides viewers with history, images, and links to book and
video on the 7th-century masterpiece of the Gospels.
www.bl.uk/collections/treasures/lindis.html
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Reims Cathedral history and photographs available at web.kyoto-
inet.or.jp/org/orion/eng/hst/gothic/reims.html
Islamic Art works collected by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York are
available at www.metmuseum.org/collections/department.asp?dep=14
Suggested Videos and DVDs:
Landmarks of Western Art: The Medieval World, 1999
Living in the Past: Life in Medieval Times, 2000
Sienna: Medieval Commune Chartres Cathedral
