Rick Steves Art of the Middle Ages

hey I'm Rick Steves here with a fascinating chapter in the rich and inspirational story of Europe's art in this hour We're Going medieval the era of soaring Cathedrals imposing castles Splendid stained glass and even a unicorn or two this is the art of the Middle Ages thanks for joining us [Music] thank you the Middle Ages spanned a thousand years from about 500 to 1500. the first half was a time of relative poverty and economic stagnation then around the year one thousand Europe rebounded that story it's turmoil and triumphs is reflected in the Magnificent art and architecture of the age we start after the fall of Rome as the flickering flame of civilization was kept alive in monasteries and in fortress-like churches we'll see how Europe was invigorated by Neighbors on the fringes from Christian Byzantium to Islamic Spain to the Pagan Vikings of the North then we step into the high Middle Ages marveling at formidable castles radiant Gothic cathedrals and art that both dazzled the faithful and celebrated secular life as Europeans approached the dawn of a new age [Music] imagine it's the year 500 the Roman Empire that had United Europe for centuries was crumbling leaving a political vacuum city of Rome had been sacked and marauding tribes ravaged the countryside after Rome fell Europe was plunged into what used to be called the Dark Ages the once United Empire shattered into small warring kingdoms frightened people sought Refuge inside crude fortresses in towns surrounded by thick walls and moats [Music] or atop remote Hills killing the fields most lived their entire lives in a single place poor and uneducated for centuries there was little travel little trade no building for the future almost no progress people were superstitious living in fear of dark Forces [Music] desperate for security they bowed down to the local warlord who was armed with a castle and knights and backed by the church the Lord promised land and protection in exchange for loyalty and attacks on anything produced this was part of a societal structure called feudalism with peasants on the bottom Nobles and Bishops in the middle and the king or queen on Top This feudal hierarchy would dominate the Middle Ages and produce some of medieval Europe's earliest Treasures [Music] crowns scepters and fancy swords the ceremonial objects that reinforced the message that the feudal order was endorsed by God and all-powerful [Music] during those difficult times one institution survived from ancient Rome the Christian Church it provided both stability and continuity Roman Senators became Christian Bishops the Roman Emperor called the pontifus Maximus became the Christian Pope also called the Pontius Maximus Rome's language Latin lived on as the language of Europe's educated Elite towering ancient monuments were now capped not by Roman emperors but by Christian Saints and rather than Caesar it was Christ ruling from the all-powerful throne as Christianity spread across Europe monasteries and convents communities of men and women who dedicated their lives to the service of God flourished in the darkest days of the Early Middle Ages when almost no one could read or write it was monks who were the scribes and Scholars of Europe many of these educated Elites lived in the remote westernmost corner of Europe in fact Ireland was nicknamed the Isle of Saints and Scholars the earliest monastic communities were small fortified hamlets of humble Huts built like Stone igloos 1200 years ago those Irish monks stepped stones to build chapels like this it's finely fitted walls Stone without mortar still keep out the rain monks lived simple lives of work and prayer more educated than most they kept alive or developed early technology like metalworking their most important task was meticulously copying sacred texts in a mostly illiterate World these monks preserved the knowledge of ancient times with beautifully Illustrated books called illuminated manuscripts copying books by hand was painstaking work ornamenting these Pages was an opportunity for the monks to exercise their artistic creativity they went to Great Lengths using powders from crushed bugs and precious stones to get the most Vivid colors they wrote on Vellum cabskin scraped with a knife this holy book incorporates both Christian imagery and Pagan motifs from the indigenous Celtic culture with their hard work education and artistic Flair these monks were keeping literacy alive for Western Civilization while creating some of the finest art of the age eventually the monastic movement spread across Europe growing Big Rich and Powerful monasteries housing thousands of monks were part of a vast Christian Network that stretched from Rome to Scotland giving the fragmented continents some cohesiveness they helped set the stage for a new era as the year 1000 approached the Europe we know was emerging roaming tribes were settling