A Work of Art, The Medieval Manuscript and The Book of Hours

Illuminated lettering in Book of Hours- the colors are amazing in the artwork!

I don't know about you students, but I love books. In fact, I love books as much as I love art, seriously, I know I am crazy! I love the written word and its power to ignite or inflict. How do you use your words, spoken or written? Do you fill others with life with your words or death with your words?

During the Middle Ages, a book or manuscript, as it was called, was precious and rare! Why? Because not everyone could own one. The process to create a manuscript was painstakingly long and it passed several skilled and cleverly, creative, hands before it was finished. Please be able to tell me who these craftsmen were for class time. 

Some manuscripts were aesthetically valuable because they were often encrusted with precious and semi-precious stones and metals like gold and etched, silver. However, it also contained information that empowered the reader who owned it and could read it, This made it invaluable!

This first video is all about manuscripts as an art form.  

The next two are specifically on the Book of Hours and how they are made and used.

Here are some covers and inside pages illuminated with incredible artwork.As you look at these pictures of covers, letter art and illumination art be thinking through the design elements and page layouts that you like best.

Our assignment for this model is to create our own Book of Hours to house our calligraphy, calligraphy projects and our relic cards. How will you design your cover? Will it have a motif in the middle or something to occupy each corner? You can research on your own as well if you wish. You will be given some materials during class including: f aux leather, grommets, decorative paper and gems. I invite you to use your imagination and embellish it with things that you might have at home too.

One projects for our Book of Hours will be to create illuminated letter art. This might be used on your cover as a motif or to decorate an inside page. You get to decide, but be sure to include a space for  this in your preliminary design!

Embossed Gold and precious stones with leather binding

Tooled leather in a Celtic Knot pattern, look how small this book is about 5 in.

Leather, embossed silver, hand painted miniature medallions

 Detail photo front cover of the Lindau Gospels

the back cover of the Lindau Gospel etched and embossed gold precious stones and enameling

Marie de Medici of Italy, Book of Hours- Velvet with silver metal embroidery work 

All photos from Google images for educational purposes

Kahn Acadamy  a beginner's guide to medieval Europe for information and additional videos

Mosaic Making

 I wanted to post this video, sent by a friend, to augment our study of  our first model Iconic mosaics. The process is a bit surprising.  Be prepared to tell me something interesting that you observed as you watched the video this week.. This video shows the process from start to finish of making middle eastern mosaics. I hope you enjoy it.

Iconography...Icon-what-ery???

So the first thing you need to do is go over to your online dictionary and look up what Iconography is? Yes, I am serious go, right now!

Iconic art marks an important shift in the artwork of the early Christian church and it is well worth studying. As we move along our time line in history from the Ancients into the Middle Ages there is a struggle in the empire and the Roman Empire begins to fall. This opens the way for the Byzantine Empire to reign. We see the Muslim religion find its place in many buildings that were once ruled by the Roman Catholics and Christians. Along with this we see artistic ideas reshaped and many of the beautiful mosaics of Christ, the early church, and biblical depictions of people and stories are demolished.  This lasted for more than 100 years during the Byzantine Empire.This is called the Iconoclastic period.

"Both Muslims and Jews perceived Christian images (that existed from the earliest times of Christianity) as idols and in direct opposition to the Old Testament prohibition of visual representations. The first commandment states,You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under the earth. You shall not adore them, nor serve them (Exodus 20:3-5)." (Text by Dr. Davor Džalto, Iconoclastic Controversies, www.khanacademy.org)

Watch this video on one of best examples from this time period of Iconic Mosaic work. It is found inside the San Vitale Catherdral in Ravenna, Italy. It is so amazing it just takes my breath away. We will be making a paper version of a Christus iconic mosaic, which dates back to between 546-556 AD

Also make sure you know what the following words mean: Iconography,  tesserae, mosaic, Byzantine,Rotunda 

The Christus as a young man

Justininan Emperor of the Byzantine Empire

His wife Theodora

Mosaic tile work in traditional patterning

First Things First!

Ephemera art from the Graphic Fairy 

In the past, I have assigned vocabulary words and they have been pretty hit and miss with students. So this year, I have decided to do vocabulary a bit differently.  I want students to know, know, know, the 7 elements of art and the 7 principles of design! To this end, your first assignment will be to complete my Vocabulary Palette! You will get this handout in class on the first day. I know this will be a fun and different way to utilize your vocab. words, I hope you enjoy this assignment. I will give you further instructions in class on the first week.

I have a glossary of art terms available for you on the co-op website or you can utilize an online source http://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/building_lessons/elements_art.pdf and http://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/building_lessons/principles_design.pdf or books from the library! You may use any of your medium in your art box. This assignment is due by week 2 and will earn you a bonus relic card. Oh yea! You must bring your finished vocabulary palette to class to earn your bonus card.