Читать книгу 1000 Masterpieces of Decorative Art - Victoria Charles - Страница 4

78. Anonymous. Sarcophagus, probably belonging to Archbishop Theodor,end of the 5th century or beginning of the 6th century. Marble. Basilica of St Apollinaris in Classe, Ravenna (Italy). Byzantine.

Besides the Celtic monuments to which we have already referred (menhirs, dolmens, etc.) there is very little that is original in the style of the Gaulish period and from the Roman invasion onwards, any traces of the romantic, which were, in any case, more a result of the rudimentary nature of life at the time than of a feeling for art, are swallowed up by the culture of the victorious Romans. The bathhouses, theatres, and arenas are all attributed indiscriminately to the Gauls and the Romans, and Gaulish furniture is so similar to the furniture used in Rome as to be indistinguishable from it. Frankish style is similarly insignificant. The Franks were busy fighting and a more civilised period only begins to flourish when peace returns. The evidence of this civilisation is to be found in the Christian monasteries built beside the tombs of the saints. Clovis’ reign was of no artistic importance but Dagobert had an abbey built at Saint-Denis and left us an armchair which bears his name, although there is very little to distinguish it from a curule chair! At the same time, gold and silver works with a peculiarly Byzantine flavour have been found dating from Charlemagne’s reign onwards. It seems that chests attributed to the Carolingian period decorated with ivory plaques showing mythical animals and using inlaid ivory and marquetry with different coloured woods inspired the arrangements used by Italian ivory craftsmen. What we shall witness next is the arrival in the West of a new art under the auspices of new religious aspirations.

The catacombs where the early Christians took refuge from the persecution of the Roman Emperors were to be the birthplace of this Christian art, which would evolve little by little away from the old thinking. Hot wax paintings, richly-sculpted sarcophagi and a wealth of tools, receptacles and so on bear witness to the momentum of this new world view, which would be marked by a use of allegory and symbolism borrowed, in particular, from Pagan thought. However, one distinguishes in the rough execution of their work, which was of a much poorer quality than that of Rome’s public buildings and imperial palaces, a thrust which was moving gradually away from those roots. When the vast Roman Empire tired of creating martyrs and inventing new forms of torture while its enemies expressed their faith through images of peace, happiness, unity, and hope, accepted the new faith, the images created in the catacombs began to decorate the walls of churches and basilicas. These images did not take on an identity entirely of their own until after the advent of Constantine when Christian art could safely develop inside these religious buildings.

At this point painting (sculpture was rather rare, found in the form of low reliefs on sarcophagi and was very similar in its themes to decorative painting) began to depict historical subjects, including Christ, the Virgin, the Apostles, Abraham and Moses, Jonah and Daniel, just as the artists of antiquity had depicted Perseus, Hercules and Theseus. It was not until basilicas had finally replaced profane buildings that Christians used images to celebrate their religion, through representations of their martyr’s victory. Justinian, who had recourse to the Greek artists who imported a style of architecture which paid homage to Constantinople into the West, established the Byzantine style.

The Byzantine style is essentially an eastern style. It speaks of India, Persia, and Syria – of Asia, in fact, and celebrates the wealth of detail and the magnificence of their decoration. Although the profusion of decoration found in the Byzantine style is less than tasteful, it has great character. In painting, figures stand out against a golden background and mosaic work has never been more widely used than it was during this period. Rich fabrics from Asia were also typical. These were painted or embroidered, covered with gold or silver leaf, precious stones, cabochons and large pieces of chased metal. Favourite motifs were flowers, animals, and ‘episodes from the life of Christ’. There might be up to six hundred figures on a tunic or cloak. Beds, seating, chests, vessels, and so on were made of delicately worked ebony, ivory, gold, silver, and bronze. This emphasis on luxury, seductive as it is, corrupted their taste and reflects the unusually free and pleasure-seeking manners of Byzantium. It was a time when wealth was a gateway to immorality and Byzantine art benefitted from the resulting splendour and pomp.

The Eastern peoples of antiquity were similar to modern Eastern peoples in the sense that they were content with a small range of furniture. Luxury was limited to the fine textiles that covered the frames provided with straps and webbing on which they slept. There were no chairs, tables or any of the other items of furniture we use today (except in royal palaces). Small chests and cabinets were used for all of these purposes. The lack of furniture can be ascribed to the fact that it was difficult to obtain suitable wood and to the fact that everyday life was simple as there was, at the time, very little middle ground between extravagant wealth and poverty. By contrast, at least as far as one can judge from remains and from frescoes and mosaics, the furnishings of the royal palaces were sumptuous. There were heavy solid thrones with cylindrical backs made up of a number of circles joined together, square seats with a cushion and heavy round legs and uprights. The decoration was hieratic and done in garish colours with alternating motifs. There were also mosaics and frescoes. There was an abundance of chandeliers, candelabras and worked bars. In summary, the Byzantine style was majestic. It used Greek ideas but rejected the Greek focus on simplicity and it is this difference that gives it its risky but captivating beauty. Its stylised decoration has the merit of imitating nature through routine and repetition and is an example of real beauty in an ornamental style.