down starting to define the Nations we've come to know the Franks were becoming France and the angles were becoming angle land or England people felt secure enough to plan and build for the future Europeans were uniting around the Christian faith people were traveling and trading more roads and bridges were built industrious businessmen invested in Mills harnessing wind and water power humble hamlets have thatched Huts in waddle and dab became formidable towns fortified behind protective walls with fine buildings of stone all this progress was reflected in the art and architecture of the age with Christianity now dominant the grandest structures in town were churches and they were adorned with the community's finest art done in the first art style to feel proudly European Romanesque [Music] it was called roman-esque because it tried to capture the Grandeur of ancient Rome churches featured round Roman style arches Roman style columns and often even ancient columns scavenged from Roman ruins and recycled Church Architects adopted the pre-christian Basilica floor plan like the surviving footprint of this ancient Roman court of law or basilica it was a rectangular space with side aisles and a central Nave defined by rows of columns leading to the altar by adding transepts the building's footprint becomes the shape of a cross Romanesque churches had the same basic features all over Europe they were sturdy with thick walls squat towers and small windows they stood strong [Music] many even came with crenellations as if fortresses of God this Romanesque Church in France built by a particularly austere monastic order is simple with a plain facade and unadorned columns nothing to distract from prayer the lone statue is a reminder that the church was dedicated to Mary an ethereal light still bathes the interior foreign this church in Florence adds another Romanesque feature common in Italy finely crafted marble in perfect geometric Cemetery symbolizing the Perfection of God the eagle on top with bags of wool in its talents reminds worshipers who paid for it all the wool Guild [Music] stepping inside you enter an Exquisite holy space with its carpet of marble floor and colorfully painted wood ceiling asserting the church's power over secular society the golden Mosaic shows an Earthly King offering his paltry Crown to the all-powerful king in heaven and in England for nearly a thousand years pilgrims have set their sights on this Romanesque Wonder Durham Cathedral standing Like A Mighty Fortress the church is a classic example of the English version of Romanesque called Norman named for the Normans who invaded England in 1066 from France bringing that dominant European style with them this style features round arches zigzag decorations and soaring bell towers the church honors Saint Cuthbert pondering his coffin embroidered sash and exquisite cross you remember all those monks who kept the flame of knowledge flickering through those early medieval centuries making Romanesque marbles like the Durham Cathedral possible pisa's cathedral in Italy dating from the year 1100 had evolved beyond the traditional heavy Romanesque feel peas in Romanesque feels might and elegant pisa's Cathedral complex famous for its leaning Bell Tower is a reminder that in cities across Medieval Europe you found the same Ensemble of important structures the church the bell tower which even when Tipsy set the tempo of Life marking the hours the festivals the call to worship and the baptistry pisa's baptistry like so many from this period is freestanding its interior is simple and spacious the finely crafted font is plenty big for baptizing adults by immersion imagine a religious service sung here Amplified by the remarkable Acoustics resulting in Echoes long enough to let you sing three-part Harmony solo [Music] [Music] Romanesque churches were filled with beautiful art and that art served the church as most people were illiterate pictures and symbols were used to teach and celebrate the Christian message the art didn't have to be realistic as long as it inspired worship the physical church was a sermon in stone the entrance set the tone carved scenes were flat or in low relief and cluttered images that told a story [Music] while today Romanesque churches have plain stone walls many were originally painted [Music] paintings were full of symbolism showing Saints not inhabiting the dark cold and sinful World on Earth but in an ethereal heaven Romanesque painting had a mystical kind of beauty here it's the Annunciation as the angel announces to Mary she'll give birth to the Messiah all of nature including goat herders in 11th century attire celebrates the news [Music] Christ's life unfolds ending with the crucifixion [Music] and his return triumphant over death sitting on a rainbow and blessing all who gathered at the high altar stands Jesus alongside his ever popular mother known as the Virgin