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Summary History of Art 2A (Lecture notes)
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- University Of Glasgow
Lecture notes from History of Art 2A at the University of Glasgow.
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History of Art 2AChurch and Courtly Splendor: The Middle Ages
De Brailes Hours, c. 1240
o Book of Hours: new type of book invented during the Gothic
period
o pages of the book of animal skin, fine brushes with few hair
o a Medieval best seller
o this one is the earliest surviving of all Books of Hours
o got its name bc it was produced at the workshop of William de
Braile in Oxford
o rare case where we know the medieval artist’s name (most of
them saw themselves working in the service of God, therefore
most works were anonymous)
o De Braile painted a portrait of the artist, not only of the patron
o Initials with figures in them are called Historiated Initials.
o Idealizing, grandising portrait of the artist including the hand
of God
o Portrait of the patron: noble woman named Susanna. She’s
dressed very fashionably in all her portraits in the manuscript.
Her name is thought to be Susanna because one of the
portraits appears among a series of images that tell the story
of Susanna and the Elders, a rarely told story that was
probably included to show the owner’s name
o It was common enough to tell the patron’s name through
stories
Eadwine the scribe
o Showing this particular method of production in the mid 12th C
o Appreciation for exceptional artistic skills, indicated in the
inscription
o Eadwine described as a great artist, the king of scribes
, o Indicating the importance of aesthetics in this early period
o Very expensive works
Entering the Gothic period; Dedication page, Louis IX and Blanche of
Castile; monk and scribe Toledo Bible, c. 1235
o non-ecclesiastic patrons (just ordinary rich people)
o other than Bibles etc, we start seeing the production of other
types of books
o the Royalty remains a major patron in that period
o This Dedication Page was made for Louis IX, represented on
the artwork
o Increased demand necessary change in the production
development of a commercial market
o Architectural framing device on the Dedication Page alluring
to the city of Paris
o The Page itself is showing how the manuscript was made
St Michael weighing souls, De Bois Hours, c. 1325-30
o Luxury manuscripts = they were painted only on one side of
the parchment (therefore using a lot more parchment)
o Called Books of Hour
o Both men and women commissioned luxury illuminated
manuscripts. This one is a representation of St Michael
weighing souls, holding a good and a bad soul.
o Not a portrait of the figures, more of an idealized
representation of the patrons who commissioned the
manuscripts
Yolande of Soissons, Psalter-Hours, c. 1290
o Positioning of the patron portrait is near the back, low-profile,
and she is shown kneeling before an image of the Virgin Mary
o Indicators of courtly wealth: gold garment, lap dog
o It is pious and humble, and at the same time an indicator that
the patron is wealthy etc, a status symbol
Limbourg Brothers April garden party Très Riches Heures, c. 1415
, o Painted by three famous artists known as the Limbourg
Brothers
o This Book of Hours begins with a calendar, helping the owner
the owner navigate the feasts etc
o Calendar was not completed
o Scene depicted: Labour of the month, often used to illustrate
the month of April
o Different style than the previous ones we looked at: style
variations that by 1415, result in the figures being more long
and thin and representing the period’s beauty ideals
Ploughing, Luttrell Psalter, c. 1325-1335
o The most famous of all English Gothic Psalters
o Text written in Latin in a clear Gothic script
o More complex page layout: narrative scene of ploughing at
the bottom of the page, monstrous creature on the side
o Illuminated manuscripts become a lot more personalized
Geoffrey Luttrell and family (detail), Luttrell Psalter, c. 1325-35
o Depicting sir Geoffrey’s family identity
o Image of a powerful and wealthy man, although in reality, sir
Geoffrey was going through financial and legal difficulties at
the time the manuscript was made
o Part of the purpose of this splendid Psalter was to reaffirm sir
Geoffrey’s status at a time when things weren’t going well for
him
Portrait of Queen Isabella, Isabella Psalter, 1303-08
o Commissioned by Isabella of France, wife of king Edward II
o Another change in illuminated manuscript production: text
written in languages that people actually spoke (English,
French, etc) instead of just Latin
o Includes a modest portrait of Isabella of France, surrounded by
the arms of England and France; idealized image of the
, patron, showing the importance of heraldic recognition for
patron identity in this artistic context
o The Isabella Psalter is bilingual, including texts both in French
and Latin. French text in red ink, Latin text in gold, showing
value and significance
Church and Courtly Splendour: The Renaissance
Renaissance Patrons:
o Renaissance artists were a lot more like tradesmen than we
imagine
o Works of art were usually only made on commission from a
patron
o Artists relied on their clients and patrons
o Most works were very site-specific, had meanings that were
personal to the patron
o Artists seen as employed craftsmen, working with their hands
o Artists were more like artisans, manual workers
Church of Santa Maria Novella, Florence
o Includes a lot of frescoes, the Tornabuoni Chapel with
Ghirlandaio’s frescoes
o Giovanni Tornabuoni was the patron, the Tornabuoni family were
fans of the Medici
o The patron directed Ghirlandaio in every step of the fresco
o Insisted on showing his daughter, Giovanna Tornabuoni, in the
Birth of the Virgin fresco (1485-90) in the Santa Maria Novella
o Brief example of how patronage could dominate the creation and
production of art
The Brancacci Chapel, Santa Maria dei Carmini, Florence
o Frescoes by Masaccio, 1401-18
o Time when Giotto was really pressing the values of naturalism,
overcoming the flat gothicity of the Middle Ages
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