The chest is an invention of the Middle Ages. Its shape, size, and the richness and quality of the decoration depend on the period when it was made. Chests may be made of wood or completely covered in painted fabric or leather. Along with the chest, the wardrobe is the other essential item of furniture, the only property that people of a certain status had. It was made of solid wood with metal fittings and its doors had a number of solid locks, giving the item the bleak appearance of a miniature fortress. Initially, joiners and carpenters made furniture. Later the task passed to wood carvers, who then became cabinet makers and did more detailed, finer woodwork. Furniture was always portable and still consisted of very few items: chest, stool, bed, and wardrobe. However, these could be used for a variety of purposes with the help of a few cushions. Non-portable furniture only began to appear in the 15th century. It was used to furnish palaces and castles, which had made do, up to that point, with chests, beds, benches, tables, and dressing tables with shelves which were transported by mule or on carts. The chests were used to store cushions and wall-hangings, painted canvases or tapestries, pieces of gold work to decorate the dressing tables and textiles which were used as floor coverings once scattering scented plants or straw on floors fell out of fashion.

To close this chapter, we should like to say something about jewellery. The invading barbarians were skilled in working precious metals. The Goths, in particular, made wonderful gold and silver work, primarily in Spain. However, in the Middle Ages, artists worked almost entirely for the church. Naturally, goldsmiths’ work and jewellery in the Middle Ages, as during other periods, followed fashions in architecture and sculpture. Champlevé enamelling was used as were precious stones, but the metal setting was rounded (until the mid-13th century). Solid, heavy Romanesque art was obliged to resist the delicacy of jewellery but Gothic art would not have lived up to its reputation for elegance, delicate tracery and filigree work if it had not triumphed in the goldsmith’s art as well as in architecture. We would be prepared to wager that, had more Gothic jewellery survived, we would have been able to distinguish High, Middle, and Late Gothic pieces just as we are able to recognise the equivalent architectural styles. In conclusion, let us simply remember that in the Middle Ages the jeweller’s art was used primarily to embellish reliquaries, shrines, mitres, crosiers, crosses, that these objects were decorated with enamelling which is renowned to this day and that the common people were not entitled to wear jewellery. This last point, which may be aesthetically understandable, although it is certainly undemocratic, perhaps opened the way for the dreadful imitation jewellery which is so much in vogue today.

79. Anonymous. St Vitale Basilica, north wall: two scenes from the life of Abraham, angels, Moses, the prophet Jeremiah, St John, and St Luke, c. 527–548. Mosaic. Basilica of St Vitale, Ravenna (Italy). Byzantine.

80. Anonymous. Procession of Twenty-Six Martyrs, 493–526. Mosaic. Basilica of St Apollinaris in Classe, Ravenna (Italy). Byzantine.

81. Anonymous. Miniature illustration of Vergilius Vaticanus, beginning of the 5th century. Illuminated manuscript, 21.9 × 19.6 cm. Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vatican City. Roman Antiquity.

82. Anonymous. The Good Shepherd (detail), 425–450. Mosaic. Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna (Italy). Byzantine.

83. Anonymous. Christ as a Warrior, c. 520. Mosaic. Museo Arcivescovile, Ravenna (Italy). Byzantine.

84. Anonymous. The Parting of Lot and Abraham, c. 432–440. Mosaic. Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome. Roman Antiquity.

85. Anonymous. Locket of Empress Maria, Milan (?), 398–407. Cameo of silver, gold, emerald, and rubies. Musée du Louvre, Paris. High Middle Ages.

86. Anonymous. Patera from Cherchell, Mt Chenoua, 6th century. Silver, partially gilded, diameter: 16 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

87. Anonymous. Belt buckle, Visigothic Kingdom, 6th century. Bronze and garnet, 7.1 × 12.3 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. High Middle Ages.

88. Anonymous. Missorium, Hercules Strangling the Nemean Lion, 6th century. Silver, diameter: 40 cm. Cabinet des Médailles, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris. Byzantine.

89. Anonymous. Diptych panel in five parts: The Emperor Triumphant (Justinian?), Constantinople, first half of the 6th century. Ivory, traces of inlay, 34.2 × 26.8 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

90. Anonymous. Throne of Maximilian, 546–554. Ivory. Museo Arcivescovile, Ravenna (Italy). Byzantine.

91. Anonymous. Ariadne, Maenad, Satyr, and Eros, first half of the 6th century. Ivory, 4 × 13.8 × 75 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Byzantine.

92. Anonymous. Vase from Emesa (or Homs, Syria), end of the 6th century or beginning of the 7th century. Hammered, chased, and engraved silver, height: 45 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

93. Anonymous. Ampulla with a cross, 6th century. Clay, 7 × 5 cm. Directorate General of Antiquities, Beirut. Eastern.

94. Anonymous. Adornments belonging to Queen Arnegundem, Merovingian Gaul, 6th century. Gold, garnet fragments, blue glass, silver, niello. Musée du Louvre, Paris. High Middle Ages.

95. Anonymous. Necklace with cross and pendants, Constantinople, 6th century. Gold, carved and engraved. The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. Byzantine.