Mary Madonna or our lady or Notre Dame she was a compassionate and approachable figure one that medieval peasants could pray to for help other imagery showed how the powerful Church legitimized the secular ruler Christ actually crowning the king they were Partners in power and many would say Partners conspiring to keep the masses down this so-called crown of Charlemagne who in the year 800 was Europe's greatest ruler came with a cross and the message in Latin by Christ King's reign throughout the Middle Ages in the Romanesque age as well as the gothic age that followed art inspired comforted and it frightened Vivid last judgment scenes scared people into faithfulness they showed the end of the world when Christ passes judgment on all humankind giving the ultimate thumbs up or thumbs down the righteous rise up to heaven while the wicked are cast down into a horrible horrible hell ruled by the devil there they're tormented for eternity by demons eaten by ogres and excreted in an eternally miserable cycle syrup and through the centuries peasants were made fearful by this powerful art subjected at church to such Vivid Visions from the moment they walked through the door in the centuries leading up to this Romanesque age feudal Europe was mired in the relative darkness of the Early Middle Ages but sophisticated societies thrived to the east and south shining like beacons of Enlightenment they inspired and fueled Western Europe's progress way back in the 5th Century the Roman Empire had fallen in the west but it lived on in the East eventually becoming the Byzantine Empire Byzantium remained Christian and its capital was Constantinople today's Istanbul throughout the Early Middle Ages with its imposing walls for centuries Constantinople was Europe's leading City ruling a vast Empire that was relatively prosperous and stable while Western Europe built nothing nearly as Grand during this period Constantinople constructed This Magnificent Church Aya Sophia the minarets were added later when it became a mosque built around the year 500 on the grandest scale possible it symbolizes byzantium's Glory Days they used ingenious technology a massive Central Dome supported by half domes that was the biggest anywhere and remained that way for nearly a thousand years well a place of Muslim worship today for centuries Aya Sophia functioned as a church perhaps the most Exquisite Church in all of Christendom the church tried to recreate the glory of the Byzantine Heaven the vast interior gives the impression of a golden weightless shell gracefully disguising the massive overhead load 40 arched Windows shed a soft light on the interior showing off the venerable buildings Christian Legacy that has endured the test of time the Italian city of Venice is a reminder that the more advanced Byzantine culture reached Westward far into Europe in the 11th century Saint Mark's Basilica was topped with byzantine-style domes its decoration reflects that connection with the east the basilica's fanciful facade is decorated with mismatched columns and statues which were largely pillaged from elsewhere during the Crusades the style I'd call it early ransack a good example of such plunder is this ancient Roman statue carved of purple porphyry a precious stone quarried in Egypt and symbolic of power by the way the Crusades were a big deal back in the 12th and 13th centuries lots of important art was pillaged from Constantinople by rampaging Crusaders those Christian armies that stormed through Muslim territory in a series of religious wars through much of the Middle Ages while their mission was to be sure Christian pilgrims had access to their Holy Land in Jerusalem the so-called holy Crusades often got sidetracked with the rape pillage and plunder dimensions of War of all the plundered art in this church perhaps the grandest prize was a set of horses which overlooked venice's main Square the precious Originals like so much of Europe's greatest art are now inside safely out of the elements these much coveted and exquisitely cast ancient bronze horses so realistic are certainly well traveled according to Legend they were made for the Greek ruler Alexander the Great in the 4th Century BC taken by Emperor Nero to Rome and then brought by Emperor Constantine to Constantinople where the Venetian Crusaders stole them took them home and parked them here in their main Church the church's entire interior Glitters with gold leaf Mosaic work in good medieval tradition it slathered in the predictable Bible stories the story of Adam and Eve one of the most popular unfolds like a cartoon strip Adam lonely in the garden the creation of Eve and then trouble from Apple to Fig leaf to banishment the venetians Learned Mosaic technique from the byzantines who inherited it from the ancient Romans who paved their villas with mosaics the byzantines perfected the gold color made of bits of glass with gold leaf baked in