Hildegard of Bingen
The Universe
Original illuminated manuscript 1150 - 1175 CE
as seen on page 257
Each area point can receive up to 20% of overall essay grade. #3 will be worth 50%
1. The artistic illuminated manuscript form:
- How was it created? Explain
- What materials were used? Explain
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2. Historical and cultural context the work was produced in.
- Who created it?
- Why was it produced?
What is the symbolic / concept significance of the form?
- Is it part of larger work? Explain thoroughly
20% of the overall essay
3. Thoroughly discuss the principles and elements of design including 1. COMPOSITIONAL BALANCE+ UNITY
2. ILLUSIONARY SPACE
3. COLOR - primaries / secondaries / teritiaries / complimentary pairs / analogous colors
4. PATTERN & REPETITION
5. SYMBOLIC ILLUSTRATIONS & THEIR MEANINGS
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** You need to be thorough here, not only identify that the formal elements and principles of design are evident, but how do they operate in the work of art?
4. 10% of overall grade towards the essay's mechanics of writing. The essay's structure is well organized, transitions are smooth, grammar is excellent, and includes the addition of image with proper labeling. The essay is coherent and illustrates excellent technical control of the author.
Include a Works Cited source page
i. Double spaced
ii. Include image in paper
iii. 2,500 words
iv. Hardcopy AND digital file to me in Worddoc ---
do not send a ONEdrive Shared document
DRAFTS MUST BE SENT TO ME ELECTRONICALLY IN A WORD DOCUMENT TO ME BY MONDAY DEC 3 by noon
DUE: TUE DEC 11 Research Paper #2 of 2
Think about your organization of the entire paper.
Introduce the cultural period and the many attributes it shared with the world.
Introduce the artist.
Then, complete your formal analysis of The Universe
STUDENT #1
Cothren, Michael and Marilyn Stokstad. Art: A Brief History , Pearson, 6th edition.
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Student #8
Include a Works Cited source page
i. Double spaced
ii. Include image in paper
iii. 2,500 words
iv. Hardcopy AND digital file to me in Worddoc ---
do not send a ONEdrive Shared document
DRAFTS MUST BE SENT TO ME ELECTRONICALLY IN A WORD DOCUMENT TO ME BY MONDAY DEC 3 by noon
DUE: TUE DEC 11 Research Paper #2 of 2
Think about your organization of the entire paper.
Introduce the cultural period and the many attributes it shared with the world.
Introduce the artist.
Then, complete your formal analysis of The Universe
Student Research Paper Samples:
STUDENT #1
The Universe
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, Christian art became wildly popular. After centuries of religious persecution, the Edict of Milan in 313 CE ruled Christianity to be a lawful religion and sparked public practices of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire, thus spreading the religion all over Europe. Christians began using public buildings to worship, and soon monasteries became widespread across Europe. Men and women who devoted their lives to worship the Christian God, called monks and nuns, lived in cloistered monasteries, allowing them to focus on prayer along with artistic and educational achievement. They began creating candles, metal work, fiber works, manuscripts, and vestments along with many other liturgical objects at these monasteries and used prayer to aide in their creations. Paintings called illuminated manuscripts also became popular during the Medieval era. Monks and nuns would spend days, maybe weeks on end producing images of religious visions they had experienced as well as stories depicted in the first and second testaments. Some felt God was calling on them to preach his teachings, so they were very meticulous and thorough with their works. No expense was spared; they used rare, pure pigments to create gouache along with gold leaf and oxgall ink made from calves liver to make their creations as elaborate as necessary for this type of work.
The Universe was created c. 1150-1175 by Hildegard of Bingen, a woman born into an aristocratic German family who later became a nun. She became a Benedictine nun at the Monastery of St. Disibodenberg in 1136 and founded her own convent around 1147 near Bingen, Germany. She wrote treatises on medicine and natural science, invented an alphabet, and was a gifted composer. Although her life was just prior to the Renaissance, her ideas and creations foreshadowed techniques soon to come. Hildegard of Bengin had received mystical visions since she was 5 years old and began recording them after a command she received from God and encouragement from the Bishop and fellow nuns in 1141. The resulting book, or Scivias, was full of words along with images of the visions. The illuminated manuscript, The Universe, depicts an egg-shaped object surrounded by a bright fire with a shadowy zone beneath it. Within the fire, a sparkly flame illuminates the entire instrument. This “cosmic egg” represents fertility and life, while the gold symbolizes the illumination of the mind and spirit. This manuscript, along with others, is used as a reference point in Christian bibles to visually aide in the understanding of the world and God’s role in it. Sometimes referred to as the “cosmic egg”, this theory states all things in nature depend on something else for their own existence, therefore the universe must rely on an outside force or being (God) for its existence.
