Picture study doesn’t have to be limited to certain time periods, and subjects that are worthy of quiet contemplation can be found throughout history! In this week’s post, I’m sharing some ideas for picture study subjects from the Medieval and ancient time periods.
While many artists and pieces of art from the Middle Ages have been well-studied and written about, older subjects are often being uncovered, and new discoveries are being made continuously. Art can offer glimpses of ancient civilizations that are easy to overlook if you’re not paying attention, which means that Picture Study is an excellent way to get to know these civilizations better.
While you will not see a lot of individual artist names in this list, primarily because the practice of signing work wasn’t adopted widely until the Renaissance, you will see many ideas for various civilizations that offer an overall style that represents that time and culture. These styles progress through art history, and it is interesting how they build upon one another.
As with my other lists, I’ve tried to include a range of styles, nationalities, and perspectives that are appropriate for children; however, if you see an artist or civilization you feel should be listed here, please leave a comment below!
1300s
Duccio
Nationality: Italian (Siena)
Movement: Gothic/Proto-Renaissance
Duccio di Buoninsegna (ca. 1255-ca. 1318) is generally considered a Gothic artist, but hints of the early (or Proto-) Renaissance can also be seen in his work. He was highly influential to his contemporaries and the artists who came after him.
Giotto
Nationality: Italian (Florence)
Movement: Gothic/Proto-Renaissance
Giotto di Bondone (ca. 1267-1337) holds a special place in my heart as he is one of the first artists I studied in the art history survey class in college that ended up inspiring me to switch my major from graphic design to art history. He had an enormous impact on the progress of art history, and some scholars consider him the father of the Renaissance.
Pietro Lorenzetti
Nationality: Italian (Siena)
Movement: Gothic/Proto-Renaissance
Pietro Lorenzetti (ca. 1280-1348) was a Sienese artist who also led the way from the late Gothic style to the Proto-Renaissance. Not much is known about his life, but art historians have theorized that he was a student of Duccio.
Simone Martini
Nationality: Italian (Siena)
Movement: Gothic
Simone Martini (ca. 1284-1344) was another Sienese artist who was very popular in the 1300s. While his contemporaries were exploring the new styles and techniques of the Proto-Renaiassance, he went a more traditional route, and his art is considered more Gothic.
1200s
Cimabue
Nationality: Italian (Florence)
Movement: Byzantine/Proto-Renaissance
Bencivieni di Pepo Giovanni Cimabue (ca. 1251-1302) was another early Renaissance painter who influenced later artists, particularly Giotto, to explore new ways of painting. This led the transformation from the flatter Byzantine style to the depth of the Renaissance.
Yuan Dynasty
Nationality: Chinese
The Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) was led by the grandson of Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan, and comprised a vast area of eastern Asia. This was a time of tremendous growth in many areas of Chinese culture, especially in the visual arts.
1100s
Hildegard of Bingen
Nationality: German
Movement: Romanesque
Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) was a Medieval polymath, and her wide range of talents included composing music, medicine, writing, and leading a convent, among many other things. She also had visions that she wrote down, which were later illuminated. Whether she was the artist behind them or someone else was employed for this task is not known. Either way, the Liber Scivias is associated with her and is an excellent example of a Medieval religious text.
Emperor Huizong
Nationality: Chinese
Movement: Song Dynasty
Emperor Huizong (1082-1135) became emperor of China when his brother died, though his reign did not last long. He is more well-known for his patronage of the arts as well as his own paintings and calligraphy.
Ife Art
Nationality: Nigerian (Yoruba)
The art of Ife centered around the Nigerian city of Ile-Ife and was primarily created between the 11th and 15 centuries. Among other items, detailed and unique human heads made from brass and other materials are the art object most commonly associated with this culture.
1000s
Facundus
Nationality: Spanish
Movement: Romanesque
Facundus (11th century) was a Spanish monk who, among others, illuminated the writings of an earlier monk named Beatus that were based on the book of Revelation. His art is very bright and somewhat ominous, but an interesting sampling of his era nonetheless.
900s
Ende
Nationality: Spanish
Movement: Romanesque
Ende (10th century) is unique not only in that she was a female illuminator but also because she signed her work. She is associated with the Gerona Beatus, an illuminated manuscript from Medieval Spain.
Jing Hao
Nationality: Chinese
Movement: Song Dynasty
Jing Hao (10th century) was a landscape painter who spent most of his life in the Taihang Mountains of northern China. He was inspired by the beauty of nature around him and was highly influential to later Song artists.
