Medieval Period Art History

The Medieval Period in Europe ranges from the third century to the emergence of the Renaissance in Italy in the fourteen hundreds. The Romanesque style was the first truly international style of medieval times, followed by Gothic in the late twelfth century. One of the most important surviving monuments of architecture and sculpture of the Romanesque period is the Benedictine abbey church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine at Vèzelay in Burgundy. Part of the church that I believe is an important part of medieval history is the Pentecost and Mission of the Apostles, tympanum of the center portal of the narthex of the Madeleine, Vèzelay, France, 1120-1132. The church was one of the four starting points on the route to Santiago de Compostella and even launched the second crusade in 1146. The Pentecost and mission of the apostles is a very religious piece, and Christ is obviously the all powerful one in Christianity, which is why he is bigger than his surroundings. This piece, being involved with these pilgrimages, clearly exhibits the themes of religion and power. The most obvious reason being is it is part of a church but the way the tympanum is constructed with Christ brings in the theme of power also. In many ways the Pentecost and mission of the apostles is similar to the Egyptian Palette of King Narmer. The use of hierarchy of scale in the sculptures along with religion and reasons the sculptures with created makes these two pieces compatible. The Pentecost and Mission of the Apostles, part of the central portal at the narthex of La Madeleine, is a piece of iconographic importance from the Middle Ages. Unfortunately, this elaborate tympanum over the central portal of the church has an unknown sculptor. Part of the reason why these churches were built so extravagantly was so that the pilgrims would have a place to go and pray for atonement, to Saint Mary Madeleine. The Basilica Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Vèzelay was the largest Romanesque church in France and

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