Hildegard of Bingen’s visions were first sketched on wax, but later turned into paintings. At this time, illuminated manuscripts were painted on animal skin, most often lamb hide made into vellum, a thin layer of animal skin. In making these pages, the skins are removed and soaked in lime water for days to loosen the fur. The fur is then removed, and the skin is soaked in fresh water as to remove the lime. After that, the skin is stretched tightly on a frame and a rounded knife is used to scrape the hide to be as thick or thin as desired. The multitude of pigments on this piece were painted with a brush, with the exception of the gold leaf. In the process of making illuminated manuscripts, the gold leaf is placed down first on a base coat of a plaster-like substance called gesso, or a gum binder. The painter will breathe on the gold leaf, providing enough moisture from their breath to stick the gold to the page. After the gold leaf is dried, the excess is brushed away and the design is painted on top. The colors made from vegetable dye and mineral substances are ground up and dissolved into a liquid. The pale shades, such as white, yellow, and light-hued blues and reds are painted first and the darker shades such as black and dark-hued blues and reds are painted after. After the colors are painted on, black outlines and white highlights are added. A binder, most likely egg yolk, is then mixed with the pigments to create an egg tempera painting and preserve it.
With bifurcated vertical symmetrical balance on the vertical axis, the manuscript is cohesive despite the chaotic scene. The stars at the top of the “egg” shape are vertically lined up on the axis, with the moon and sun pictured directly below. The circular figures enclosed in this piece lead to further unity in the piece, showing no beginning or end. Each layer, from the borders to the innermost circle portraying the earth is never ending and continuous, possibly expressing the idea God created the universe completely, with no error. This balance not only signifies harmony within the universe, but possibly the harmony between the universe and the heavens. The sun and moon are also pictured overlapping each other, showing balance in night and day, showing unity within the inner most asymmetrical balance. The many colors in this piece show an overwhelming portrayal of chaos and contrast. The border of red and blue primary colored winds seemingly contrast each other as heaven and hell would. The blue rectangle just within that border is rich and dark with tiny specs of white, possibly alluding to other planets or galaxies. A gold, flat rectangle is placed behind the egg, perhaps showing the importance of whatever lay upon it. Gold is also used surrounding the egg picturing lightning from the storm and with the stars, sun, and moon. The black background behind the eruptions on the egg further show the chaotic storm presented on the egg. As the viewer’s eyes move toward the center of the piece, the colors begin to have lighter hues, showing more earthly, calm tones of green, blue, red, and yellow. These calm, subtle, natural colors present great contrast in value to the dark, powerful hues surrounding them, creating balance once more.
Although many works in the Greco Roman period works depict illusionary space through linear perspective, The Universe has none. Instead, Hildegard of Bingen used overlap and hue to depict space. The cool blue rectangle, picturing the heavens, appears further back than the golden rectangle because the gold hue appears closer than that of the darker blue one. The egg overlaps both these rectangles, appearing to be on top due to the much greater and warmer overall temperature. With this, the viewer’s attention is on the egg, but with no linear perspective, the eye is free to travel around the page with no concise focal point. The overlap allows for the egg to be brought out more than the background, but each part of the piece works together; once more showing the concept of the cosmological theory that everything is dependent on something else and each part of the universe works together. Within the egg, the colors begin to have darker values, thus giving illusionary depth. It is almost as if the viewer is looking into a hole that begins with the gold “tongues” of lightning at the top, and ends with the Earth at the bottom, seemingly suggesting emphasis on atmospheric perspective through the tonal range shifting from dark to light.