96. Anonymous. Cross of Justin II (or Crux Vaticana), c. 568–574. Gilded silver adorned with precious stones, 40.7 × 31.5 cm.From the treasury of St Peter, Vatican City. Byzantine.

97. Anonymous. Medallion with The Triumph of the Emperor Qalaat al-Marqab, 6th-7th century. Chased gold, medallion: length: 6 cm; diameter: 5.4 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Eastern.

98. Anonymous. Wedding belt, end of the 6th century. Hammered, repoussé, and smouldered gold, granulation, length: 74 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

99. Anonymous. Bracelet, end of the 6th century. Gold and glass paste (partly missing), diameter: 6 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

100. Anonymous. Jug with the face of a goddess, 6th-7th century. Moulded silver, neck executed separately and fixed onto the stomach, retouched with a chisel and hollow punch, stabilising the handles of the jug. Height: 14.5 cm; weight: 3.58 kg. The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. Persian.

101. Anonymous. Treasure of Guarrazar. Votive crowns, crosses, pendants, and suspension chains, Visigothic Spain, 7th century. Gold, sapphire, emeralds, amethyst, pearls, quartz, mother-of-pearl, and jasper. Musée de Cluny, Paris. High Middle Ages.

102. Anonymous. Belt, 7th century. Gold, 6.3 × 6.4 cm. Musée d’Archéologie nationale, Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Byzantine.

103. Anonymous. Fragment of a sheath, c. 6th-7th century. Wood, copper, gold, niello, and stainless steel, 30 × 8 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Romanesque.

104. Anonymous. Signet ring, c. 6th-7th century. Agate, 2.6 × 2.1 cm. The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. Persian.

105. Anonymous. Pitcher, 7th century. Carnelian, height: 19 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

106. Anonymous. Lion and Gazelle, 724–743. Mosaic. Hisham’s Palace (Khirbat al-Mafjar), West Bank (Palestine). Eastern.

107. Anonymous. Quadriga, 9th century. Patterned samite, polychrome silk, 75 × 72.5 cm. From the treasury of the Aachen Cathedral. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Byzantine.

108. Anonymous. Leo VI in Proskynesis before Christ Enthroned, 9th-10th century. Mosaic. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul. Byzantine.

109. Anonymous. Treasury, 710–715. Mosaic. Umayyad Mosque (or the Great Mosque of Damascus), Damascus. Eastern.

110. Anonymous. Mirror with the twelve zodiac signs, Sui dynasty, beginning of the 7th century. Tinted bronze, diameter: 21.5 cm. Musée national des Arts asiatiques – Guimet, Paris. Chinese.

111. Anonymous. Plate with a prince hunting lions, c. 8th-9th century. Silver, diameter: 25.8 cm. The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. Eastern.

112. Anonymous. Mirror depicting sea creatures, c. 7th-9th century. Bronze, diameter: 17.7 cm. National Palace Museum, Taipei. Chinese.

113. Anonymous. Belt in gold with precious stones, 8th century. Gold and precious stones, 4.8 × 3 cm. Jilin Province Museum, Changchun (China). Chinese.

114. Anonymous. Medallion depicting a griffin, 8th-9th century. Gold, diameter: 4.2 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

115. Anonymous. Jug, decorated with a flute player and a mythical creature, 8th-9th century. Cast bronze, height: 43 cm. The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. Persian.

116. Anonymous. The Crucifixion, beginning of the 9th century. Cloisonné enamel. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Byzantine.

117. School of the Court of Charles the Bald, France. Jewelled upper cover of Lindau Gospels, c. 880. Repoussé gold and precious stones, 35 × 27.5 cm. The Morgan Library and Museum, New York. Romanesque.

118. Anonymous. The Crucifixion, book cover (?). Bronze, 21 cm. National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.

119. Anonymous. Majesty of Sainte Foy, 9th-15th century. Main piece of yew wood, gold leaf, silver, enamel, and precious stones, height: 85 cm. Sainte-Foy Abbey-Church, Conques (France). Romanesque.

120. Anonymous. Votive crown of Emperor Leo VI, 886–912. Gold, cloisonné enamel, and pearls, diameter: 13 cm. St Mark’s Basilica, Venice. Byzantine.

121. Anonymous. Bronze-plated torque with lapis lazuli, turquoise, and coral, 9th century. Bronze and precious stones. Chris Hall Collection Trust, Hong Kong. Chinese.

122. Anonymous. Ring, 10th-12th century. Gold, emerald, ruby, and diamonds, diameter: 2.7 cm. Cham.

123. Anonymous. Ring, 10th-12th century. Gold and red glass beads, diameter: 2.4 cm. Cham.

124. Anonymous. Drop earrings, 10th-12th century. Gold, height: 1.5 cm. Cham.

125. Anonymous. Earrings, 10th-12th century. Gold and cast iron, length: 4.6 cm.Cham.

126. Anonymous. Earrings, 10th-12th century. Gold, length: 4 cm. Cham.

127. Anonymous. Chest plate with mythological creatures: Playing Cherubs (detail), Constantinople, 10th century. Ivory, 28.2 × 4.8 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

128. Anonymous. Jug, 9th-12th century. Silver, height: 12.5 cm; diameter: 13.5 cm.Cham.

129. Anonymous. Sword and sheath from the crowning ceremonies of the French kings, 10th-14th century. Gold, gilded silver, and precious stones, 83.8 × 22.6 cm. From the treasury of the Basilica Cathedral of St Denis. Musée du Louvre, Paris. High Middle Ages.

