Art history: Middle ages (500–1500 CE)

Everything is illuminated: halos, manuscripts and stainglass

The Middle ages is a period when all types of art flourished.

The three main varieties of Medieval art in Europe were the the Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic styles.

The Byzantine empire (330–1453 CE) is known for mosaics, icons, and grand church architecture like Hagia Sophia. Inspired by religion, it has predilection for more abstract and universal depictions. It had great impact on multiple schools in Russia.

Fifth century Byzantine mosaic of the goddess Ktisis), a bear, a lion, a leopard, and a donkey on a background of urns, ducks, berries, flowers, and crosses, preserved at the Beiteddine Palace in Lebanon, photo by أبو مقاومة, CC BY-SA 3.0

Jesus Christ and archangels, apse mosaic in basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy, built 547, photo by Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0

Mosaic of Theodora - Basilica of San Vitale, built A.D. 547, photo by Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0

Mosaic of Christ Pantocrator (“ruler over all”) from the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, c. 1261, photo by Dianelos Georgoudis

Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, is shown here dressed in Byzantine court costume and holding a cross as a sign of his martyrdom for Christ, 10th century

Kiev School - Great Panagia, icon from the Saviour Minster in Yaroslavl, now in the Tretyakov Gallery, 1250

The three Angels being hosted by Abraham at Mambré, Andrey Rublev, c. 1411

Icon of the Mother of God, Novgorod school, ca 1500, National Gallery, Oslo

Novgorod School - Three female Saints (St. Catherine, Pyatnitsa, Barbara)

Novogorod School - St. Nicholas and scenes from his life. 16th century

Pskov School - Icon of Saint George, 16th century

To the west, Romanesque architecture continued the Roman tradition, notably the rounded arch at the base of many classical structures.

Pre-Romanesque - Carolingian Evangelist portrait from the Codex Aureus of Lorsch, using a Late Antique model, late 8th century

Pre-Romanesque - Mozarabic Beatus miniature, late 10th century

The 63rd page of the Book of Hours (Use of Utrecht), c. 1460–1465

French historiated initial with men slaying a monster, from a theological manuscript. 1110–1115

The Abbey of Sant'Antimo has a high apsidal end surrounded by an ambulatory and with small projecting apses, photo by Niccolò Caranti

The Porta de Praterías, Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, by Master Esteban, photo by Amadalvarez, CC BY-SA 3.0

The painted crypt of San Isidoro at León, Spain, photo by Megginede, CC BY-SA 4.0

The cloisters at the St Pierre Abbey, Moissac, France are renowned for their carved capitals, photo by Membeth

After a relative peace came about, masons had the chance to brighten and lighten the architecture inventing the so-called Gothic style (12th–15th centuries), with towering cathedrals like Notre-Dame and intricate stained glass windows.

High Gothic west front, Reims Cathedral (1211–), photo by Johan Bakker, CC BY-SA 3.0

Sainte Chapelle Interior Stained Glass with the later flamboyant rose window, photo by Guilhem Vellut, CC BY 2.0

The Wilton Diptych, c. 1395–1399

The Lady and the Unicorn, the title given to a series of six tapestries woven in Flanders; late 15th century, photo by Didier Descouens

14th Century International Gothic Mary Magdalene in St. Johns' Cathedral in Toruń, photo by Pko, CC BY 2.5

Gdańsk Town Hall, Poland, 15th century, photo by Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0

The main material continued to be stone as evidenced by the monumental structures of Great Zimbabwe (11th–15th centuries), representing a thriving trade-based kingdom.

Aerial view of Great Enclosure and Valley Complex, later structures that the first Hill Complex of ,the Great Zimbabwe ruins, photo by Janice Bell, CC BY-SA 4.0

Also impressive are the Indian detailed stone carvings (500–1300 CE), such as in the Khajuraho and Brihadeeswarar temples.

Kandariya Mahadeva, the largest temple in Khajuraho, India, completed 1029, photo by China Crisis, CC BY-SA 3.0

Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India, photo by Vbmindia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Also representing Hindu and later Buddhist art and architecture is the temple of Angkor Wat (12th century) in Cambodia.

View of the central structure of Angkor Wat, photo by Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0

As magnificent and sophisticated stone constructions are the Incan architecture (13th–16th centuries), like Machu Picchu, and Aztec stone carvings (14th–16th centuries) like Tenochtitlán's Templo Mayor and the Calendar Stone.

The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, 15th-century

Illustration of The Templo Mayor in Mexico-Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital, attributed to Diego Rivera, 16th century

The enormous Sun Stone found in the ruins of Tenochtitlan, photo by Gary Todd

Another remarkable architecture belongs to the Islamic art that established its tradition, characterized by elaborate calligraphy, geometric patterns, and mosque architecture from the 7th century onward.

The columns and two-tiered arches of the Great Mosque of Córdoba, photo by Nicolas Vollmer, CC BY 2.0

Dawn on Charles V palace in Alhambra, Granada, Spain, whose most significant construction took place in the 14th century, photo by Jebulon

But none astound so much as the Moai who carved and moved large monolithic human figures on Easter Island (13th–16th centuries).

Moai facing inland at Ahu Tongariki, restored by Chilean archaeologist Claudio Cristino in the 1990s, photo by Ian Sewell, CC BY 2.5

Some other noteworthy artistic achievements are the landscape painting, ceramics, and Buddhist sculptures of Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) in China, the elegant scroll paintings and early forms of Buddhist mandalas of the Japanese Heian Period (794–1185 CE), the Polynesian tattooing, called Tā moko (circa 1000 CE), symbolizing rites of passage and social status, and the Benin bronzes (13th–19th centuries), intricate metalwork from the Kingdom of Benin (present day Nigeria), showcasing court life, military exploits, and interactions with Europeans, reflecting the wealth and power of the local monarchy, as well as Yoruba art (12th–13th centuries), known for Ife sculptures in bronze and terracotta, along with ritual objects and masks.

Tang court ladies, 706 AD, Qianling Mausoleum

Chinese ceramic tomb figure of a female polo player, before 750, photo by Vassil

Chinese mirror with floral medallion, plant sprays, birds, and insects, 8th century

Japanese Taizokai (womb realm) Mandala on a silk hanging scroll, 9th century CE

Section of a handscroll depicting a scene from the "Bamboo River" chapter of the “Tale of Genji”, the world's first novel written by Japanese courtlady Murasaki Shikibu c. 1130

Painting by Gottfried Lindauer of Māori tattoo (tā moko) being carved into a man’s face by an expert practitioner (tohunga-tā-moko)

A Benin Bronze plaque on display in the British Museum, photo by Michel wal, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Ife Head, c. 14th-15th century, photo by Sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0

Up next: