An Overview of the Five Early Periods in Art History
Art is the expression of one’s soul, one’s culture, and one’s
identity. More than mirroring life, it mirrors reality. It serves as a
tangible witness on how people lived before. As a tool of
expression, it depicts the reality of one’s experiences, the lives
they lived and the reflects their moments of triumph and dismay.
Art is able to congest everything in one masterpiece allowing
the viewers to reenact on their creative minds the vividity of past
events and through art, one is able to fully indulge themselves
into the same scenario which allows them to understand it
sensibly.
Art history is an interesting gateway to uncover how our
contemporary values have evolved over time. How these values
were anchored to the ancient values of our culture and how they
are relevant. Let us travel back to the times art was struggling to
build its foundation, and reflect on its unique upbringing. Let’s
begin!
ROMANESQUE PERIOD
The term “Romanesque” was invented by 19th-century art historians to refer specifically
to the architecture of the time period, which retained many basic features of Roman
architectural style—most notably semi-circular arches—but retained distinctive regional
characteristics.
Romanesque art resulted from the great expansion of monasticism in the 10th and 11th
centuries when Europe first regained a measure of political stability after the fall of the
Roman Empire. Several large monastic orders, notably the Cistercian, Cluniac, and
Carthusian, sprang up at this time and quickly expanded, establishing churches all over
western Europe. Their churches had to be larger than previous ones in order
to accommodate increased numbers of priests and monks and allow access to pilgrims
who wished to view the saints’ relics kept in the churches.
The image below depicts the sculpture of Giselbertus, named as the “Temptation of
Eve”.
This relief sculpture shows an almost life-sized nude Eve, presumably reclining
toward Adam (now lost) as if whispering to him seductively, while her left hand reaches
back to grasp an apple from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The composition
emphasizes sinuous line and serpentine form. The tree intersects vertically with her
body, covering her pubic area, and the serpent in the foliage at the right echoes both
the tree and the depiction of Eve herself. The work is famously the only large-scale
nude of the medieval period, an era when Christian values discouraged the study of the
naked human body.
Another notable artwork from the Romanesque Period is the work of the Master
of Taüll, the Christ Pantocrator.
The work's innovative sense of composition, with its curving bands of blue, gold,
and carmine, emphasize the semi-circular apse and focus on Christ in the center. The
use of varying shades of blue to depict him, along with highlights of white and carmine
dots, create a sense of movement as if he were emerging toward the faithful. Below him
a number of other sacred figures are partially visible, including the Virgin Mary left of
center, as she holds a chalice containing Christ's blood, a pioneering representation of
the Holy Grail and indication of the cult of Mary that was developing at the time.
Additionally, another splendid artwork has come to life with the existence of the Bayeux
Tapestry by the English Women.
This scene from the famous tapestry shows Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, carrying an oak
club while riding on a black horse, as he rallies the Norman forces of Duke William, his
half-brother, against the English at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.. As art critic Jonathan
Jones noted, "The Bayeux tapestry is not just a fascinating document of a decisive
battle in British history. It is one of the richest, strangest, most immediate and
unexpectedly subtle depictions of war that was ever created."
Though called a tapestry, the work is actually embroidered, employing ten different
colors of dyed crewel, or wool yarn and is believed to have been made by English
women, whose needlework, known as Opus Anglicanum, or English work, was
esteemed throughout Europe by the elite. The Bayeux Tapestry was a unique work of
the Romanesque period, as it depicted a secular, historical event, but also did so in the
medium that allowed for an extended narrative that shaped both the British and French
sense of national identity. As art historian Simon Schama wrote, "It's a fantastic
example of the making of history." The work, held in France, was influential later in the
development of tapestry workshops in Belgium and Northern France around 1500 and
the Gobelin Tapestry of the Baroque era.
GOTHIC PERIOD
Gothic art was a style of medieval art that developed in Northern France out of
Romanesque art in the 12th century AD, led by the concurrent development of Gothic
architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, and much of Northern, Southern and
Central Europe, never quite effacing more classical styles in Italy. In the late 14th
century, the sophisticated court style of International Gothic developed, which continued
to evolve until the late 15th century. In many areas, especially Germany, Late Gothic art
continued well into the 16th century, before being subsumed into Renaissance art.
