Art of the Middle Ages

About this book

In the West, the history of medieval art is essentially the same as the history of Christian art up until the time of the Italian Renaissance. In the following pages, the course of medieval art has been charted from the days of the Roman persecutions, rather than from a later point in history, so that the progress of Christian art and the development of its complicated symbols can be more clearly understood. The contributions made by Oriental and by barbarian societies to medieval European art are discussed separately, in view of their specific importance, for the full scope of medieval art can only be grasped through an examination of its many fascinating components. -- Introduction.