Tuesday, September 13
Class Overview
It was great to see everyone back and eager for a new season of classes! We started the new semester with an overview of our theme for this historical period: art in the church. Medieval and Renaissance art found a large percent of it's inspiration and display in the churches. We began our journey of early Christian church art in the Catacombs.
The artwork found in these tunnels featured Bible narratives or Christian Symbols. We discussed the importance of colors in these works; because of the limited selection and often tedious paint-making process, the simple colors held great meanings. For example, blue meant heavenly grace or favor; this is why Mary, the mother of Jesus is often portrayed in blue clothing. Students created a reference sheet of the meaning of these colors, and also a list of various Christian symbols to be used in upcoming art projects.
Assignments
-Select a Christian Symbol and 2 or 3 colors to be used in next week's mosaic project.
*Students might find it helpful to look up images of mosaics, both historical and modern.
- Bring in an old magazine or catalog that can be cut up.
- Research the Byzantine Art period; be prepared to share characteristics of this period.
Resources
I have found the following website to be a good wealth of info regarding Medieval and Early Christian Art:
http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info
Manchester, NH based fine arts program for homeschool students