Primary media in the Gothic period included sculpture, panel painting, stained glass,
fresco and illuminated manuscripts.
One example of a gothic period artwork is the martyrdom of Saint Eulalia by Bernat
Martorell in 1445.
This Gothic painting portrays the narrative of Eulalia, a 13-year-old girl from an
aristocratic family living near Barcelona. During Diocletian’s persecutions, governor
Dacian came to the city to implement the decrees. Eulalia later left her house, visited
the city, and challenged the governor about his ruthless persecution of Christians.
Unable to disregard a young girl’s articulate arguments, Dacian immediately had Eulalia
stripped practically nude and flagellated, followed by grimmer tortures that would not
stop until she recognized the mistake of her ways. She fought till the last, pleading with
God to take her to Heaven before succumbing to her wounds. Following her death, a
dove is said to have flown out of her lips. Then, like a cloak, a sudden snowfall engulfed
her. Her tortures are said to have concluded in her crucifixion, and she is represented
with this cross as the tool of her sacrifice. It has been suggested, though, that she was
publicly executed by torture and her body was left on display, with artistic renderings of
this contributing to the subsequent notion that she was crucified.
The altarpiece named Santa Lucia de’ Magnoli by Domenico Veneziano is also a
must-see artwork of the Gothic period.
Domenico most likely painted this altarpiece in the second half of the 1440s, depicting
the Mother and Child with four saints and associated legends in the predella, which is
now divided among other museums. It depicts the mother and child, as well as Saints
John the Baptist, Francis, Lucy, and Zenobius. The sacra conversazione is set in a
thoroughly Renaissance architectural environment, where the viewpoint is enhanced by
the floor’s foreshortening.
The classic frame of Gothic paintings is turned into an attractive loggia embellished with
magnificent marble intarsia in the Magnoli Altarpiece. The throne, with the Madonna and
Child and four saints, is protected by this structure.
Another jewel from the Gothic Period is represented by the painting of Saint George
Slaying the Dragon. Saint George Slaying the Dragon is one of Carlo Crivelli’s finest,
charged with intensity and seething with spiky shapes. Even though the painter worked
for more than 30 years after creating it, he never produced something nearly as vibrant
and imaginative.
BAROQUE PERIOD
The earliest manifestations, which occurred in Italy, date from the latter decades of the
16th century, while in some regions, notably Germany and colonial South America,
certain culminating achievements of Baroque did not occur until the 18th century. The
work that distinguishes the Baroque period is stylistically complex, even contradictory.
In general, however, the desire to evoke emotional states by appealing to the senses,
often in dramatic ways, underlies its manifestations. Some of the qualities most
frequently associated with the Baroque are grandeur, sensuous richness, drama,
vitality, movement, tension, emotional exuberance, and a tendency to blur distinctions
between the various arts.
The first example was the painting of Artemisia Gentileschi: Judith Slaying
Holofernes.
Artemisia Gentileschi was a Baroque painter from Italy who is now cited as one of the
most talented painters of her period as well as one of the finest female artists of all time.
One of her most well-known Baroque artworks is Judith Slaying Holofernes. After
dressing in her best garments, Judith set out for Holofernes’ camp, pretending to be
interested in forming a partnership with the ruthless general. The Assyrian general was
so taken by her beauty that he threw her a magnificent party in his tent.
The second example was the painting of Peter Paul Rubens: Education of the
Princess.
The Marie de’ Medici Cycle is a set of 24 paintings contracted by Marie de’ Medici,
Henry IV of France’s widow, for the Luxembourg Palace in Paris. The contract was
given to Rubens in the late fall of 1621. The project was set to be completed in two
years, just in time for Marie’s daughter Henrietta Maria to get married. As many as 21 of
the paintings represent Marie’s personal challenges and achievements throughout her
life, and the final three works are all portraits of her, including one of her parents.
A decade after, another painting has to come to life by the hands Nicolas Poussin, in
his piece, The Abduction of Sabine Women.
Not every renowned Italian Baroque painting depicted a religious or contemporary
event. The Abduction of the Sabine Women, a painting by Nicolas Poussin, was based
on a well-known Roman mythical narrative of the time. Poussin, a significant character
in Baroque painting, was a philosopher-painter whose work offers some of the best
instances of formal harmonization and balance.