these reflected the light to help illuminate an otherwise dark Church giving it the Golden Glow of the Byzantine heaven Saint Mark's Byzantine style Altarpiece is a stunning wall of gold studded with precious rubies emeralds and pearls some 200 enamels plundered from Constantinople depict prophets Saints and angels and in the Glorious center of it all sits Christ the ruler of the cosmos with its stunning art Saint Mark's Basilica is a vision of a highly cultured world that had been established by the Romans was preserved by the byzantines and was now being re-infused into Western Europe meanwhile in the southwest of Europe the world of Islam was shining a highly cultured and influential light into Medieval Europe in the year 711 North African Muslims crossed the Strait of Gibraltar conquering and converting for the next seven centuries much of Spain was ruled by these Moors Cordoba was the leading city of Muslim Spain arguably Europe's cultural capital in the 9th century it had perhaps 10 times the population of Paris its massive former mosque dominates the Tangled medieval city that surrounds it Grand Gates lead to the courtyard inside is a forest of delicate columns and Horseshoe arches built 10 centuries ago The Columns and arches seem to recede to Infinity as if reflecting the immensity and complexity of God's creation [Music] under their rule this distinctive style of the Moors spread throughout Southwestern Europe or the Iberian Peninsula Granada's Alhambra the last and greatest Moorish palace shows off the Splendor of that Muslim civilization [Music] the math necessary to construct this Palace dazzled Europeans of the age [Music] the decor was Exquisite artfully combining both engineering and Aesthetics water and Stone in the throne room the sultan would sit regally under an awe-inspiring wooden ceiling with 8 000 pieces inlaid like a giant jigsaw puzzle it symbolizes the complexity of Allah's infinite universe Arabic calligraphy mostly poems and verses of Praise from the Quran is everywhere Muslims avoid making images of living creatures in holy spaces believing that's God's work but decorating with religious script is fine one phrase only God is victorious is repeated thousands of times as if a sacred visual chant throughout the Alhambra by the way while churches portray people like this in mosques rather than images of saints and Prophets you'll see geometrical designs and calligraphy this explains why historically the Muslim World excelled at non-figurative Art well artists from Christian Europe focused on painting and sculpting the human form Artful Arabic calligraphy generally shows excerpts from the Quran and quotes from Muhammad as a church would show portrayals of Jesus and God front and center in a mosque elaborate medallions of script high above the prayer Niche read Muhammad or Allah Christian forces slowly pushed the Moors back into Africa and reconquered Spain with their Reconquista cordoba's mosque became a Christian church with a huge Chapel planted in its Center sevilla's Alcazar Palace soon housed Spanish Kings but even after the reconquest as Moorish Artisans worked for Christian rulers that Muslim Legacy lived on in Spain foreign with Muslims on the southern Fringe in byzantines to the east early medieval Europeans had one more surprisingly sophisticated culture on their northern border the Vikings though best known as Fierce Marauders the Vikings were also wide-ranging sea traders and Hearty settlers with their own Artful culture one that dated back well before the 11th century arrival of Christianity to Pagan times their remarkable ships are icons of those days of pillage and plunder in formidable boats like this finely crafted of Oak the Vikings ranged far and wide from their Scandinavian Homeland gazing up at the prowl of one of these Sleek vessels you can imagine the horror peasants as far away as France England or Ireland felt when those redheads on the Rampage sailed up their River it's often said that for Generations the standard clothes of the prayers for many Europeans was not amen but and Deliver Us from the Norseman amen well feared Raiders they also had a remarkable sense of beauty and design that's clear in the excavations of the graves of Viking rulers the Vikings worshiped pagan gods and believed in a life after death and they believed you could take it with you in their graves archaeologists have found everything from jewelry to weapons much of it with an impressive artistic Flair [Music] Viking Chieftains were buried in their ships alongside their possessions like fine leather accessories ornately carved slaves or even a horse cart decorated with scenes from old Viking sagas they're artistic objects seemed to provide a link between this world and the next over time the Vikings intermingled with the Christian people they previously terrorized eventually converted and tamed Vikings redirected their boat building