The Universe is composed of multiple patterns and repeating figures. Each layer moving from the border to the center is composed of a contrasting pattern from the one before it. The repetition of the winds and lightning portray a chaotic, destructive scene and surround the egg as to engulf the universe in demolition. Multiple tri-headed figures are pictured spewing winds and fire out of their mouths, seemingly being the root of the storm. The green, blue, and red tri-heads spew the winds, lightening, and the natural forms of rivers and mountains on the earth. The various stars presented on the egg allude to the many planets and stars in the universe, and are shown surrounding the earth from all angles, showing a geocentric view of the universe. In the center of the piece, there are green semi-circular figures pictured surrounding a blue biomorphic, yet circular shape. Once more, there is a tri-headed creature pictured within the image spewing whirlwinds on the new layer.
Many believe the shape of the egg to be a symbol of fertility and completeness. Not only is the egg the shape of female genitalia, it also is never ending. This idea of everlasting life suggests the universe, along with reproduction, will continue further in the coming years. The oval has no sides, and no openings; it symbolizes a cohesive beginning and end. Similarly, Christians believe God created everything, and everything will come back to him in the afterlife (heaven). The tri-headed figures along the egg also play a large role in Christianity. The number three is used in Christianity often: Jesus was 33 when he died on the cross, he arose on the third day, many refrains in the Christian church are said three times, and the idea of the holy trinity of father, son and Holy Spirit is the basis of Christianity. The holy trinity represented the threefold figure God came to meet Christians in: as the creator, God himself, as the figure Jesus Christ who loved among humans, and as the Holy Spirit, allowing Christians to experience “power of the new life” and “the miraculous potency of the Kingdom of God” (Britannica). In Christianity, red is also used to symbolize the Holy Spirit, so the tri-headed red figure on the outer layer of the egg may be perceived as such. The color black is used to symbolize the eternity of the womb in Christian works, thus adding to the idea of fertility and everlasting life the Christian church is based on. The large stars at the top of the egg may be interpreted as the outer planets of our solar system: Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn, while the stars within the blue background of the egg at the top could represent the inner planets of Mercury and Venus. At the time this was created, people were just getting accustomed with astrology, and believed the earth was the center of the universe. Although modern science has since proved this to be false, Hildegard of Bingen pictured the Earth as the center of this piece, playing off that concept.
In tying the Christian and scientific world together, Hildegard of Bingen was a primary contributor to the revelations that came forth during the Renaissance. Her manuscripts allowed people to question the ways of the world, and sparked the notion that science, religion, and the arts go hand in hand. Although her death in 1179 preceded the new era, her practices and ideas were before her time and aided in understanding Christian beliefs and practices for years to come.
Works Cited
“Color Symbolism in Christianity .” Western Oregon University, https://www.wou.edu/wp/exhibits/files/2015/07/christianity.pdf.
Cothren, Michael and Marilyn Stokstad. Art: A Brief History , Pearson, 6th edition.
“Making Manuscripts .” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/medieval-europe/v/making-manuscripts.
David, Gary A. “The Fiery Cosmic Egg of Hildegard Von Bingen.” Ancient Origins, Ancient Origins, 21 Oct. 2014, www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/fiery-cosmic-egg-hildegard-von-bingen-001999.
Ford, Jack. “Love and the Senses in the Medieval Cosmos: The Cosmic Egg of Hildegard of Bingen.” Inner Lives, 17 Nov. 2017, innerlives.org/2016/11/16/love-and-the-senses-in-the-medieval-cosmos-the-cosmic-egg-of-hildegard-of-bingen/.
