Museum Home Past Exhibitions Transforming Tradition: Ancient Motifs in Medieval Manuscripts

September 23–November 30, 2003 at the Getty Center

ExhibitionEvents

An enduring misconception of cultural history is that the fall of the Roman Empire, approximately A.D. 400, disrupted Western civilization so severely that it led to a "dark age," during which the great cultural achievements of the classical past were suppressed. This vision of history does not accurately reflect the fact that many elements of antiquity—architectural remains, small objects such as precious gems and coins, and classical literature—survived and were known to people of the Middle Ages. This exhibition invites the viewer to consider pairings of ancient Greek, Roman, and Etruscan objects with medieval manuscripts. Taken together, the comparisons demonstrate how medieval artists responded to the cultural heritage of antiquity, adapting ancient motifs to a new medium and to a new religion.

Cup / Attributed to Epiktetos
Cup, Attributed to Epiktetos, Greek, about 510 B.C.
 
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Singers

The distinctions and discontinuities between the cultures of antiquity and the Middle Ages are underscored in the two visual representations seen here and below.

In the center of this cup, a balding man tilts his head back in song, accompanying himself on a barbiton, an ancient stringed instrument. The Greek letters just above the man's head appear as musical notes issuing from his mouth. The singer wears an ivy wreath and leans against a striped pillow, signs that he is at a drinking party, called a symposium in ancient Greece. This cup, made to hold wine, might have been used at a symposium by an ancient Greek much like the man depicted here.

Initial E: David / Bute Master
Initial E: David Playing the Harp, Bute Master, northeastern France, about 1270–80
 
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Singers

Unlike the Greek drinking cup above, this psalter was used not at a social gathering, but in the private and public prayer of medieval Christians.

The ancient Israelite king David is shown here accompanying himself on a harp in a manuscript containing the biblical Psalms. All ancient poetry, both epic narrative and religious prayer, was sung, usually while the poet or performer played on a stringed instrument, a practice abundantly reflected in the art of the ancient world. Although the creator of this image followed tradition and emphasized David's role as author of the Psalms and a singer of poetry, his wooden harp with animal-head terminals is distinctly medieval.

Herkle / Unknown
Hercle, Unknown, Etruscan, 320–275 B.C.
 
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Hercules

Hercules (Greek Herakles; Etruscan Hercle) was the greatest mythological hero in antiquity. In ancient art, the hero, renowned for his physical strength, is usually shown engaged in a superhuman labor or resting after the completion of an exhausting deed. Here, Hercules appears as a youthful, nude hero at rest, wearing the skin of the ferocious lion of Nemea, which he killed. Hercules sports the pelt, his signature garment, as a fashion model would a couture cloak, exhibiting his godlike physique, confidence, and courage.

Hercules Poisoned / Boucicaut Master
Hercules Poisoned by the Shirt of Nessus, Boucicaut Master and Workshop, French, about 1415
 
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audio Listen to a discussion of this manuscript.

Hercules

Medieval contexts for the stories of legendary heroes sometimes gave rise to new visual representations. Whereas his untimely end was almost never depicted in ancient art, Hercules is shown writhing in a deadly poisoned shirt in this medieval miniature.

According to legend, Hercules met his death when his wife was tricked into poisoning his shirt with the blood of the centaur Nessus. The manuscript contains a collection of cautionary tales by Giovanni Boccaccio about the lives of illustrious people of the past and their unpleasant deaths.

Augustus / Unknown
Portrait Head of Augustus, Unknown, Roman, about A.D. 50
 
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audio Listen to a discussion of this sculpture.

Augustus, Roman Emperor

The adopted son of Julius Caesar, Augustus (63 B.C. – 14 A.D.) became the first emperor of Rome in 27 B.C., founding the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Many portraits of Augustus were erected throughout the empire in order to convey his political and social beliefs and to validate his claim to power. To distinguish his rule from that of the earlier Roman Republican period, when gravitas (seriousness) and age were emphasized in portraits, Augustus was always depicted as youthful, as in this marble head. A distinctive hairstyle identifies the emperor: comma-shaped locks form a pincer in the center of his forehead.

Augustus Caesar / Unknown
Augustus Caesar; Zodiacal Sign of Leo, Unknown, German, Hildesheim, about 1170s
 
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Augustus, Roman Emperor

The eighth month of the medieval and modern calendars is named for the ancient Roman statesman Caesar Augustus (63 B.C.–14 A.D.). In this calendar from a monastic service book, he is depicted at the head of the page devoted to the month named after him, supporting a disk indicating the number of hours of daylight and darkness in a typical day of the month. Augustus does not have the facial features and distinctive hairstyle common in portraits of his own time. The medieval artist identified him instead by his role as emperor: he wears a crown and holds an orb, signifying his dominion over most of the known world.