skills and rather than Sleek ships to raid in they built fine wooden churches to pray in there were once over a thousand of these staved churches because little remains from societies that built primarily of wood few of these churches survive foreign they were supported by Pine poles or staves and slathered with a protective coat of black tar [Music] wood was plentiful and cheap while the basic design reflects the simple technology of the age more elaborate examples like this one stand as proud Testaments to the Norse culture and its art carvings evoked the Pagan roots of these early Norwegian Christians stylized dragons reminiscent of those that once adorned Viking ships probably functioned like gargoyles to keep evil spirits at Bay Interiors were Stark and dark with tiny windows and simple x-shaped crosses of Saint Andrew a local patron saint the architecture guides your gaze upwards toward heaven the Vikings were yet another example of the blending of ancient Pagan and Christian culture that would eventually create the Europe we know today by the year 1000 Europe was on the rise entering a period called the high Middle Ages it was a time of growing Innovation trade and travel Christianity was dominant and people celebrated their faith by building great structures the imposing Romanesque style was eventually eclipsed by an even grander style Gothic Gothic was an architectural leap forward with taller and taller churches reaching for the heavens and filled with more and more light [Music] fueled by their faith Europeans built towering Cathedrals to the glory of God each Community tried to outdo the other with churches featuring soaring knaves supported by elaborate pointed arches and flooded with light Gothic seemed to be emblematic of a Europe moving upward and onward the gothic style was born in France in the 12th century the cathedral in chart one of the first greatest and most influential Gothic churches captures the spirit of this age of Faith as the Middle Ages were nicknamed magnificent structures were built by the sweat of peasants construction projects that dominated entire communities for Generations all for the glory of God towering churches like this became sight switch for centuries broke distant Horizons heartening the weary spirits of approaching pilgrims Gothic churches were taller and brighter than the earlier Romanesque they were made with a skeleton of support the key to Gothic is the pointed Arch a Romanesque church is built with round arches with a round Arch the weight pushes down but with a pointed Arch the weight pushes not down but out as a tour guide it's fun to demonstrate this by building a Gothic Cathedral out of tourists you start with six columns these will support the roof with ribs ignore the elbows coming together with pointed arches the key to Gothic is the pointed Arch a Romanesque church is built with round arches with a round Arch the weight sits squarely on the wall and it needs to be thick and strong if a round Arch collapses it falls down but if you point The Arches suddenly the weight of the roof pushes not down but out so rather than thick walls you need to buttress the building by adding support pushing in so you need six more tourists to be buttresses with buttresses rather than thick walls supporting the church the walls are freed to become window holders letting in more light to free up even more wall space you can make the buttresses flying buttresses with their support flying in with more arches are you guys ready for a spider yes okay now when the Spire is raised because of the pointed arches the weight goes out rather than down and with buttresses in place everything is solid windows can fill the spaces between the columns and you've built a gothic church out of tourists [Applause] as the gothic style spread outward from France Europe was soon dotted with magnificent cathedrals while each had its own personality all were fundamentally Gothic [Music] with pointed arches lots of stained glass and stately statues [Music] Grand entrances came with a Heavenly Host offering a Stony welcome and multitasking gargoyles served as fancy rain spouts while busy scaring away evil spirits [Music] the style evolved over time churches grew taller and more elaborate in England the final flowering of Gothic is called perpendicular with an emphasis on vertical lines the original Simplicity of ribbed vaults was replaced by elaborate fan vaulting [Music] and this cathedral in Milan illustrates the final stage of Gothic called flamboyant for its flame-like spiers and over-the-top features foreign bathed in the light of a Gothic interior we appreciate how this style with its huge Windows filling the Sacred Space with light is such an improvement over the darker Romanesque style most medieval churches are built to look like a Latin cross with columns defining a long Central Nave and short arms called transepts as the church