Stefon, Matt, and Bernard J. McGinn. “Christianity.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 3 Oct. 2018, www.britannica.com/topic/Christianity
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STUDENT #2
STUDENT #2
Born around the year 1098 C.E., Hildegard of Bingen, also known as Hildegard Von Bingen was a Roman Catholic nun who was skilled in writing on medicine, theology, and science, specifically botany. She also had an affinity for composing music and was in charge of an abbey in Bingen in western Germany. She was ahead of her time in several academic ways and even went as far as creating her own alphabet to better unify her nuns. Through this, she was able to write religious texts specifically for her convent. Some experts have referred to her as the Leonardo Da Vinci of her field (Stokstad 257). In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI declared her a Doctor of the Church, a recognition for significant contributions to theology, science, medicine, and other fields by a member of the Catholic church. Most of her work was done during the high middle ages, a time of advancement and cultural diffusion of thought, science, religion, and art. In 1142 C.E., during the beginning of the European Renaissance, her work The Universe was made as one of six visions in her illuminated manuscript “Scivias” (Hildegard). Other visions in this section include Adam and Eve, the creation of the universe, and other biblical and religious events. These visions were one of three parts of the manuscript, which was based on a divine command Hildegard received telling her to write what she saw and heard in visions since the age of five years. She was persuaded to illustrate and write about these visions by others in her convent. The three sections of this manuscript are symbolic of the Holy Trinity: Jesus Christ, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Because of the divine nature of her visions, she was allowed to speak openly about religion and faith in a time during which women were regarded as the weaker gender and were rarely included in such important functions. In fact, Hildegard was held in higher regard than some high ranking male religious officials by those in power at the time.
The Universe, fittingly, was what Hildegard believed God made the universe we live in look like. Earth is centered in the egg shape where a yolk might be; this piece is also known as The Cosmic Egg. Although it was not known at the time, in 1543 Nicolaus Copernicus (1453 C.E. - 1573 C.E.) discovered that we live in a heliocentric solar system, contradictory to Hildegard’s vision. Although most people are familiar with white clouds in art and often reality, Hildegard used gray pigment to color the cloudlike bumps surrounding earth in the center of the egg. At the uppermost part of the earth, there is a small village representing human presence. Above this are the moon and several star-shaped figures representing planets closest to earth. The sun is a large, flower-shaped figure, and three more planets are located above it. While Hildegard’s piece shows only five planets other than earth, there are a total of seven in reality. This was not known at the time, as the telescope was not invented until the mid-1500s C.E. and was later modified by Galileo (Dupré, 1). Around the earth is a field of vibrant blue with many eye-catching stars in it. The blue field in which the stars sit represents space and the size and number of points on each star represent its respective brightness.
The European Renaissance had a significant effect on Hildegard’s work. Before Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press during the Renaissance, books were far different from what we know today. Every book was handcrafted by a set of individuals and had vibrant decoration both inside and out. This illuminated manuscript, made in the 1140s C.E., long before the printing press, is made with color extracted from natural pigments and gold leaf laid onto parchment, a type of writing surface more durable and expensive than paper. Parchment, in some cases known as vellum, is made of dried, stretched animal skins by a parchment maker (What).
While the pigments were applied using brushes, the use of gold leaf added another technique to this piece. Gold leaf, most commonly made with twenty-two karat gold, starts as a nugget of gold and is hammered carefully into an extremely thin sheet through a process called goldbeating. Gold leaf can be beaten somewhat easily into sheets 0.1 microns thick, close to the width of a piece of printer paper. It is then cut into the shapes the artist desires and is applied using metal leaf adhesive in a technique known as gilding. Gold leaf has long been used in art dating back to ancient Egypt (Richman-Abduo). Individuals with specific goldbeating and gilding skill would usually take on the task of adding the gilding to an artwork (What). Illumination was used in this manuscript for a specific reason. It is symbolic of the higher state that humans take on when touched or spoken to by God. God’s light and word illuminate human souls and minds and give them insight into deeper meanings of faith, religious texts, and foundational beliefs about the world. Travel throughout Europe also had an influence on Hildegard. In Germany specifically, Hildegard went on several preaching tours to other monasteries and other religious centers. Additionally, she often corresponded with powerful political and religious figures of the time. Through this, she learned of the world’s culture outside of Germany. Both of these experiences added information to her works. The diversity of the information she received was heightened by the high level of cultural diffusion at this time due to the Renaissance.