RENAISSANCE PERIOD
The period from the 14th century to the 17th century in Europe is popularly called
Renaissance, and it marked a rebirth or revival of classical learning and wisdom. The
wave of renaissance touched upon many areas of European civilization, particularly the
areas of art, religion, literature, and politics. Renaissance marked an increased
awareness of nature, a revival in learning which was all present in the medieval period
but became prominent in the 15th and 16th century. Renaissance art was all about the
representation of an individual view of a man. The period of the Renaissance saw some
glorious works of many legendary artists, which are still revered today.
Of the many famous paintings in the world, one can never forget the Mona Lisa of
Leonardo da Vinci.
Dubbed as the most recognized paintings in the world, unarguably it is the most
discussed painting because of the enigmatic smile. There have been many discussions
about the smile of Mona Lisa, whether she is smiling or not. The major feature of this
painting is that Da Vinci has painted her eyes in such a way that even when you change
the angle of the view, the eyes of Mona Lisa seems to always follow you. The painting is
done in oil on wood and is presently under the ownership of the Government of France.
Mona Lisa is exhibited in Louvre, Paris and it belongs to the public, which means that it
cannot be bought or sold.
Another magnificent artwork during the renaissance period is the Primavera painting of
Sandro Botticelli.
The word means spring in Italian. The painting is also known as 'Allegory of Spring'. It is
believed that Botticelli is created this piece of art around 1482 and is said to be one of
the prime examples of Renaissance art. Many have attempted to interpret the painting,
and many have come up with explanations. Some say it is a mythical allegory while
some say it is about the change of season into spring. This painting is popular because
of the use of color and different explanations attached to it. Primavera is believed to be
the most controversial painting in the world.
The last example was the famous work of Michelangelo: The Creation of Adam.
Created in 1512, this is one of the iconic paintings of Michelangelo. The creation of
Adam is the painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Even though this is one of the
most replicated paintings of all time, it is only second in popularity to Mona Lisa. The
painting has become a symbol of humanity as the image depicts the hand of both God
and Adam on the verge of touching.
NEOCLASSICAL PERIOD
Neoclassical art, also called Neoclassicism and Classicism, a widespread and influential
movement in painting and the other visual arts that began in the 1760s, reached its
height in the 1780s and ’90s, and lasted until the 1840s and ’50s. In painting it generally
took the form of an emphasis on austere linear design in the depiction of Classical
themes and subject matter, using archaeologically correct settings and clothing.
Neoclassicism in the arts is an aesthetic attitude based on the art
of Greece and Rome in antiquity, which invokes harmony, clarity, restraint, universality,
and idealism. In the context of the tradition, Classicism refers either to the art produced
in antiquity or to later art inspired by that of antiquity, while Neoclassicism always refers
to the art produced later but inspired by antiquity.
Anton Raphael Mengs’ Parnassus painting comes first on the list.
Anton Raphael Mengs’ painting Parnassus was created as a sketch of his masterful
fresco in the Villa Albani in Rome. Mengs’ fresco contributed to establishing the
ascendancy of Neoclassicism paintings. In his painting Parnassus, Mengs had broken
away from the Baroque traditions and incorporated the Neoclassical style art
conventions.
The Death of General Wolfe (1770) by Benjamin West.
Benjamin West was a British-American painter who became famous for his paintings of
historical scenes. One of his most famous Neoclassical paintings was The Death of
General Wolfe completed in 1770. The painting is a portrayal of the Battle of Quebec
now of General James Wolfe’s death. General Wolfe is the central figure on the
battlefield, he is lying down and his propped-up body acts as the base of the pyramidal
shape that is formed by his surrounding officers that peaks at the partially raised flag,
displaying a triangular composition.
Oath of the Horatii (1784) by Jacques-Louis David
The Neoclassical painter Jacques-Louis David has been considered the pioneer of
Neoclassical painting. David’s Oath of the Horatii was immediately considered hugely
successful by the public and critics and is considered as one of the most famous
Neoclassical paintings from the movement. David’s painting depicted a Roman legend;
a scene about two cities at war, Alba Longa and Rome. Each city chooses three of its
men to send to fight, rather than entire armies being sent to war.