generally faced East the entry is the West Portal there's a north transept and a South transept and the altar is in the East symbolically facing Jerusalem religious pilgrimages were a big deal in medieval Europe and the greatest churches were designed to handle large crowds during holy days and festivals this base was the ambulatory and it was designed for pilgrims who may have walked for weeks to get here to amble through the church they'd circulate behind the high altar around the semi-circular far end or apps worshiping at the various side chapels that fit their needs [Music] many Gothic churches have an enclosed space called the choir often elaborately carved where monks or VIPs could gather for more intimate services in an otherwise vast space in a time when daily life was pretty bleak attending Mass provided a needed escape a peek at the promised glories that awaited the faithful [Music] even today attending a service especially in the choir can spark a church to Life by filling it with both worship and music is these huge caverns of stone needed to be decorated and they were filled with the most glorious art of the gothic World towering altarpieces inspiring statues and the Triumph of Gothic Exquisite stained glass San Chapelle in Paris is a fine example in typical Gothic style the church is a skeleton of support with buttressed columns ribs and pointed arches supporting the stone roof and freeing the walls to be window frames in this case to hold Europe's best original 13th Century Glass in the Bible it's clear light is divine and with Gothic light pours through stained glass turning dark stone buildings into colorful lanterns of light [Music] Cathedral is beloved for both its stained glass and statues which together weave a unified Christian story in the book of shart as some nicknamed the church the text is the sculpture and windows and its binding is the architecture the Nave is vast lit by magnificent 800 year old stained glass the light pouring through these windows was mystical and encouraged meditation and prayer the stained glass was used to help teach Bible stories to the illiterate faithful and it gave worshipers images to focus on as they prayed windows can be read from bottom to top as if from Earth to heaven the brilliant color is from minerals mixed into the glass as it's made such as Cobalt for the dazzling blue the windows lead the reader through a series of dramatic scenes for example The Last Supper Jesus washing his disciples feet his betrayal with the kiss of Judas and the crucifixion the amazing thing in the 21st century chart is perfectly intact and can be read like a book today as it was eight centuries ago in England the York Minster brilliantly shows that the late Middle Ages were far from dark this Windows the size of a tennis court the intricacy of the stone framing or tracery and how the tiny panes of glass are held together by lead is exquisite fine details far too tiny to see from the floor are said to be for God's eyes only [Music] as the church was the leading patron of the Arts throughout the Middle Ages it owned the greatest artistic treasures and many of those Treasures remain in situ not at the museums but in the churches where they were originally designed to be seen the centerpiece of each Church throughout the ages was the altar generally with an elaborate single piece of art painted or carved featuring Christ the Virgin Mary a patron saint or a particular Bible scene some of the altarpieces were huge and overwhelming telling the story of Christ scene by scene from manger to Resurrection and many altarpieces come with panels on hinges some have many panels that when opened reveal a series of scenes designed to better Inspire worship here we see the end of the virgin's life on Earth with heartbreaking medieval emotion many Church altars had a painting like this one showing Mary Seated on a throne with baby Jesus on her lap flanked by Saints and angels with plate-like Halos amid the radiance of Heaven made with real gold leaf to Glow especially in the candlelight this opulent Altarpiece also tells the story of Jesus like pages of a comic book ripped out and laid side by side it wasn't terribly realistic by modern standards Mary's Throne looks cockeyed and the food could slide right off this table but the art brought sacred stories to life inspiring the faithful imagine the power of gothic art emotionally religiously and politically in the Middle Ages art was the advertising of the day a prospective shaping tool artists were hired by the powerful to inspire and also to promote Conformity Church art has always had an agenda to teach by telling stories and through symbolism Martyrs were known by how they died riddled with arrows Saint Sebastian decapitated Saint Dennis death by grilling It's gotta be Saint Lawrence gospel writers are shown holding a book if a man has a cross in his Halo it can only be Jesus and