Hildegard used symbolism thoroughly throughout this piece. While the overall piece is an interpretation of how the universe looks, the individual parts of this artwork contain interesting details. The overall egg-like shape of the illustration represents fertility and God’s ability to create. Additionally, the shape of an egg is similar to that of a circle in that the line creating it is unending and infinite. This represents the omnipotence of God, his unending love, and the infinite expanse of the universe. It also represents the idea of Jesus Christ being both the Alpha and the Omega, or the beginning and end, at once. Jesus Christ or God as the Alpha and Omega is an idea often found throughout religious art and texts found everywhere from the Christian bible to Jewish catacomb art in Rome, both of which were created long before Hildegard’s work. Circles and ovals are used frequently in the arts, especially in religious contexts to represent deities and their abilities. For example, pictured above is Christ in Majesty, a part of the apse painting from the church of Saint Climent in Catalunya, Spain, has an image of Christ surrounded by an oval, once again representing infinite love and omnipotence. This artwork was made in 1123 C.E, not long before Hildegard began making her illuminated manuscript (Stokstad 255). The use of circles and ovals to represent infiniteness in art can be found in many historic artworks, even dating back to ancient Greek amphoras, like The Death of Sarpedon. This amphora, pictured below, is a punch bowl-like piece of pottery created in 515 C.E. and features a wraparound depiction of the death of Sarpedon, son of Zeus. The sgraffitoed red-figure story is on the main part of the amphora and the story of life and death is symbolized in its circular shape. There is also a thick, red line around the bottom of the amphora that anchors it, presumably a symbol for an anchor. This could be extended to be a symbol for the idea of God as a rock, anchoring humans and giving them solid ground on which to stand in a religious, faith-based context. (Stokstad 109). There is also a similarity in shape to female genitalia, another symbol of fertility. The tongues of gold leaf surrounding the egg seem warm because of their color, symbolizing the life that God created on earth. Because humans are warm-blooded and often associate heat with living things, warm colors are often used to represent living beings.
The Universe has an unusual, unique sense of balance. At first glance or from afar, it would appear to be symmetrical on a vertical axis, as an egg would be if set on the wider bottom part. In this view, if one were to fold the illuminated manuscript in half across a vertical line, the sides would match perfectly. However, as one gets closer or focuses on the illustration, it becomes obvious that it is not symmetrical in any direction. This balance and non-balance combination is found in the logo of the technology giant Apple as well, showing that such a combination has timeless aesthetic appeal. This logo is displayed to the left. This asymmetricality is shown in almost every detail of the artwork. The gold leaf tongues of fire are pointed in the same direction relative to the circle, each one on a tangent line of sorts relative to the main body of the egg shape. The stars inside the egg on the blue background are placed uniformly but somewhat randomly and contribute further to the asymmetry of the piece. The pointed section at the top of the egg leans slightly right as well. This combination of balance and non-balance is symbolic. As an individual, looking at the small picture, one may see the world as one sided and far from balanced. However, if one were to look at the big picture of humanity, nature, and the world as a whole, they may find that things are much more balanced than they appear. These tongues of gold and the red and gold stars that move forward from the blue field in the egg also unify the piece. Because of their similarity, they pull different elements of the piece together into one coalescing item. The use of multiple similar forms within an artwork to unify multiple sections is used across many artistic styles. Scenes from Genesis in the Good Samaritan Window, a painted glass window in Chartres Cathedral in France pictured to the right uses small rectangles to tie its upper and lower sections together and to make the piece as a whole more unified. The polar opposites of the sun and moon, both pictured in the upper section of the artwork, also balance the piece.
Although it is not the focus of the piece, the rectangular background plays a role in Hildegard’s artwork as well. This rectangle creates implied space. Because the main color of the rectangle is blue, a cool color, it tends to recede when overlayed by the gold leaf tongues of the main form. The same is true of the pink and blue border around the blue area. Within the egg shape, the red and yellow stars move forward from their blue background for the same reason. Overlap also creates implied space in The Universe. The egg shape cuts through the background rectangle, creating visual depth. Unlike many Renaissance-era art pieces, this illustration has no linear perspective of any of the three varieties it is used in. There is also no palpable, three-dimensional space on this manuscript page. However, many manuscripts had three-dimensional space made of metalwork or other materials on their bindings (What).