600s – 800s
Insular Illuminated Manuscripts
Nationality: Various (many in Ireland and the United Kingdom)
Illuminated Manuscripts were made in many different time periods, but because the Insular manuscripts are a particular love of mine, I chose to include them here as a whole category. The most well-known is the Book of Kells, permanently on display in the library of Trinity College Dublin. Other examples from this era and style include the Lindisfarne Gospels, the Vespasian Psalter, and the Canterbury (or Stockholm) Codex Aureus.
Viking Art
Nationality: Scandinavian
Viking Art (790 -1100) combined different styles (including Celtic and Roman art) and heavily influenced later styles in various countries as the Vikings pillaged, and in some cases settled, their way through central and western Europe. Within this style, several substyles became more well-known in specific geographic regions (e.g., the looping animal forms of the Ringerike style became very popular in Ireland and the United Kingdom).
Tang Dynasty
Nationality: Chinese
The Tang Dynasty (618-907) was another time of great transformation in China, particularly in the arts. Sampling a variety of pieces created by different artists, including Wu Daozi, Yan Liben, and Wang Wei, from this movement would give the most options for exploring it as a whole.
Ancient
Byzantine Mosaics
Nationality: throughout Europe
The Byzantine Empire was the south-central and eastern European, as well as north African, remains of the Roman Empire and slowly reduced in size from around 395 to 1453 AD. I generally associate this art period with mosaics, as they grew in popularity during this time. However, icons (see below) and other religious images also gained popularity.
Orthodox Icons
Nationality: throughout Europe
Early Orthodox icons (300 AD – present) can also fall under the category of Byzantine art (see above), but I chose to separate these into their own category because they are worth studying as an entire movement. Many early icons were destroyed by the Iconoclasts beginning in the 8th century. However, excellent examples still exist, both in smaller, personal devotion forms, as well as those that decorate the interiors of Byzantine-era churches.
Mayan
Nationality: Mexican
The Mayan civilization arguably spanned millennia, though they were most active between 205 and 1697 AD. Their style is very distinct among world cultures, and their thriving society left a rich archeological heritage to Mexico in the form of pottery, intricate carvings, and their own hieroglyphics, among many other visual arts.
Roman Art
Nationality: western, southern, and eastern European and north African
The Roman Empire (27 BC-457 AD) hardly needs any introduction, and the art produced by this civilization includes statues, pottery, frescoes, mosaics, glasswork, and more. The ruins of Pompeii are of particular interest as so many of the frescoes within the private homes were preserved by the ashes of the eruption.
Etruscans
Nationality: Italian
The people of the Etruscan civilization (800-300 BC) lived on the Italian peninsula before the establishment of Rome, and their influence can be seen in later Roman art. The items we have that remain from this civilization include statues, intricately carved mirrors, and wall paintings.
Ancient Greek Pottery
The pottery of ancient Greece (1200 BC to 600 AD) is a treasure not only in that it was used for utilitarian purposes when it was made, but it also was highly decorated with Greek myths as well as stories and incidents from their culture.
Ancient Greek Sculpture
The sculpture of ancient Greece (1200 – 600 BC) includes some of the most well-known statuary on earth. This is in part thanks to the Romans, who were so impressed by the Greek sculptures found in the areas they conquered that many copies were made. Another interesting controversy to explore when discussing ancient Greek sculpture with older students is the topic of repatriation of cultural property, particularly the British Museum’s extensive collection of Greek statues from the Parthenon.
Pre-historic Aegean
Nationality: Greek
During the Bronze Age (3000-1000 BC), the area around the Aegean, including the civilizations of the Minoans, Mycenaeans, and Cyclades Islands, was active in various ways, including the visual arts. In particular, the city of Knossos on the island of Crete (infamous for the Greek story of the minotaur) has been well-preserved.
Ancient Egyptian
Nationality: Egyptian
Ancient Egypt comprises a vast range of history, usually agreed to be from 3100 BC to 30 BC. Because of the exceptional preservation properties of the desert climate, numerous paintings, statues, and architecture from this civilization have survived in excellent condition. Also, if you want to increase the range to Roman-held Egypt (up to 641 AD), the Fayum Mummy Portraits are a fascinating part of the past to study as well (and I wrote about them in Volume 3, Issue 1 of Commonplace Quarterly).
Mesopotamian
Nationality: Middle East (mainly Iraq)
The Mesopotamian civilization (5000-651 BC) comprised several sub-groups, including Sumerians, Assyrians, and Babylonians. I generally associate this style with large-eyed figurines, as seen above, but it also consisted of wall paintings, jewelry, larger statues, and more.
This post wraps up my series on artist ideas for picture study. I hope it has been helpful!
Other posts in this series:
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