some regular person suddenly in the company of Saints likely an important Financial supporter of the church a reminder of how people believed such patronage could help get you to heaven accurate realism was not a concern paintings came with no natural setting just an ethereal gold background buildings may have had four walls but little sense of actual depth bodies were flat and expressions said little the main thing tell the story and if the message wasn't clear enough the artist could literally spell it out [Music] a hellish hot tub taught that people from all walks Nobles Kings even Bishops can end up in hell you were reminded that one day your sins would be accounted for as if written on a ledger foreign but it wasn't all fire and brimstone well artists generally worked anonymously they sometimes injected a little playfulness and personality this man has a toothache another pulls a thorn from his foot and here a farmer clobber is a thief so hard his hat falls off medieval pulpits from where the priest preached were often masterpieces in themselves with finely carved Bible stories and symbols that reinforced the gospel message readings were figuratively and literally supported by venerable leaders of the faith church treasuries are like museums safely protecting jewel encrusted gold and silver featuring dazzling workmanship War trophies and Priceless gifts like this gold encrusted unicorn tusk dazzling jeweled vessels called reliquaries were often masterpieces of art designed to protect relics A Relic is some physical reminder of Christ or a saint like their bones or possessions the finger of Saint Teresa foreign [Music] perhaps a skull of a saint complete with jewels and silver or better yet a full regally dressed skeleton holy relics were the ruby slippers of medieval Europe to the faithful relics had power they helped answer prayers win Wars and ultimately they helped you get to heaven that's why pilgrims traveled far and wide to venerate relics making the high Middle Ages a golden age of travel in Venice they came for the supposed bones of Saint Mark in parovah the vocal cords of Saint Anthony and especially sought after Relic was a supposed piece of the original cross like this one with an actual nail hole carried in a dual encrusted Case by the emperors in Paris this entire church so famed for its Windows today functioned as a reliquary itself purpose built to house the supposed Crown of Thorns in all its Glory to this day pilgrims pray at these relics if a request for a miracle is answered they might leave a votive that's a token of gratitude for the Saints divine intervention all of these elements from relics to statues from soaring arches to Sun pouring through stained glass were part of a unified Ensemble of art bringing the stone shell of a cathedral to life and designed to keep the church Central to people's lives mix in a little music and Gothic churches created a powerful experience inspiring Europeans during this age of faith religion served art and art served religion throughout the Middle Ages but in the later Centuries with Rising Prosperity secular art art which had nothing to do with God was becoming increasingly common it was art that served not the church but Europe's rich and Powerful included architecture in an increasingly secular society from Brussels to Siena it was the gothic City Hall not the church that towered over the main Square [Music] and the elites of the high Middle Ages built Europe's magnificent castles and fortresses not for their salvation but for both their protection and their pleasure from Switzerland to the Rhineland and from distant Scotland to the south of France castles and palaces provided a stage for the festivities of the Medieval World of chivalrous nights in shining armor dazzling heraldry and tournaments with flags flying [Music] and with Europe's Newfound wealth these fortified palaces were decorated with increasingly secular art rather than Saints and Bible lessons this Noble family wanted voluptuous swoops and curls a fantasy of elves jesters archers and fruity symbols of fertility mysteries on the wall both warmed the stone rooms and brightened the atmosphere with colorful scenes that shared the feudal Lord's perspective on current events taught morals and told folk tales this series of tapestries from a slightly later age gives us a peek into the everyday lives of ordinary people with captions in old French it cleverly spins a story of youthful lustiness that shatters stereotypes of medieval piety a Shepherd girl cradles a bowl of soup in her lap the flirtatious Shepherd cuts a slice of bread and as the text reads sasoly asks if he can dip into the goodies in her lap another woman brazenly strips off her socks to dangle her feet in the water couples freely dance together Under The Apple Tree of Temptation and around a bagpipe symbolic back then of hedonism where does all this wanton mislead