130. Anonymous. Chalice belonging Romanos II, 959–963. Carnelian, height: 28.5 cm. From the treasury of St Mark’s Basilica, Venice. Byzantine.

131. Anonymous. Vessel, 10th-11th century. Carnelian and enamelled gold, height: 24.6 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

132. Anonymous. Bowl with the figure of a seated prince, 10th century. Ceramic, height: 10.8 cm; diameter: 36.5 cm. Khalili Collection. Eastern.

133. Anonymous. Plate with the figure of a bird, Iraq, 10th century. Ceramic. Private collection. Eastern.

134. Anonymous. Reliquary of the True Cross, middle of the 10th century. Gold, silver, and precious stones, height: 48 cm. From the treasury of the Limburg Cathedral, Limburg. Byzantine.

135. Anonymous. Triptych, known as ‘Harbaville Triptych’: Deesis and Saints, middle of the 10th century. Ivory and traces of polychrome, 28.2 × 24.2 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

136. Anonymous. Portable altar, Fulda or Bamberg (Germany), 11th century. Silver, partially gilded and engraved on wood, porphyry, 25.6 × 23 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris.

137. Anonymous. Chest, second half of the 10th century. Frame of wood, gilded copper, parchment paper, traces of gilding, 16 × 27 × 17.3 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

138. Anonymous. Emperor Constantine IX and Empress Zoe with Christ Enthroned, 11th century. Mosaic. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul. Byzantine.

139. Anonymous. Virgin Mary Holding the Infant Christ, with Constantine and Justinian, 11th century. Mosaic. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul. Byzantine.

140. Anonymous. Shroud of St Germain, 11th century. Silk, length: 236 cm. Musée de l’abbaye Saint-Germain, Auxerre. Byzantine.

141. Anonymous. Eusebian Canons, gospel, 10th century. Parchment, 29.7 × 22.5 cm. Tours. Romanesque.

142. Anonymous. Shroud of St Lazarus of Autun, Andalusia, beginning of the 11th century. Silk, silk threads, and gold, 55 × 30 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris.

143. Anonymous. Healing the Bleeding Woman, c. 980. Mural. St George in Reichenau-Oberzell, Reichenau. Romanesque.

144. Anonymous. West gate, 1010–1033. Bronze. St Michael’s Church, Hildesheim. Romanesque.

145. Anonymous. Book cover: The Crucifixion and Symbols of the Evangelists, 11th century. Gold, cloisonné enamel, cabochons, and niello over wood, 32.2 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Ottonian Renaissance.

146. Anonymous. The Archangel St Michael, 11th century. Icon. From the treasury of St Mark’s Basilica, Venice. Byzantine.

147. Anonymous. Reliquary case of the True Cross, with sliding lid, Byzantium, 11th century. Gilded silver, champlevé enamel, gems, and leather on gilded copper. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

148. Anonymous. Chest: The Victory Parade of Two Emperors (lid), The Lion Hunt (sides), first half of the 11th century. Ivory, 26.4 × 13.4 × 13 cm. From the treasury of Troyes Cathedral, Troyes (France). Byzantine.

149. Anonymous. Ivory chest, 11th century. Ivory. Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid. Eastern.

150. Anonymous. Earrings, 10th-11th century. Gold, 4.2 × 3.8 × 1.5 cm and 4.3 × 4 × 1.7 cm. Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Eastern.

151. Anonymous. Astrolabe, 1029–1030. Bronze. Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Berlin. Eastern.

152. Anonymous. St Demetius’ cameo, 11th century. Jasper and chalcedony, height: 3.25 cm. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris. Byzantine.

153. Anonymous. Paten, with Christ blessing, 11th century. Alabaster, gold, silver, diameter: 34 cm. St Mark’s Basilica, Venice. Byzantine.

154. Anonymous. Medallion: St Demetrius, end of the 11th century-beginning of the 12th century. Gold and cloisonné enamel. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

155. Anonymous. Reliquary in an ‘A’ – shape, from Charlemagne, end of the 11th century. Wood and silver. Abbey Treasury, Conques. Romanesque.

156. Anonymous. Battle of Motte and Bailey Castle (top), Harold Pledges to Support William’s Claim to the Throne (bottom), 1077–1082. Silk embroidery on linen, height: 50 cm; length: 70 cm. Bayeux Tapestry. Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux (with special permission of the city of Bayeux), Bayeux. Romanesque.

157. Anonymous. Banner for the Caliph Al-Mustali, known as the Veil of St Anne (detail), Egypt, 1096–1097. Linen, embellished with bands of tiraz and spun gold, 148 × 290 cm. Apt Cathedral, Apt (France). Eastern.

