DESTINATION Midale Ages Your Guide to The Arts in the Middle Ages Cynthia O Brien Le Crabtree Publishing Company www crabtree books com
Before We Start Did you know The creations of medieval artists range from cathedrals to paintings music and poetry Artistic works are one of our main tools for understanding life in the Middle Ages The Middle Ages lasted from approximately 500 to 1500 They are sometimes divided into early and late periods either side of 1000 These dates are only guides however ART OF POETRY Superstar poets Poetry was the most popular form of writing in the Middle Ages Poets such as Geoffrey Chaucer and Dante Alighieri were well known Some poems were lyrics with short rhyming verses about emotions Other poems were longer works Ballads a story told in a series of short verses Epics told stories about heroes in long unbroken verse narratives ru Oe fire remundanetcomparato by Idolañfacenda In Satja ſcruanda Adamour love Selliaferrimandacañcufto ovt nitblazomise funcerplagſ at gandos fipopranſcruanaut Mr Corunmaſculufemne paоoff rendinресudibyanmurandum Erplcruncapsula A RELIGIOUS AGE Christianity rules Incept liber tacecraquem H0s lencum drcumulc The Church supports the arts lap 1 Oca UT After the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 the Roman Catholic Church became very powerful in Europe Most Europeans shared the Catholic faith and the arts reflected this devotion Christian symbols stories and saints were the subjects o paintings and sculptures Scribes wrote and illustrated by hand decorated versions of the Bible right and other religious books such as collections of prayers Choirs sang unaccompanied sacred songs or plainchants to honor God moy fener locu TUSC DESTINATION MIDDLE AGES
THE GREAT MONASTERIES Homes of monks and nuns Medieval monasteries served many purposes Monks helped the poor and the sick They were also teachers and artists In the days before books could be printed monks copied them out by hand left Orders of monks were influential and wealthy Many of these orders were patrons of the arts TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS r Guilds control trades iiii HHHHH Organizations called guilds controlled the trade and Crafts in a town or city Craftsmen such as artists and wood carvers belonged to guilds that tried to control standards of work The guilds grew wealthy and built large headquarters for themselves right Guild members gained social status and job security TiS FIREFORM A WORLD OF MUSIC Choirs and minstrels In the early Middle Ages church choirs sang simple chants Later composers wrote music that was more melodic and often accompanied by instruments Popular instruments included the stringed lute and viol left The sackbut was a brass instrument with a slide like a modern trombone Secular or non religious music was popular Minstrels were traveling musicians They played music to entertain people in the street or in their homes YOUR GUIDE TO THE ARTS IN THE MIDDLE AGES
