The Medieval ages (which I count from the 800s to the 1200s) brought a new set of concerns to the Western mind in its quest to understand aesthetics. What makes Medieval aesthetics a bit different from Greek and Roman thought has to do with the Christian view of God as above nature and whose Mind is reflected in the Beauty, Purpose and Goodness that can be found in nature. While appreciating the marvelous things in nature the problem for these Christian thinkers was to not confuse God with nature--to avoid animism or pantheism which considered that god was essentially the same as nature.
Deep Christian thinkers like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas were worried that Greek and Roman aesthetic thought advocated pantheism and animism by not separating the Creator Being from the things of creation. Medieval thought championed by Augustine and Aquinas citing Judeo/Christian views of Creation defined the distinction of Spirit (God and the human spirit) and and Matter (nature and the human body) as interactive yet distinct from one another. This view came to be called "Substance Dualism" but it can also be described as a unity in the "Incarnation" where spirit resides in flesh.
Central to this Incarnation view is the doctrine of the "Logos" where God in Jesus Christ became a human being and took on flesh as fully God and man. Physical Beauty was elevated to a level that it never been in the Greek and Roman system because of the Logos concept. For subsequent Christian artists and theologians nature and matter was blessed and considered Good in that it revealed aspects of God's thought and character. In yet another way the character of Creator/Redeemer was revealed in the life of Christ in the New Testament of the Bible.
Art in the Medieval era was the same thing as craft but craft was held in high esteem as in the refined properties of jewelry, illuminated manuscripts and beautiful objects of all sorts-- made in imitation of the fine things of nature--for instance the wing of a bird or the human eye.
The world's harmony seen on the Cosmic scale was for these thinkers a sign of divine origin and number, found in nature a principle of spiritual thought with mathematics, guided by deep spiritual emotion and enlightened passion the unity of matter and spirit on the human plane.
Shining forms, shaped effulgence, clarity, light in nature and art forms were considered by Thomas Aquinas as a visible shell of an underlying Divine Reality or as symbols to be contemplated by humankind to discern the hand of an Eternal Artist-Creator. Beauty informed finely made objects if they were crafted by artisans who lovingly incarnated their art with energy and Grace.
A key art form of the era was the stained glass window. It was bright, shining, clear and splendid hence all the things Aquinas admired in nature. Glass windows allowed light to pass though planes of pure color bringing physical beauty to life while at the same time illuminating the sacred stories depicted in the windows. The complex designs of the window showed number. measured forms and pure gem-like colors which Aquinas said reflected the glowing light of God. This measured proportion is also prevalent in the Gregorian chant that echoed within the intricate interior of the Gothic cathedral yet another measured and jewel-like structure. All based on complex mathematical laws as found in nature.
What made the glass window a perfect means to contemplate eternal ideas was that the light (like spirit) though separate from the window could enter and pass though it without being the same substance as the glass. This was a graphic example of "Substance Dualism" where the light, like God can enter creation cover it with light while being distinct from the objects the light shines upon.
So Medieval art reminds us how complex their thinking about aesthetics was. You can read more about the symbolism of stained glass windows in the handout I gave each of you last night.
30 comments:
I enjoyed reading about medieval aesthetics and how in that era art was a craft, like the making of a stain glass window. In class we had talk about the difference between the two and were ask the question "Is art the same as craft if you have a formula that you follow?" we also ask " does creativity only happen when you first discover?" So, I wonder is the art of the medieval era, such as the stain glass window even art? was only the first stain glass window art? I believe that craft is art. Almost all classic realism follows some kind of plan going into it. I always have a checklist of what needs to be done when I paint. So, maybe this makes it a craft but I believe it is still art.
Substance dualism is the view that there are two fundamental types of entity- the mental and the physical.
Which implies that humans are essentially immaterial minds housed in physical bodies.
I think a similar dualism exists between art and craft. The definition of craft is skill or dexterity, which would refer to the ability of the creator and is not something that can be represented in the physical sense. Art is defined as the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance. By these definitions, art is the evidence of craft. In response to the question posed in class, I would have to say that art isn't the same as craft but a result of craft.
Well we are off to a great discussion already with Brett and Averi raising an age old question about the distinction between art and craft. Averi posed a very interesting answer to Brett's quest for a concise set of definitions for the two.
Using the idea of "substance dualism" from the Post-- Averi proposed that art is the outpouring of the spirit, mind and imagination whereas craft is more of a physical action. Her use of the dualism of mind and body will become central to Renaissance ideas of art which follow the distinction she points out in favor of the mind and spirit over the body.
Michelangelo said that he painted with his mind and soul and that his hand was the servant of his mind. He even went so far as to say that if his spirit was not at peace his body was unable to carry out its craft purpose.