158. Anonymous. Initial of the second Book of Kings, Bible with prologue (Biblia Sacra cum prologis), second half of the 12th century. Parchment, 46.5 × 33 cm. Weissenau Abbey, Upper Swabia.

159. Anonymous. The Crucifixion, St Calminius reliquary (detail), beginning of the 12th century. Embossed enamel and copper. Mozac Abbey, Mozac (France). Romanesque.

160. Anonymous. Cover of the gospel, northern Italy, beginning of the 12th century. Embossed silver, engraved and partially gilded, and niello on wood, parchment, 28.3 × 2.4 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Byzantine.

161. Anonymous. Reliquary plate from the stone of Christ’s tomb: The Holy Women, 12th century. Gilded silver and wax on wood, 42.6 × 33.1 cm. From the treasury of Sainte-Chapelle. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

162. Renier de Huy, 12th century, Belgian. Baptismal font, 1107–1108. Bronze. St Bartholomew’s Church, Liège. Romanesque.

Renier de Huy

(12th century)

Renier de Huy was a goldsmith and bronze moulder in the early 12th century. His name relates to the city Huy-sur-Meuse. Today, little is known about his life and few of his works still exist, including the massive brass piece, the baptismal font from the church of Notre-Dame-aux-Fonts, which currently lies in the St Bartholomew’s Church in Liège. Renier de Huy’s antique style influenced the late gothic and the beginning of the Renaissance style.

163. Anonymous. Icon in lapis lazuli, 12th century. Gold, pearls, and precious stones, height: 8.3 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

164. Anonymous. Cupola, with Genesis, c. 1120. Mosaic. Narthex, St Mark’s Basilica, Venice. Romanesque.

165. Anonymous. Mural, Christ in Glory, 1120. St Peter and Paul in Reichenau-Niederzell, Reichenau. Romanesque.

166. Anonymous. Altar of Santa Maria de Taüll, 1123. Carving from pinewood and polychrome tempera, 135 × 98 cm. Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, Barcelona. Romanesque.

167. Anonymous. The Archangel Gabriel, beginning of the 12th century. Icon, height: 11 cm. Church of St Clement of Ohrid, Skopje (Macedonia). Byzantine.

168. Anonymous. A Holy Woman, Catalonia, c. 1125–1150. Pearwood with traces of polychrome, 133 × 31 × 38 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Romanesque.

169. Anonymous. Enthroned Virgin Mary, Auvergne, last quarter of the 12th century. Polychrome wood, 80 × 30 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris.

170. Anonymous. The Virgin of Monserrat or Black Madonna, beginning of the 12th century. Wood. Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, Montserrat (Catalonia). Romanesque.

171. Anonymous. Aubazine cabinet, 12th century. Oak and iron. Aubazine Abbey, Aubazine.

172. Anonymous. Qur’an stand, 12th century. Wood. Museum für Islamische Kunst, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin. Eastern.

173. Anonymous. Leopards and Centaurs, Hall of Roger II, 12th-13th century. Mosaic. Palazzo dei Normanni, Palermo. Byzantine.

174. Anonymous. The Creation of Eve, 1130–1143. Mosaic. Palatine Chapel, Palermo. Byzantine.

175. Anonymous. Martorana Dome, Christ Pantocrator Surrounded by Four Archangels, 1149. Mosaic. The Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, Palermo. Byzantine.

176. Anonymous. Candlestick: Woman Horseback Riding, Magdeburg (?), middle of the 12th century. Gilded bronze, height: 20 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Romanesque.

177. Anonymous. Reliquary casket of St Thomas Becket, c. 1190–1200. Champlevé copper, engraved, enamelled, and gilded, 15 × 16.6 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Romanesque.

178. Anonymous. Portable altar: Crucifixion and the Twelve Apostles, Westfalen, c. 1170–1180. Gilded copper, engraved and champlevé enamel, 8.6 × 14 × 21 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Romanesque.

179. Anonymous. Book cover: Christ Enthroned, meridional workshop (Limousin or Spain?), third quarter of the 12th century. Champlevé and cloisonné copper, enamelled, and gilded, 23.6 × 16.6 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Romanesque.

180. Anonymous. Shrine of St Dominic of Silos, front plate, 1160–1170. Enamel and copper. Museo de Burgos, Burgos. Romanesque.

181. Anonymous. Reliquary of Charlemagne’s arm, Liège, c. 1165–117 °Champlevés enamel on copper, gilded silver on wood, 54 × 13.6 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Romanesque.

182. Anonymous. Stained glass window depicting the Passion of Christ (missing), 1140–1144. Originally in the ambulatory in the Basilica Cathedral of St Denis, Saint-Denis. Romanesque.

183. Anonymous. Samson Carrying the Gate of Gaza, 1180–1200. Stained glass window from Alpirsbach Abbey. Landesmuseum Württemberg, Stuttgart. Romanesque.

184. Anonymous. Stained glass window depicting the Nativity, detail from Life of Christ, 1140–1145. Ambulatory in the Basilica Cathedral of St Denis, Saint-Denis. Gothic.

