Essay on Innovation During the Middle Ages - 2066 Words

The Middle Ages, contrary to its name, was a dynamic period of innovations. Throughout this period, visual arts were employed to communicate important messages to the public as well as private wealthy patrons. A variety of mediums were used to disseminate ideas. Though, the sense of decorum shifted, the purpose of these moralizing images of religious figures remained the same. Art was, as it still is an extremely useful and powerful tool for both religious and political advancements. The two pieces to be considered in this paper were created using scenes from the life of Christ. Themes from the old and new testaments were frequently used in art of the Middle Ages to convey important messages to a largely illiterate populous, display the†¦show more content†¦Charlemagne became committed to reviving the Roman Empire, â€Å"a Carolingian Renaissance† , during which he commissioned many important art pieces and numerous manuscript pages . History shows that he sought to u nite the populous under Christianity , the Pope crowned him on Christmas day, establishing his divine right to rule. This manuscript can be dated to the ninth century because of its links to the Charlemagne empire, as well as its rendering of holy figures as separate from this world: a trend that would change with humanism in later centuries. The theme of this manuscript page is the Resurrection, an account of perseverance. Christ is a visitor from the heavenly realm; his wounds continue to bleed yet there is no suffering. Typical of representations of Christ at the time, his human traits were ignored . Christ, with one foot remaining in the grave effortlessly steps out of his open tomb. The mysterious nature of this moment is emphasized to show the power of Christ’s divinity. He holds the symbol of benediction towards himself, simultaneously blessing the Emperor who was directly tied to him. Two angels surround Christ, whose body dominates the page, forming a triangle. The viewer’s eye is drawn directly towards Christ. The page employs a hierarchical scale, typical of the period. Christ is significantly larger than the surrounding angles and unconscious guards in the lower plane. In his right hand Christ holds a heraldic flag, typical ofShow MoreRelatedHistorical And Philosophical Movement Of The Renaissance1596 Words   |  7 Pageswriters, and poets. Although it has no fixed beginning, most theories placed the beginning era in the early 14th century. The renaissance profoundly affected European Intellectual life through the introduction of different perspectives, ideas, innovations, literature, art, science, religion among many other aspects that continue to shape modern philosophy. 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