We have similar ideas now in the 21st century where we speak of mind over body or how believing one is sick for instance will result in sickness. Hypnotism works on this basis as well.
It will take a genius like Michelangelo to make the work of the artist a sublime and inspirited activity and free art from being seen as servile, menial and predictably mechanical.
He will insist the the artist be seen as a noble thinker to be as respected as a literary scholar, scientist or philosopher. He will insist that the artist not be confused with a plasterer, house painter or brick layer however clever such people are. What they generally lack is imagination, invention and sublimity which we associate with the human spirit.
Bill
I enjoyed learning about the medieval aesthetics of art and craft. This idea of "substance dualism" was so prevalent during the medieval times and I like the way Averi sees the same dualism in art and craft. I agree with her that art can be the result of craft.
I liked Michelangelo's statement that "if his spirit was not at peace his body was unable to carry out its craft purpose". I do find that when my mind is at peace and focused, it is a lot easier to execute what I have envisioned.
I feel like this is something that the Japanese culture in art also finds very important. In the tea room, it is about meditation and freeing the mind. Only when you can do that, can you find eternal peace and have clarity of thought. This helps the artist execute an aesthetic piece.
the part that resonates most with me is where you write about the mathematical design behind the stained glass windows. It is a testament to their aesthetic intentions that they surrounded themselves in this golden proportion, from the cathedral to the stained glass, and even the rhythmical chants. They were all conveying to the viewer and listener the creators/artist intent- that they were reflecting Gods own pattern in order to communicate and worship him the best they could.
According to the dictionary:
Craft is:
1. an art, trade, or occupation requiring special skill, especially manual skill: the craft of a mason.
2. skill; dexterity: The silversmith worked with great craft.
Art is:
1. the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
If craft is merely skillful production, and art is the production of something of more than ordinary importance, than craft would be anything especially well executed and art would be something beyond that. I can agree that the division lines up fairly well with the division between mind and body, but that the separation between the two is smaller than we imagine. We can't picture a soul without a body, and a body without a soul is no longer a person. Art without craft is, at best, a lower art form, craft without art is a well made trinket. One of my favorite quotes about arts and technique comes from a comic: "if you set a baby down with a bucket of paint, you get a big mess. If you sent down an adult with a lifetime of art to express and no technique to do it with, he won't do any better than the baby." Straight technique isn't art, but it is necessary to create art.
FIKRIYE OZMERAL-GIBSON
Michelangelo has said, "If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all". I agree with him that we should not confuse him with a house painter however smart such person is, what he did was a different sort of task. In my readings I also ran into a sentence that made me think to define what aesthetics again, which was " While Dionysius states that the One is Beauty, Basil implies that beauty comes from one". The church was very important at these times defining what beauty is. Human beauty in flesh is superficial and subjective yet the heavenly beauty is both eternal and flawless. After reading this sentence art almost seems like a bridge, being earthly, subjective and material yet speaking of ideas of heavenliness and depicting images of Christ (esp. in medieval times) who was the heavens incarnate. God created the bliss in nature so therefore it represents god? Aren’t we all created in his image, does this include nature, arts?
The idea of the Word made Flesh is found in the Gospel of St. John and it amplified the notion of the Incarnation.Heather and Fikriye both offer comments on the bridge between art and craft which is a minor form of incarnation and the theological insights one gets from contemplating form and content or image and idea or body and spirit.
All of these have to do with substance dualism and the mystery of life itself. How it is that finite matter can be infused with energy or even more complex with consciousness.
The notion of WORD made flesh is profound because it suggests that the formative nature of all life is found in a plan or words which signify intention or thought.
All of these theological ideas resonate for the artist because she or he wants to charge matter with intention as in a drawing or painting etc. To have the image carry the thought process of the artist.
The medieval thinker set the foundation of our views of such things and the Renaissance as we shall soon see expanded upon it and produced some of the most beautiful art ever created.
One must consider the possibility that their insights were based on a mysterious reality.
I found it really interesting hearing the medieval view of aesthetics. I can definitely say that it is astounding the complexity of stain glass windows and the way light plays a role on the effect of the piece. It takes me back to Gaudi Mueseum in Barcelona, all those beautiful huge stain glass windows. I remember a lot of us taking photos next to them because it was at that perfect time of day that the light was shining through them just right, creating a colored glow where you were standing. I found it refreshing that a work of art could work on multiple levels, one for the intricacy and beauty of the piece, and the other, for the way it changes when light hits it.