Patterns and repetitions are used extensively in this design. The most obvious example of this upon first seeing the artwork is the gold leaf repeated tongue or fire shape that repeats what seems like a hundred times around the central egg form. These may be a symbol for the human population; as mentioned before, warmth from their gold color means life, and there are many of them that differ slightly from one to another as humans do. Repetition is evident with the stars on the blue background within the egg as well. There are several distinct types of stars here, five-pointed, six-pointed, seven-pointed, and eight-pointed. Both types are repeated and clearly different from the star-shaped that represent planets; they each have a dot in the middle. However, the planetary stars are similar shapes to each other and could be considered a repetition themselves. A pattern can also be seen near the edge of the rectangle that contains the egg. The artist uses a seashell-like shape repeatedly to create a visual similarity to a figure-ground reversal in the fact that two shapes of different color are repeated. However, this is not a true figure-ground reversal because there is no negative space. The prominent use of pattern and repetition in The Universe is not done without reason. Hildegard of Bingen used these repetitions to speak to the constant movement of the real universe. The earth rotates and orbits the sun, and the universe is constantly expanding and changing. It is fitting that there is so much repetition in Hildegard’s The Universe.
Another interesting point in this piece is the frequent use of two conflicting or opposing ideas, objects, and forces. An example of this is the use of both the crescent and full moon. They are different versions of the same thing and balance each other out. The same is true of the stark contrast between the very organic shape of the egg itself and the strictly geometric outline of the rectangle surrounding it. These opposing shape types complete each other and each fills in where the other lacks. The use of light and dark colors is useful in this way as well. They play off each other and make the entire artwork work together. This is comparable to the yin-yang symbol in Chinese philosophy pictured left. Yin and yang are Chinese words meaning dark and bright respectively. In this circular Taoist symbol, also known as “taichi”, there is a dot of the opposite color which represents the sunny spot on an otherwise dark mountain and vice versa (Wang). That being said, all of these are incomplete without their complementary or opposing element. There is no light without dark and no geometric shapes without organic ones. If things did not have opposites or compliments, colors would all be identical and shapes would have only one name. In this way, they may also represent the difference between men and women, as one could not exist without the other, or the powers of good and evil.
Works Cited
1. Dupré, Sven. “Galileo, the Telescope, and the Science of Optics in the Sixteenth Century.” Universiteit Gent, 2002, biblio.ugent.be.
2. “Hildegard of Bingen.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildegard_of_Bingen.
3. Richman-Abduo, Kelly. “Why Artists Use Gold Leaf and How You Can Make Your Own Ethereal Paintings.” My Modern Met, 1 Mar. 2018, mymodernmet.com/gold-leaf-art/.
4. Stokstad, Marilyn, and Michael W. Cothren. Art: A Brief History, by Marilyn Stokstad, 6th ed., Prentice Hall.
5. Wang, Robin R. “Yinyang (Yin-Yang).” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, www.iep.utm.edu/yinyang/.
6. “What Is an Illuminated Manuscript?” Khan Academy, Khan Academy. www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/getty-museum/getty-manuscripts/a/what-is-an-illuminated-manuscript
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STUDENT #3
Hildegard of Bingen Analysis
The fall of Rome and the beginning of a new era. The Middle Ages, or other known as the Medieval Era, began in the fifth century and lasted until the fifteenth century. The influence of Christianity continued to prosper but not all was good. This era had another name, the Dark Ages, and for good reason. It was named later on by Renaissance humanists since the era occurred because of the fall of Rome. They also labeled it as so because of the barbarians, who raided villages and killed innocent people. Not only that but we do know that there was the Black Plague and some say that this is where the name came from. This was a time that not much was written down so we are left a bit in the dark but researchers have found some artifacts, especially art, that helps paint a picture of what life was like back in the Middle Ages.
Art from this time was reimagined and didn’t really reflect what we saw during Roman’s rule. To pair with the new abstract thoughts that were arriving, their art also became more abstract. We can compare this new art style with that of the ancient Egyptians. It is flatter and doesn’t have a linear perspective, unlike the Romans. Additionally, the people from this era are moving around more and we can see that by the art that they are now creating. Rather than making large sculptures or huge murals, like in ancient Rome, they are creating smaller pieces that they can carry around with them. A major item that they created at this time was illuminated manuscripts.