185. Anonymous. St Eustace: The Sacred Tools for Hunting, c. 1200–1210. Stained glass window. North aisle, Chartres Cathedral, Chartres. Gothic.

186. Anonymous. Our Lady Queen of Heaven, c. 1170. Stained glass window, 427 cm. Chartres Cathedral, Chartres. Romanesque.

187. Anonymous. High-spouted ewer, Herat (Afghanistan), 1180–1200. Sheet brass inlaid with copper, silver, and gold and with repoussé decoration including signs of the zodiac, height: 40 cm. British Museum, London. Eastern.

188. Anonymous. Ink bottle, second half of the 12th century-beginning of the 13th century. Bronze (brass) cast and engraved, coated with copper and silver, height: 10.5 cm; diameter: 8.2 cm. The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. Persian.

189. Anonymous. Chest, France, c. 1200. Gilded silver, gems, pearls on wood, quartz, 11.3 × 14.8 × 9 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris.

190. Master Roberto, Italian. Baptismal font, c. 1150. Basilica of San Frediano, Lucca. Romanesque.

191. Anonymous. Apse in the Cathedral of Monreale: Christ Pantocrator, Virgin and Child, Archangel, Apostle, and Saints, 1175–1190. Mosaic. Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily. Byzantine.

192. Anonymous. Pala d’Oro, 12th-13th century. Gold, silver, and precious stones, 212 × 334 cm. St Mark’s Basilica, Venice. Byzantine.

193. Nicholas of Verdun, 1130-c. 1205, Austrian. Shrine of the Three Kings, 1191. Oak, gold, silver, copper, gilding, champlevé and cloisonné enamel, precious stones, and semi-precious stones, 153 × 110 × 220 cm. Cologne Cathedral, Cologne. Romanesque.

Nicolas de Verdun

(Verdun, 1130 – Tournai, c. 1205)

Nicolas de Verdun is one of the greatest goldsmiths of the Middle Ages. With him, the transition from the Romantic to the Gothic occurred. The genius artist was the cause for the Aesthetic Revolution of the 12th century, and he enjoyed a distinguished European distinction. The following three works are masterpieces of his creativity: in year 1181, he created the pulpit with an enamelled triptych of fifty religious peoples and a biblical scene for the Klosterneuburg Monastery. In 1184, he made the shrine of the Three Magi for the Cologne Cathedral and in 1205 the shrine for Tournai Cathedral. The significance of Nicolas de Verdun’s works lies in his personalised style, as well as in the return of the antique design vocabulary, and, although still early, the transition to Gothic.

194. Anonymous. Cauldron, Herat (Afghanistan), 12th century – beginning of the 13th century. Bronze with inlaid work in silver and copper, height: 18.5 cm. The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. Eastern.

195. Master Alpais (?). Master Alpais’ ciborium, Limoges, c. 1200. Gilded copper, champlevé enamel, glass cabochons, height: 30 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

196. Anonymous. Reliquary from Notre-Dame de Termonde, Flanders, c. 1220–1230. Gilded silver and niello on a wooden core, precious stones, and quartz, 24.1 × 13.4 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris.

197. Anonymous. Reliquary of St Francis of Assisi, Limoges, c. 1228–1230. Gilded copper, champlevé enamel on gilded copper, crystals, 20 × 20 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Gothic.

198. Anonymous. Cross-shaped reliquary of the True Cross, southern Italy (?), end of the 12th century or c. 1200. Gilded silver, opaque cloisonné enamel on gilded silver, wood, glass beads, 24 × 11.7 cm. Musée des beaux-arts de Dijon, Dijon. Byzantine.

199. Anonymous. Cross-shaped reliquary of the True Cross, Limousin, 13th century. Gilded copper on wood, jewels, 57.3 × 21.4 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Romanesque.

200. Anonymous. Chest, Sicily, end of the 12th century. Lacquered and gilded ivory on wood, gilded bronze, 11 × 31 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris.

201. Anonymous. Chest, known as ‘The Holy Reliquary’, 12th-13th century. Ivory and enamel, height: 35 cm; diameter: 32.5 cm. From the treasury of the Sens Cathedral, Sens (France). Byzantine.

202. Anonymous. Jug, beginning of the 13th century. Stoneware, height: 28 cm. Museum of History of the People of Uzbekistan, Tashkent. Persian.

203. Anonymous. Pitcher, 13th century. Enamelled stoneware, burnt twice, height: 7.8 cm; diameter: 18 cm. The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. Persian.

204. Anonymous. Dishes, Iran, 12th and 13th centuries. Ceramic and turquoise glass. Private collection. Eastern.

205. Anonymous. View of a ceiling made of wood, 1214–1230. St Michael’s Church, Hildesheim. Romanesque.

206. Anonymous. Ascension of Jesus, 13th century. Mosaic. St Mark’s Basilica, Venice. Byzantine.

207. Anonymous. Moralised Bible: Blanche of Castile and King Louis IX of France; Author Dictating to a Scribe, France, c. 1230. Ink, 37.5 × 26.2 cm. The Morgan Library and Museum, New York. Gothic.