It was very interesting to read about the brief history and the aesthetics in the creation of the stain glass windows in the Medieval times. I think its important to consider the context of time in history, and the relevance art had to the people then. Back in especially Medieval times, people were utilizing art mainly for religious purposes, (manuscripts) to educate one another through imagery. What we define 'art' today, isn't how they defined art then. The idea of 'self' in art wasn't relevant whereas now, its all about that. The stain glass windows goes beyond the craft, which requires a level of skill, portrays the 'substance dualism', having underlying concepts to, as enrique mentioned, "reflect Gods own pattern in order to communicate and worship him the best they could". I think it was a way of personal expression as well and their devotion to God.
Eunjung Lee
Responding to Heather's comment on giving a baby a bucket of paint-- here is a link to a documentary about the then four year old "prodigy" Marla Olmstead: http://www.sonyclassics.com/mykidcouldpaintthat/
I think this is just the trailer, but the whole documentary is probably downloadable somewhere and it's worth watching (even if just to get mad over)
I agree with Averi and Heather that art is evidence of craft. I think even more so than technique though, is intention, and the willingness to participate in an aesthetic experience.
The thing that stands out for me is the idea of external forces interacting with the art itself such as the stained glass window. The substance dualism explains the spiritual and physical. Such as the light representing God filtered through the physical aspect of the window. To me the dualism is missing a part. When the light and the window interact it creates a third bi product, the colored shadow. The mingling of the spirit with the physical, creates an even more volatile and dynamic entity. The light moves throughout the day projecting through the constant window to create thousands of different compositions throughout a single day. The shadow represents to me the whole. Both sides of the dualism wrapped into one, creating a multifaceted ever changing work of art. I imagine human beings as another whole, very similar to the shadow. Our minds connected with our body trancend the spiritual and physical, we are art.
Art in the Medieval era was the same thing as craft but craft was held in high esteem as in the refined properties of jewelry, illuminated manuscripts and beautiful objects of all sorts-- made in imitation of the fine things of nature--for instance the wing of a bird or the human eye.
It is interesting to see the difference between the importance of craft today vs the craft from medieval times.
back then crafts were held in such high esteem. there were even apprenticeships for those who had the talent and skill. Those who showed promise had to train for many years and it became their primary focus.
the quality and seriousness of crafts were at an all time high. I think it was taken more seriously then because they were making functional everyday objects into beautiful things fit for their social classes. But only those who were rich and were able to afford to commission such items.
Today crafts seem to be less important, in the sense that we have technology to make things much faster than those who do it by hand. Thought this fits our lifestyle it doesn't mean its for everyone. There are still plenty of people who prefer the characteristics of hand made things than machine duplicate. often the most expensive items still have that touch of spirit and craft that was apparently in an medieval craftsman.
i love the comparision of stained glass windows to christianity and pointing out the parallels between the two.
It's interesting how viewpoints change as the centuries pass. Nowadays, craft is considered a bit of a throwaway art form, and daytime activity for small children. But is the act of jewelry making really "craft"? It sure doesn't seem like it.
In this post I really got thinking of stainglass as an art...it never occured to me that stainglass is a flat piece of art that dosent move but ingages the viewer by useing light at diffent times of the day to provoke different emotions. In the morning its a positive , god like exsperence ,bright and colorful like a new day. At night its spookie and almost hunting the viewer to remind them of the dim dark times in life. Like a setting sun symbolizes death.
The mathematical comparison between art and its aesthetics seems like a really interesting way to think about why an art piece is attractive to the naked eye. I believe that the golden mean was used a lot to measure why art is attractive and how it appeals to us. Substance Dualism really seems as though it can play into art on a number of different levels and in a way I think the combination of math and religion is a kind of substance dualism. In graphic design the usage of math and coordinates is very important and in someways is interesting especially when much design is made from a device that heavily relies on mathematics.
I can see how important it is for the mind and body to connect in order to create art work, whether it was as far back as the Renaissance or even today. Art as well as we all know can be inspired by the beauty of nature. The stain glass windows from the medieval times are a perfect example of a beautiful object being imitated by the finer things in nature. The light reflects through the colored glasses that give a sense of warmth and light that can be seen from nature, and therefore resonates with us so strongly. It also illuminates a story through the design that was carefully crafted. The light that flows through the window also symbolized the spirit being filtered through the glass. It is clear that their is much complexity in the idea behind the stain glass window that goes beyond the aesthetic value of it, which is why it is so important for the mind and body to be connected in order to create work that lasts a lifetime.
-Hannah Ryu
The concept of "substance dualism", paramount to the formation of the medieval aesthetic, helped inspire works of sublimity and beauty. However, I believe that it's original intent of bringing one closer to God through looking at nature became greatly distorted over time at the hands of the church. As it rose steadily to power in the Medieval Ages, the church began commissioning works of art to a largely illiterate public who could not read or interpret the Bible. This led to the creating of an aesthetic that would help to only further their ideals and agenda. These works of art were finely crafted and beautiful, but often also didactic and legalistic in their purposes. Suddenly, the public could only best experience God through these grandiose displays of art found only in churches and cathedrals. This created a growing dependency on the church to interpret things for them and the original idea of contemplation of God in nature led to ostentatiousness and theatrics in the attempts to capture the attention of a growing public.