These illuminated manuscripts were handwritten and decorated. They took an immense amount of work so they were saved for text that meant a lot to them, like a religious piece. They got their name from the Latin word “illuminare” which literally translates to light up. This refers to the materials that are used in the manuscripts. They use vibrant pigments and reflective silver and golds. In the Middle Ages, before the twelfth century, these manuscripts were mainly focused on religious themes and were only made in the monasteries. As time went on the themes expanded from just religion and allowed others to be able to create their own illuminated manuscripts for nobles, middle-class people, professors, and even students. These manuscripts were not an easy feat to create, they needed a whole team of people to make one. To begin they, of course, need someone to make the parchment for them. The parchment was made out animal skin, usually from a calf. Then a scribe and an illuminator, the artist, work together to get the words on the page and an illustration that goes along with it. Lastly, they must acquire a bookbinder to put the pages together. One illuminator, in particular, Hildegard of Bingen, painted her visions in her own manuscripts.
Hildegard of Bingen was born in Germany during 1098. She was a leader of her own covenant and then found a new one in Bingen, hence her name. Ever since she was young she has said to have visions, she went to her confessor where they believed that she was a prophet and had a scribe to write all relevant visions. She was not only a visionary, but also a poet, composer, artist, and author. Hildegard wrote on many important topics such as medicine, natural sciences and even created an alternative alphabet. She wrote about her visions and created artworks that represented them in her manuscripts. We are going to examine one piece in particular of Hildegard’s. It is referenced by a variety of names like the Cosmic Egg, the Universe or the Egg of the Universe. She stated that she saw this image in her mind and believed it to be a vision of our universe. It is an original illuminated manuscript, one of many in the works, inside her book Scivias, that she created explaining and illustrating these visions from God.
The Universe is a divine symbol of our creation and Hildegard believed it deserved only the best materials to create it. To begin the book itself is made out of a sacred material called vellum. It is the skin of a baby calf and is used for the book itself. They used vellum for special manuscripts, like the illuminated ones. This manuscript is religious in its theme and speaks on us and the universe so she wanted her sacred words on such a material. It is also said that they used the calfskin because of its purity and innocence in collaboration with the godly text inside the manuscripts. For some of the elements in this piece, they are gold leaf rather than a pigment. The other vibrant colors are made out of gouache, which is like a more pigmented watercolor paint. It is pigments mixed in with a binder to help it stick to the manuscript. The binder would be something like milk or honey something to provide the stickiness for the pigments on the paper.
At first glance, it seems that Hildegard made this piece perfectly symmetrical. It is bilaterally symmetrical, cut down the vertical axis. As we look closer we begin to notice how it is actually more asymmetrical than first thought. Even there are many elements that repeat, but they are not repeating on that vertical axis that would have made it symmetrical. For example, looking at the very center, we can see the four elements being represented. There is no symmetry in the center at all. Even though it is not perfectly symmetrical it still appears that way since Hildegard used the same elements on both sides. Looking at the flames it is the same thing, at first glance, it appears to be the same on both sides. If you look closer you can see that the flames are actually spiraling around the universe. I believe that she did this on purpose to prove her point about the world that we live in. At first glance, we see this perfect balance place with nothing wrong. As you look deeper we can see that it is not as perfect as first thought, the imperfections begin to stand out.
Even though this piece seems relatively flat, there is still illusionary space implemented. There is no linear perspective which is much different in comparison to the Roman art style. The Roman’s kept their art realistic and linear perspective helped with that. Now, in the Middle Ages, we can see that this artist is going away from that style and more into what the ancient Egyptian’s created. The figure is flat on the page and does not show dimension, you can especially see it in the feet as they are turned sideways. One way that she created depth within her piece was by using overlap. Using this method allows her to show some depth without using the realistic linear perspective. When an object is underneath another object it gives the illusion that the object below is further away. Same with if the object is above another object it makes it seem like the object is closer. Hildegard also used color temperature to show depth. Warmer colors like red, yellow, and orange with come forward and appear closer. Meanwhile, when cooler toned colors like blue and green appear further back. Both of these methods provide enough evidence that this piece wants to have certain elements stand out and some to appear more further away. Like the flames are the brilliant yellow gold and stand out above the rest. Meanwhile, the deep blue background seems to seep into the back and gives the feeling of an abyss.
Looking at the color of this piece we can see a few things. The main colors we can see in this piece is the primary colors. The yellow, which is gold leaf but has a yellow hue to it, blue, and red. There is shades of green and brown but they are less used. As stated before the color also gives the illusion of depth. Warmer colors come forward while the cooler colors go backward. Hildegard uses gold to emphasize important elements like the flame shapes. The gold is also where the name illuminated manuscript comes from.