208. Anonymous. Cover of a book belonging to St Blaise, Strasbourg (?), 1260–1270. Gilded silver, 38.7 × 27.3 cm. St Paul im Lavanttal, The Lavanttal. Gothic.

209. Anonymous. Prayer niche (Mihrab), 13th-14th century. Ceramic, 63 × 47 cm. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon. Eastern.

210. Anonymous. Adam, c. 1260. Polychrome stone, 200 × 73 × 41 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Gothic.

211. Anonymous. Virgin and Child from Sainte-Chapelle, c. 1265–1270. Ivory and traces of polychrome, 41 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Gothic.

212. Nicola Pisano, 1206–1278, Italian. Lectern, 1266–1268. Marble, height: 460 cm. Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, Siena. Gothic.

Nicola Pisano

(Apulia, 1206 – Pisa, 1278)

Italian sculptor and architect, Nicola Pisano heads the tradition of Italian sculpture. As early as 1221, he is said to have been summoned to Naples by Frederick II, to do work in the new Castell dell’Ovo. In 1260, as an incised inscription records, he finished the marble pulpit for the Pisa Baptistry. The next important work of Nicola in date is the Arca di San Domenico, in the church at Bologna consecrated to that saint, who died in 1221.

Nicola’s last great work of sculpture was the fountain in the piazza opposite the west end of the Perugia Cathedral. Nicola Pisano was not only pre-eminent as a sculptor but was also the greatest architect of his century and a skilled engineer.

Nicola Pisano died at Pisa, leaving his son Giovanni, a worthy successor to his great talents both as an architect and sculptor.

213. Anonymous. Altarpiece from the Church of St Maria zur Wiese, The Holy Trinity, Virgin Mary, and John the Baptist, c. 1250. Paint on wood. Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin. Romanesque.

214. Anonymous. Bowl, decorated with two princes observing a pond with two fish, 13th century. Ceramic, height: 9 cm; diameter: 21.7 cm. Khalili Collection. Eastern.

215. Anonymous. Plate, Syria, middle of the 13th century. Bronze and silver, forged and decorated, diameter: 43.1 cm. The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. Eastern.

216. Anonymous. Cup on a pedestal, second half of the 13th century. Cast bronze (brass), coated with silver and gold, height: 14.3 cm; diameter: 17.7 cm. The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. Persian.

217. Anonymous. Cup, Yuan dynasty, 1279–1368. Stoneware, porcelain, height: 16.4 cm. National Palace Museum, Taipei. Chinese.

218. Anonymous. Bottle, Egypt, 14th century. Hand-blown glass, embellished with enamel and gilded, height: 48 cm. Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris. Eastern.

219. Anonymous. Lamp from a mosque, 1309–1310. Colourless glass, enamelled and gilded, height: 30 cm; diameter: 21 cm. Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris. Eastern.

220. Anonymous. Lamp from a mosque, 14th century. Enamelled glass, height: 35 cm; diameter: 31 cm. Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris. Eastern.

221. Anonymous. Windmill Psalter: Psalm I (Beatus Vir), c. 1270–1280. Ink, pigment,a nd gold on vellum, 32.3 × 22.2 cm. The Morgan Library and Museum, New York. Gothic.

222. Gautier de Coinci. The Miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a representation of the story of the damnation of a money lender and the redemption of a beggar who accompanied the Blessed Virgin Mary, end of the 13th century. Parchment, 27.5 × 19 cm. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris. Gothic.

223. Yves, monk of the Abbey of St Denis, French. The Life of St Denis: The Entrance of St Denis into Paris, c. 1317. Miniatures on parchment, 27.5 × 19 cm. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris. Gothic.

224. Anonymous. The Transfiguration of Jesus, 14th century. Mosaic. Church of the Holy Apostles, Thessaloniki. Byzantine.

225. Anonymous. Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, 1315–1321. Mosaic. Kariye Camii (Chora Church), Istanbul. Byzantine.

226. Anonymous. St George and the Dragon, first half of the 14th century. Portable mosaic. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Byzantine.

227. Anonymous. Aquamanile, northern Germany, beginning of the 14th century. Molten and engraved bronze, 22 × 19 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Gothic.

228. Anonymous. Reliquary bust of a companion of St Ursula, Cologne, c. 1340. Coloured limestone, gilded, height: 47.5 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Gothic.

229. Minucchio da Siena, 14th century, Italian. Golden rose, Avignon, 1330. Gold and coloured glass, length: 60 cm. From the treasury of the Basel Minster. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Gothic.

230. Anonymous. Reliquary figure: Virgin and Child of Jeanne d’Évreux, Paris, c. 1324–1339. Gilded silver, basse-taille enamels on gilded silver, stones and pearls, height: 68 cm. From the treasury of the Basilica Cathedral of St Denis.Musée du Louvre, Paris. Gothic.

231. Anonymous. Clasp of a reliquary, Bohemia (?), middle of the 14th century. Engraved silver, partially gilded, enamel, jewels, pearls, 18.5 × 18.5 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Gothic.