Maria, your last comment is very true and points to the paradox that makes many reject religion and unfortunately reject a private path to God.
There is a famous adage that having religion is not necessarily having God. The idea is-- as you suggested --that an institution can have a power agenda which is very different than a private thirst for the divine.
Taken all together the art of the Gothic Era can be staggeringly beautiful on one hand and yet the paradox of humble & private access to God must still be found in the quiet simplicity of the heart--- perhaps even in the face of the staggering power of the institutional church.
I believe a good point was brought up in talking about how Medieval Art was considered to be a highly valued craft. I believe in many ways art serves that same purpose now, a craft that is prized and sought after that many are unable to imitate.
Another point I enjoyed was about the stained glass windows. I have personally always felt a sense of awe and wonderment around stained glass. It's truly a beautiful phenomena to watch as light passes through the glass and illuminates pure transparent color onto surfaces inside a church.
Stained glass is difficult to make, and stained glass windows with figures or depictions of nature are even more difficult to make. In medieval times only those with a lot of money could acquire such art, and churches tend to have money to spend on art. Naturally, people would flock to the churches to marvel and thus would learn story through art like paintings and beautiful, glowing stained glass windows.
Reading this post was really interesting, I couldn’t help but think of the arts and crafts era in the United States. It is amazing how much care and thought went into everyday objects. I have started collecting old and vintage objects and clothes and I miss the amount of care and craftsmanship in objects that are created today. It seems that most clothes, jewelry, and everyday objects lack the human touch that older objects have.
At the time, medieval art was a highly esteemed craft.
The way I see it, if I spend 20 hours on a 5x5 piece of paper with nothing but a pencil, I will be able to make something that would be considered “high” craft. I would do this through patterns and repeating ornamental organic shapes and lines, but without context and devoid of concept. In contrast, I could easily spend 20 hours on a simplistic logo that shows thought and concept. If you compare the two, one would probably choose the pencil drawing as more highly crafted. I feel like my definition of “craft” is time spent on something. It is easy to see craft in an expressionist painting when you can actually see the brush strokes as opposed to a logo done in illustrator. Equal time could be spent on both though....
The level of complexity in medieval views on aesthetics was fascinating. I think sometimes art made for religious purposes can be looked down upon or thought of as being simple minded. But there is a much higher level of thinking, as evident by the blog post, involved in Medieval Christian art. The separation between spirit and matter, substance dualism and beauty in nature are all fascinating frames of thought. The emphasis on light in medieval art is very interesting to me. The fact that the term "illuminated" is often used and the popularity of stained glass art, valued for the symbolism of light passing through the colored glass is all beautiful to me. And whether or not you are religious, the ideas of light, nature, spirit and beauty of Medieval Christians can still be understood and applied. Whether or not we call it "God", most artists can say they create to express a sense of purpose, enlightenment, or of a beauty that is bigger themselves but that they want to be connected to. And I don't know anyone who can walk into an old church and stand under the stain glass windows with out feeling a sense of awe.
This may have been one of my favorite posts on aesthetics. I grew up as a practicing Catholic and had always marveled at the stained glass windows in church. I had always found Substance Dualism hard to comprehend though through catechism it became easier, and the comparison of light passing through stained glass windows creating luminescence but still being its own entity is an incredible example of Substance Dualism. In relation to Aesthetics, this history and explanation of early christian art helps me appreciate the art even more. I do have to question of whether this emphasis on religious complex thinking is the only example of aesthetic thinking of the time. What was going on in other eras of the world such as the far east such as ancient Chinese and Japanese empires? I'm sure that those people had a completely different way of thinking about their own art as their religious and philosophical beliefs were quite different from early Christians.
I love stained glass, I remember as a small child being so entranced by the stained glass windows of the catholic church i was raised in. i remember being in aw of the size and color that was capable with stained glass, the illumination of the sun filling the depictions of the stations of the cross and patron saints with life. I imagine what that would have been like in the 800s entering a church and confronting these larger than life glowing with divine energy. I know if I was so greatly effected i could only imagine the effectiveness a window would have on an average person in that time. Truly mastering the aesthetics of the divine, creating a fantasy of heavenly proportions
For handy reference, the difference between art and craft is thus:
Art should avoid repeating itself. Craft should repeat itself.
In other words, the religious icons and such were basically commodity tools of worship and devotion or whatever. Morover they became so commodified as to be almost created in an aseembly line fashion with artists and assistants rapidly crafting out reproductions of the same work over and over to fill all the monastaries that began springing up like starbuckses all over medieval europe.
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