Medieval ornament: types of drawings, their role in art and a description with a photo

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

At all times people have tried to decorate the space around them, to express their ideological attitude to the surrounding reality. In a certain era, characteristic types of ornaments arose, by which it was possible to determine belonging to any people. One of the remarkable artistic creations of man is a medieval ornament, embodied in many areas: in architecture, decorative and artistic activities, weapons, book works (miniatures, folios), clothing and fabrics, and so on.

Definition and characteristic features of ornaments

An ornament is a pattern based on rhythmic repetition and alternation (rhythm) of its constituent elements (rapport). Serves to give beauty, aesthetics to buildings and other architectural creations, items for various purposes (furniture, utensils, books, textiles and weapons).

Ancient people used it todecorating your body, applying various tattoos that play both an aesthetic and a role of a talisman.

A characteristic feature of the ornament is the indispensable connection with the surface on which it is applied, as well as its purpose and form. This type of decoration displays either speculative, fictional images, or real motives. Based on the nature of the composition, it can be ribbon, bordering, centric, heraldic, filling the surface. And there are also combinations of them.

Historical facts

Ornament appeared in ancient times. For a long period of time, he played the role of a talisman and a talisman. Then people decorated with patterns things used in everyday life, their clothes, dwellings. People met patterns of repetition of various elements in nature: in the color of animals, in the structure of plants, in the movement of waves, and so on.

Honoring and deifying the forces of nature, man displayed their symbolism in the ornament. For example, circles, rosettes, crosses were identified with the sun. The cross located in a circle denoted the movement of the sun across the sky. Centuries later, the magical meaning of ornamental motifs was forgotten, they began to be used as decoration.

Medieval ornament is inextricably linked with the very object that it decorates: with its purpose, shape, material and size. It conveys even sensations and emotions: for example, solemnity and restraint, smoothness and grace, calmness, lightness, free movement orinternal stress. Based on the type of patterns, it is possible to draw conclusions about the specifics of the culture of the people who created them, as well as about the era of creation.

Brief description of medieval ornaments

Speaking briefly about the art of medieval ornamentation, we can single out its main features. First, it is a strong relationship with the Christian religion. Many spheres of human life, including art, were controlled by the church. Secondly, this is a close contact with the creativity of the people. This is a love for bright patterns, and images of ordinary people. And many masters came from the lower classes.

Besides, images and patterns are characterized by symbolism and dynamics. Typical use of various symbols, bright and precious materials.

This era was characterized by fantastic and fabulous images, which were based on plant and animal motifs. By means of figurative and decorative means, including ornaments, in the Middle Ages they began to convey the inner world, state, feelings and emotions of a person, which was not typical for previous eras.

Medieval ornament was very common in heraldry, where they used different symbols, coats of arms, emblems, parts of a warrior's equipment.

Early Middle Ages

Medieval ornament contained many allegorical images and plant motifs, was common in architecture and fine arts. And it was also used to decorate clothes and other textiles, furnituresets, jewelry. The artists created a proportionate composition in which all the elements were meticulously located in relation to each other and parts of the object itself, on which they were applied.

A peculiar feature of the aesthetic sphere of the early Middle Ages was a commitment to the use of rich colors and expensive materials. Religious attitudes and canons extended to art. The Church contributed to the flourishing of art: through creativity, including ornamental, she promoted her ideas.

Used ornamental motifs

In this period of development of fine culture, the display of human figures is not typical. The most used were images of plants, animals, birds, various fantasy monsters.

In the Middle Ages, several popular patterns dominated. Medieval floral ornament was very common, found almost everywhere. It depicts various climbing and intertwining stems of plants, weaves of leaves (often grapes and ivy), flowers (for example, lilies, roses, clover, burdock).

On the facing of buildings there were often dynamic images of birds, foliage, flowers, various fruits. They created the illusion of living nature. The idea of using the theme of tangible natural vegetation in Gothic decorations was a specific canon.

Also often used was a geometric ornament, which was based onabstract symbols (circles, crosses, stars, polyhedrons, dots, a wide variety of lines). In the zoomorphic motif, the masters tried to depict animals (both real and mythological, fictional) or parts of their figures. Anthropomorphic themes, stylizing images of a person or parts of his body, such as a head, were less common. In addition, the motifs were based on images of weapons, architectural elements, various coats of arms.

Characteristic of the ornament fragment

Let's consider a brief description of a fragment of a medieval ornament on the example of a church miniature from the Book of Hours of the mid-15th century. In this fragment of the miniature, a floral ornament is clearly expressed. It depicts monks singing in a choir.

The picture is bordered on all sides by a repeating colorful pattern of intertwined stems, leaves and plant buds. The paints used are quite varied: red, blue, green, pink and gold colors are used. In ornate patterns, there is a certain pattern: the repetition of identical elements, the alternating use of colors. The use of gold leaf gives the illustration a precious shimmer.

Romanesque ornament

One of the types of ornamental decoration is a Romanesque medieval ornament, common in the 10th-13th centuries in Western Europe. This genre of the artistic and visual sphere borrowed many elements and images from the ancient Roman culture of the era of antiquity. Its defining features were the desire for everything amazing,mythological, fantasy and divine. There were many images of fictional creatures, monsters, exotic animals. For example, this is a centaur, sphinx, pelican, hydra, gargoyle.

There were also many non-religious creations. Plots from fables, novels and satirical works, figures of people of the lower classes working in the field have found their embodiment in artistic culture, in patterns. Images of church ministers and pilgrims are not uncommon. Folk features are very noticeable here - picturesqueness, fantasticness, humor, liveliness and vitality.

During this time period, few colors were used: yellow and red, white, black and gray. Especially brightly and freely, the Romanesque decorative motif was formed in painting in manuscripts, for which filigree execution of capital letters and initials was typical.

The main elements of patterns: geometric shapes and symbols, blooming flowers, unusual plants, twisting and intertwining grape stems and fruits, palmettes, as well as birds and animals.

Gothic ornament

The art of medieval ornamentation in Western European countries in the Gothic era (XII-XV centuries) was under the powerful authority of architecture, as well as the church. The Gothic ornament is notable for its variety and symbolism, and is very decorative.

Along with the typical use of ancient and oriental themes, there are also unusual motifs. The most common decoration motifs are floral, mythological and geometric. Highlyimages of roses, historical figures, the embodiment of various biblical stories were popular.

In this historical period, it was the "golden age" of book miniatures, the heyday of decorative art and painting. Everywhere there was a riot of fantasy, splendor, high cost and thoroughness of decoration. Many saturated colors have already been used: dark shades of blue and red, green and yellow, purple and gray. And often the color combinations were very contrasting. The use of gilding, gold leaf was very common.

Role in art

Medieval patterns and ornaments reflect the features of the visual and applied culture of the peoples of that era, contribute to understanding how people lived, their aspirations, ideals. They are also a reflection of folk art, in which people tried to reflect their worldview, perception of nature, wildlife, beauty, happiness and other lofty concepts.

Ornament played a significant role in the art of the Middle Ages. Filigree, the most complex, intricate and varied patterns delighted the eye, decorating so many surfaces. They were used to give beauty and meaning to things used in everyday life (vases, dishes, furniture). And they also decorated weapons (swords, shields, banners). And, of course, they were found everywhere in church buildings: in portals, altars, walls and ceilings, chairs.

Christianity returned the original meaning to many ornamental signs. The ornament, thus, was in this era the most important carrier of the latest or updated ideas.

It was in the Romanesque andThe Gothic era of the Middle Ages developed two-dimensional decorative elements and ornaments that remain popular today.