Medieval art: its characteristics, and 5 keys to understanding it

When we think of medieval art, impressive Gothic cathedrals probably come to mind. And it is that, deep down, we associate medieval art with architecture (and, mainly, with religious architecture). However, the Middle Ages were a very rich period on an artistic level, which did not forget, far from it, sculpture and painting.

Even so, if we are asked about medieval painting and sculpture, we are very likely to frown and Let's say, in a somewhat condescending tone, that in the Middle Ages they did not know how to draw, or paint, or sculpt. But the reality is that we reached this conclusion because we are comparing the Middle Ages with other periods and cultures, whose aesthetic tastes have nothing to do with each other.

If we really want to understand medieval art and fully enjoy it, the first thing we must do is, effectively, stop comparing. For a simple reason: each style has a specific context and is the reflection of the spirit of an era and of a group; therefore it is unique. We will never be able to really penetrate the intricacies of medieval art if we are constantly comparing it with the art of Classical Greece, for example. And be careful, not because in the Middle Ages the classical world had been forgotten, but because

medieval art responds to other needs and a new mentality.

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5 keys to understanding medieval art

What, then, is medieval art? How can we understand it and, in this way, fully enjoy what it offers us? In this article you will find 5 keys that will help you, and a lot, to better understand the art of the Middle Ages.

1. enjoy the story

In general, medieval art is an art that narrates. This is, in fact, one of the most important purposes of art in the Middle Ages: to tell a story. It is unlikely that the medieval artist made a composition with the sole idea of ​​"make beautiful"; if we go further, we will see that, in reality, what he is trying to convey to us is a message.

This is not to say that medieval artists did not take care of the form. Not at all (this is, by the way, one of the topics that exist about the Middle Ages). At all stages of the medieval era, and especially in the Gothic, artists never hesitated to embellish reality and use aesthetic resources to give the story more attractive. But, despite everything, we insist: medieval art is, mainly, an art that expresses, communicates, tells stories and transmits concepts. If we keep this in mind, we will enjoy medieval art much more.

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2. Medieval art is not a single whole

... nor is the Middle Ages in general. What we know as the "Middle Ages" is a period of no less than 1000 years, and, obviously, we cannot put all these centuries in the same bag. And, of course, neither to his art.

Romanesque art, Gothic art or Carolingian art are not the same, to give some examples.. Nor is the art that is made in the Mediterranean area the same as that of northern Europe. If we are clear about this, a much broader and more generous range of possibilities will appear before our eyes. Because, basically, we will adequately contextualize each work of art, which will lead us to better understand the message you want to convey to us.

3. color and light

Another of the most common topics about the Middle Ages is that supposed darkness that reigned at the time. This is, in truth, one of the easiest prejudices to banish since, in fact, medieval men and women were in love with light and, therefore, with color. In any social or artistic manifestation of the Middle Ages you will find an abundance of colors.

In medieval literature, we find enchanting passages, such as the one collected by Chrétien de Troyes, one of the most famous writers of the twelfth century, in which the protagonist remains enthralled observing a drop of blood on Snow. The author's description of the contrast between red and white is extremely delicate. The same goes for the suits. Fashion combined almost impossible colors (oranges with yellows, greens with blues, violets with reds…), all to exalt the concept of color, of light, which for medieval human beings was simply the presence of God. Let us remember the phrase Ego sum lux mundi (I am the light of the world), which refers to Christ. Light is, then, the beginning of all things.

It was this passion of the Middle Ages for light that led its artists to build Gothic cathedrals and to place multicolored windows on their walls. Also, the walls of the cathedrals were not bare. On the contrary: they were polychrome with bright colors, and even spectacular blue skies full of stars were painted on the vaults. What better way to show that the Middle Ages were not a dark age? Two of the best examples are undoubtedly the magnificent Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and the Saint-Denis Abbey, the first Gothic building in history.

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4. time does not exist

For the medieval human being, time is a mere illusion. The real world is immutable, eternal, because it is where God is, and God has no beginning or end. If we are clear about this idea, and, above all, if we get rid of the concept of space-time unity, we will find ourselves in a better position to understand medieval art. Because medieval artists did not paint reality. Or, rather, they did not paint human reality, which we consider as such. They painted the divine reality and therefore needed resources that would allow them to overcome space and time. Because, how to convey the idea of ​​Christ, of salvation, of Hell, of Paradise, faithfully following the spatio-temporal lines?

Ideas can only be embodied in a field beyond reality, and this the medievals knew. Thus, in medieval plastic representations we also find jumps in time (scenes that are played together when in fact they happened one after the other), as well as characters that appear next to each other and never actually coexisted. Does this mean that medieval artists did not know how to represent? Nothing is further from reality. As we already commented in point 1, medieval art is not interested in reflecting the world (at least, our world), but everything that is beyond the tangible.

5. The church and the castle, the pillars of the Middle Ages

These are the two key buildings to understand medieval society. The church, of course, had an undoubted religious importance, but also a social one, since various kinds of events were held inside that often had nothing to do with religion. In fact, in this the classical heritage is clear, since the medieval churches are daughters of the Roman basilica, the meeting place par excellence. This is, once again, a good example to illustrate how religion was inserted into people's daily lives; it was something natural, that flowed in their lives as normal, just like market days, trials or union meetings.

In the castle we have the living example of the feudal world. In the first medieval centuries, eminently rural, these fortifications acquired great strategic, defensive and military importance. Contrary to what is often shown in movies, feudal castles had hardly any luxuries, since they were border posts. With the advance of the Middle Ages and the rise of the bourgeoisie and the cities, the old feudal castle gradually became what, with the arrival of the Renaissance, they would be the beautiful noble residences that, of course, had already lost all character defensive.

We hope that, through these 5 keys, you can better understand what medieval art is and, in this way, fully enjoy everything that this fascinating and misunderstood era offers us.