marriage music plays the table set and the meats on the barbecue as the bride enters with her groom ride Smiles bravely closely escorted by two men while the scared groom culps nervously Mysteries were designed by Europe's best artists and woven from the finest thread in high tech for the day factories they became a distinctly medieval art form this Exquisite series captures Europe's blossoming appreciation for sheer Beauty at the end of the Middle Ages it's a celebration of all the senses there's taste a woman takes candy from a servant's dish to feed to her parakeet while the little dog licks his lovingly woven chops hearing the elegant woman plays sweetly on an organ calming an audience of wild beasts in this fanciful World humans and their fellow creatures live in harmony in an enchanted garden sight the Unicorn cuddles up and looks at himself in the lady's mirror pleased with what he sees the lion turns away and Snickers touch that's the most basic and dangerous of the senses here the lady Strokes the unicorn's horn and the lion looks out at us to be sure we get the double entender medieval Europeans were enjoying the Wonders and physical pleasures of life the words on our ladies tent read to my soul desire what is her only desire is it jewelry or is she putting the necklace away and renouncing material things is it God love the unicorn and Lion open the tent is she going in to meet the object of her desire or just stepping out to embrace the world toward the end of the Middle Ages a new spirit was blossoming people were stepping out of medieval darkness and art was changing with The Changing Times artists now celebrated not just God but the beauty of the created world done in a style that was more realistic than ever nowhere was that new spirit stronger than in Italy with its close connection to ancient Rome and as the center of the Christian faith Italy was home to both Scholars and pilgrims cities boast with free trade strong civic pride and budding democracy as they broke free from centuries of feudal rule as this allegory from the 1300s illustrates once rundown towns with chaos in the streets were becoming places where the shopping was brisked constructions booming students are attentive and women dance freely in the streets [Music] in his hometown of Assisi Saint Francis was challenging the corruption of his church his values are depicted in art which decorates the Basilica built in his name the artists who painted these frescoes employed unprecedented realism to celebrate the life of this down-to-earth man who inspired others and challenged a church in need of reform leading artists of the day including the groundbreaking artist Jato depicted francis's life story with dignity raising this humble Friar to saintly status the artist captures the well-known episode where Francis preaches to the birds the variety of birds represents nature and the diverse flock of humanity all worthy of one another's love in the compassionate Spirit of Saint Francis artists here portrayed powerful emotions as never before this Angel turns her head sadly at the sight of Jesus while another is in such anguish she tears at her cheeks in pain Mary traditionally shown forever stoic faints in despair nearby in parovah Jato covered this glorious Chapel with Fresco's telling Bible stories with a realism that was astonishing for its day moving beyond the medieval Norm with the standard Gold Leaf background Jato sets his scenes in the real world rocks trees animals his people with their voluminous robes are as sturdy and massive as Greek statues their gestures are simple but Express Ed arm raised shows anger head tilted down says dejection and a tender kiss caring love he captures the dramatic moment when Jesus is arrested amid the chaos Shadow skillfully throws the focus on the central action Judas looks Jesus straight in the eyes and betrays him with that Infamous kiss after his execution Jesus is taken down off the cross and his followers weep over his lifeless body [Music] John spreads his arms and wails his cries echoed by anguished Angels Above each face is a study in grief of the vulnerability and strong emotions of these almost believable angels Chateau considered the first modern painter created scenes that were beyond anything that had been done in the entire Middle Ages by painting biblical themes with a new realism Shadow was embracing centuries of medieval tradition while pointing the way to an exciting more modern future to come foreign ERS of Middle Ages Europe had been through a lot from the fall of Rome in centuries of turmoil to the rise of Christianity and kings and through it all Europeans created beautiful art thanks for joining us I'm Rick Steves celebrating the art of Europe foreign [Music] thank you [Music]

Channel: Rick Steves' Europe

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Length: 55min 36sec (3336 seconds)

Published: Mon Oct 02 2023