Visual cultures 2 - The Medieval world

The Medieval world

Medieval Britain (Christian and Celtic Europe)

In the middles ages/medieval Britain most art were depicted through stained glass windows, books and other things of that nature. Quite a lot of the art was used as a means to tell stories. examples of this is the fact most books that were around at the time contained mainly pictures and little or no text. This was due to the vast majority of people not being able to read. The books themselves were sometimes called 'quick' (i.e. living) books because of this. 

A lot of different media types were brought together for one purpose and this was to try to explain stories and different aspects of the christian faith. A lot of this would happen in the churches.

Medieval art in churches

wwww.englandandenglishhistory.com/a_guide_to_english_art_from450_ad_to_the_present/beginnings-of-medieval-english-art

"1180AD stained glass canterbury cathedral.

The windows in canterbury evolved during the medieval period over several centuries into a collection which is considered to be one of the finest in Europe. The earliest shown above is one of the 'Ancestors of Christ' series of windows"

www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/architecture_catherdral_01.shtml

Cathedrals do display a wide range of architectural styles, from early gothic to the renaissance. One style that helped the churches during the middle ages was that they could enjoy enormous power and wealth leaving cathedrals to be seen as a dominant part of british society today.

Ascension of Christ

http://www.themarlowestudies.org/stainedglass3.html

"medieval stained glass depiction of the Ascension of christ which associated old testament 'types' corona redemption window (corona I), c.1200-07."

The stained glass window shows "the depiction of the Ascension". You can clearly see Jesus Christs feet at the tio, disappearing into the clouds above. All whilst the "apostles" look up at him.

The scene being shown here is an Anglo Saxon tradition, it originates from early christianities representation of Jesus Christ ascending a mountain towards 'gods hand' or in fact' lifted up in a mandorla by angels'

Although there are other images in the stained glass the ascension of Jesus scene is central as it is most important to the beliefs of christians. 

Artists and craftsmen in medieval Britain created beautiful pieces of work to show religious scenes or important events that have stood the test of time and live on in todays day and age. 

Britains Bayeux Tapestry (museum of Reading)

http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk/BayeuxInfo.htm

The Bayeux Tapestry is preserved and displayed in Normandy, France. No one is completely sure where this tapestry originated from.

The first written record of the Bayeux Tapestry is in 1476. It was written down in the treasury records in Bayeux. What was actually written down was as follows:

" a very long hanging on which are embroidered figures and inscriptions comprising a representation of the conquest of England"

Although the original version of the tapestry is in Normandy, France we actually have our own replica tapestry on display in Reading here in England. The replica was created by Elizabeth Wardle, the idea to create this replica was also her idea. 

In 1993 the newest Bayeux Tapestry gallery was opened the Tapestry was carefully places in a hug, specially designed glass case. This new display means the Tapestry can be viewed in its entirely


http://www.lordsandladies.org/bayeux-tapestry.htm

It is said that throughout the entire tapestry there are 623 people, 202 horses, 55 dogs, 506 other birds, animals some of which are mythical, 49 trees, 41 ships, 37 buildings, 57 latin inscriptions containing nearly 2000 letters.
The initial idea behind creating the tapestry was believed to be to record the Normans dipiction of the battle of hastings in 1066.

"This image shows a scene from the Bayeux Tapestry"

Books

1. European Influences on Celtic Art by Lloyd Laing
2. English Stained Glass by John Baker

Visual Culture. 1 - The Ancient World

1:- The Ancient World

Alphabet at that time and how it influenced today's alphabet

Many believe that the very start of the alphabet can be traced back to ancient egypt. The very first alphabet emerged around 2000 B.C. in ancient Egypt but by this point the basic alphabetical principles has already been included into Egyptian Hieroglyphs for a millenium.

The majority of other alphabets in the world today either descend from this single discovery or were inspired by its design including the phoenician alphabet and the Greek alphabet.