232. Anonymous. Pouch, known as ‘Countess of Bar’, France, 14th century. Leather, gold and silver threads, 36 × 32 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris.

233. Anonymous. Embroidery with Leopards, c. 1330–1340. Velvet, silver threads, partially gilded, cabochon, pearls, 51 × 124 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Romanesque.

234. Anonymous. Grisaille panel, c. 1324. Glass, grisaille, yellow silver, lead, 64.5 × 42 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Gothic.

235. Anonymous. Stained glass window with maple leaves and crucifixion, c. 1330. Glass, grisaille, and lead, 107 × 105 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Gothic.

236. Anonymous. St Paul, Normandy, c. 1300. Glass, grisaille, and lead, 71 × 58.5 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Gothic.

237. Simone Martini and Lippo Memmi, 1284–1344 and 1291–1356, Italian. Altarpiece of the Annunciation, 1333. Tempera on wood, 184 × 210 cm. Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence. Gothic.

238. Ugolino di Vieri, 1329–1380/1385, Italian. Reliquary of the Corporal of Bolsena, 1337–1338. Gilded and enamelled silver, height: 139 cm. Orvieto Cathedral, Orvieto (Italy). Gothic.

239. Anonymous. Arm reliquary of St Louis of Toulouse, Naples, c. 1337–1338. Quartz, gilded silver, and champlevé enamel, height: 48 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Gothic.

240. Anonymous. Sceptre of Charles V, Paris, 1365–1380. Gold, enamelled repeatedly, gilded silver (shaft), rubies, coloured glass, pearls, length: 60 cm. From the treasury of the Basilica Cathedral of St Denis. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Gothic.

241. Anonymous. Bottle, Mamluk dynasty, middle of the 14th century. Enamelled glass. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon. Eastern.

242. Anonymous. Cross, 14th century. Silver and enamel, 82.5 × 44.5 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Gothic.

243. Anonymous. Baptismal font, Germany, 14th century. Bronze, 80.5 × 87 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris. Gothic.

244. Anonymous. Door knocker with lion, Germany, 14th century. Bronze, 19.5 × 8.5 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris.

245. Guyart des Moulins, 1251–1322, French. Bible Historiale: Enthroned Holy Trinity (introductory leaflet), third quarter of the 14th century. Parchment, 45.5 × 31.5 cm. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris. Gothic.

246. Guyart des Moulins, 1251–1322, French. Bible Historiale: New Testament (frontispiece), third quarter of the 14th century. Parchment, 45.5 × 31.5 cm. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris. Gothic.

247. Jean le Noir, Jacquemart de Hesdin, Maître de la Trinité, Pseudonym-Jacquemart and Limbourg Brothers, French. Turin-Milan Hours (or Belles Heures of Jean de France, Duc de Berry): The Birth of John the Baptist and the Baptism of Christ, 1375–1390. Illuminated manuscript, 22.5 × 13.6 cm. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris. Gothic.

248. Giovanni de’Grassi, 1350–1398, Italian. Breviarium ambrosianum, known as Il Beroldo, c. 1390. Biblioteca Trivulziana, Milan. Gothic.

249. Andrea Bonaiuti, known as Andrea da Firenze, 1343–1377, Italian. Exaltation of the Work of the Dominicans, c. 1365–1367. Fresco. Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Florence. Gothic.

250. Anonymous. Hinged chest, France, 14th century. Oak and wrought iron, mortise and tenon joint, 89 × 165 × 79 cm. Musée des Arts décoratif, Paris.

251. Anonymous. Chest, end of the 14th century. Repoussé leather, engraved, painted, and gilded, on wood, brass fittings, 12 × 26 × 18 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris.

252. Anonymous. Plate: Virgin and Child, Unicorn, c. 1370. Glass, gilded, engraved, and painted, wooden frame, 32.5 × 15 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris.

253. Anonymous. Chest, end of the 14th century. Repoussé leather, engraved, painted, and gilded on wood, brass fittings, 12 × 26 × 18 cm. Musée de Cluny, Paris.

254. Anonymous. Baptismal basin of St Louis (Louis IX), Egypt or Syria, c. 1320–1340. Hammered brass, decoration inlaid with silver, engraved, with gold and black paste, height: 22.2 cm; diameter: 50.2 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Eastern.

255. Anonymous. A pair of mirrors: Christ between John the Baptist and Charlemagne and The Virgin between St Catherine and John the Baptist, before 1379. Gold, translucent enamel on basse-taille, diameter: 6.8 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Gothic.

256. Anonymous. St Bernard’s goblet, end of the 14th century. Pure gold, height: 22.5 cm; diameter: 15.2 cm. From the treasury of St Mary’s Cathedral, Hildesheim. Gothic.

257. Anonymous. Water pitcher from a reception in Katzenelnbogen, beginning of the 15th century. Gilded silver, height: 40 cm. Hessisches Landesmuseum, Kassel. Gothic.

258. Antonio de Carro, 1392–1410, Italian. Polyptych, Virgin and Child Surrounded by Saints, 1398. Tempera on wood, golden background, 228 × 236 cm. Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris. Gothic.