"The rosetta stone shows the coexistence of hieroglyphs, hieratic script and the Greek alphabet in Egypt in the third century B.C."

http://www.citrinitas.com/history_of_viscom/alphabet.html -link to the infomation above

The invention of written script in ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptians believed it was vital to record and communicate information about religion and also the government. This would eventually lead to Egyptians inventing a written script to record this important information. 

The most famous of these scripts is hieroglyphs. This is the one that the majority of people today would know.

However over the course of the 3000 years of Egyptian  history the did create 3 other scripts. Each having their own purpose.

The 4 different types of script were used for things like preserving their beliefs, history and the idea of ancient egypt itself. The forms of script could be recorded on tomb walls, temple walls and papyrus scrolls.

Nicely sculpted hieroglyphic signs on a piece of stone at the Louvre museum, Paris.

http://www.ancient-egypt.org/index.html

Scribes

Who were the scribes

Scribes were usually men who had learned to read and write. To have the right to do both of those things. To become a scribe you had to attend a school purposely built to teach younger people to read and write in hieroglyphs and hieratic scripts. It was said to be very complicated to learn and it came with a massive work load. 

It would take 4-5 years to qualify as a scribe and to become a scribe you must be the child of a man who is already a scribe themselves or from a very wealthy family.

A drawing of an interpretation of boys who were attending scribe school.

http://library.thinkquest.org/J002606/AncientEgypt.html

What writing was used for in ancient Egypt

Rituals

In Egyptian religious beliefs certain rituals had to take place, this was necessary to keep the gods happy. These rituals would be carved into walls and also would be handwritten in papyrus scrolls.

In government

In order to know how ancient Egypt was running and if it was running efficiently, the government officials kept records. This is useful to us now  as it gives us a better understanding of how ancient Egypt was run.

The government officials were in fact also scribes, they had been promoted to a higher position. One scribe after being promoted to be a part of the government was the promoted higher and became a Pharaoh.

In the army

Military leaders were trained scribes also. This was necessary for the military leaders as it made them able to communicate whilst at battle. 

In the Tombs

One of the most famous examples of written script from ancient Egypt that the majority of people today know if is carved text in tomb walls.

Ancient Egyptians built every Pharaoh their own tomb. The point of each Pharaoh having their own tomb was down to religious beliefs.

Firstly in order for the pharaohs to be taken to the gods in heaven once they die, they needed a place to keep their body and also their belongings until they were taken to the afterlife. 

Writing was also a vital part of the burial process also. Not only is the text beautiful artwork for the tombs decoration but it is also a ritual spell to help them get to the afterlife. 

Scribes write the script on the walls of the tombs and then the craftsman would carve the script out of stone. The spells are so vital to the burial ritual that once the craftsman has finished carving the script the scribe will check the work he has done and if it is not absolutely perfect they believed the spell would not work thus not helping their Pharaoh reach the afterlife.

http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/writing/home.html - link to the infomation above

The book of the dead

The book of the dead is also a vital part of the burial process. Despite it's name the book of the dead is actually not a book but just a name given to a collection of different spells that were written down. The majority of these spells are directly linked to helping the dead reach the afterlife.

Most of the spells are found are written on papyrus and some on tomb walls. Altogether there are 200 found in total. 

http://egypt.mrdonn.org/bookofthedead.html - link the the infomation above

Examples of spells written on Papyrus from the book of the dead

"A representation of the Devourer, who waited to eat the hearts of sinners in the afterlife's Hall of Judgment. Papyrus of Ani, c. 1275 BC"

"A depiction of the Opening of the Mouth ritual, in which a mummy is symbolically brought to life. Papyrus of Hunefer, c. 1280 BC."

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2010/nov/02/egyptian-book-of-dead-exhibition#/?picture=368294131&index=9 - link to the course of the images

A good documentary to watch regarding the burial rituals of the Ancient Egyptians is 'Mummifying Alan: Egypt's last secret, which i will add a link for below.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/mummifying-alan-egypts-last-secret/4od

Books

1. Ancient Egypt by David. P Silverman
2. Hieroglyphs and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt by Werner Forman and Stephen Quirke