This piece has many elements of repetition. In the blue space area, inside of the flame like shapes, there are a few repeating shapes. First, the larger yellow with a red outline star-like shapes and then the smaller white stars. It seems that Hildegard is using repetition here to emphasize on the vast amount of stars in the universe. There is also repetition in the flame like shapes on the outside of the egg shape. Another place where repetition is implemented is around most of the shapes we can see a think black border. Inside that border are small white dots that are repeated around the whole thing. On the border of the whole piece, we can see where the pattern is implemented. These windy looking biomorphic shapes surround the universe. These shapes have a repeated line cutting across it, these lines seem to show up in a few places in her piece. It gives the illusion of airiness and wind like feeling. The center of the piece and the borders both have the lines and they even are the same color. It seems she wanted to make a connection with the earth symbol and these wind like shapes in the border.
Let us take a deeper look into the piece and figure out why she put what she did to symbolize her vision. Looking at the center circle we see can see four different colors with the different textures and movement to them. There is a yellow piece, a green piece with lumps inside, a blue slimmer piece and a smaller brown piece. It is believed that these four sections represent the four elements; fire, water, air, and earth. The four elements that make our world, our earth. Around earth is a blue biomorphic shape, that seems to represent our atmosphere. It is said that this atmosphere allows no creature of earth can go through, we know now that this was not true. After the atmosphere, we can see more biomorphic shapes but this one has horizontal lines that cut across it. These represent the clouds and the barrier between the earth and the heavens above. We can see that the moon is above the clouds in the dark blue area that is representing space. In this space are stars that are fixed on an axis around the earth. The outer layer is in the shape of fiery flames that surround space. This represents the sun and inside the flames are the three planets that are closest. Looking at the whole thing it is said that it may represent the female genitalia, fertility and new beginnings.
The fall of Rome led to the Middle Ages, other known as the Dark Ages. During the Middle Ages art changed drastically from what ancient Rome produced. Barbarians and Vikings came out of the fall of Rome and moved around more than the Romans ever did. Large stationary art was switched with smaller, more portable art to adapt to their new lifestyle. So, now instead of artists making things like sculptures, they instead made items like illuminated manuscripts. They could tell their stories in the books but also give illustrations with the stories. One artist in particular, Hildegard of Bingen, stood out above the rest. She was said to have visions from God himself. Hildegard was seen as a prophet but she was also able to show what she saw in her visions in the form of these illustrations in the illuminated manuscripts. The Universe is Hildegard’s perception of our world and how we exist in it.
Works Cited
“Love and the Senses in the Senses in the Medieval Cosmos: The Cosmic Egg of Hildegard of Bingen.” Inner Lives, 16 November 2016, https://innerlives.org/2016/11/16/love-and-the-senses-in-the-medieval-cosmos-the-cosmic-egg-of-hildegard-of-bingen/
Cothren, Michael and Marilyn Stokstad. Art: A Brief History , Pearson, 6th edition.
“Middle Ages.” Encylopedia Britannica, 9 March 2018, https://www.britannica.com/event/Middle-Ages
Singer, Charles. The Visions of Hildegard of Bingen. London: Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 2005.
“The 5 Major Causes The Dark Ages.” History Things, 29 Apr 2016, http://historythings.com/5-things-that-actually-caused-the-dark-ages/
“What is an illuminated manuscript?” Khan Academy, 2014, https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/getty-museum/getty-manuscripts/a/what-is-an-illuminated-manuscript
“Why the Middle Ages are called the Dark Ages.” Medievalists, http://www.medievalists.net/2014/02/why-the-middle-ages-are-
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Student #4
The Medieval period, which lasted from around the 5th century CE to the 15th century CE, was a time of great artistic advancement throughout Europe. Just before the Medieval Period, the Edict of Milan was issued in 313 CE by Constantine, which allowed people to legally practice Christianity. As time went on, more and more people began converting to the religion, which prompted the production of Christian artwork. One style of art that was prevalent during the Medieval Period was illuminated manuscripts. These manuscripts were primarily produced by monks in monasteries who received their inspiration from God. However, one well-known illuminated manuscript was created by a Benedictine nun named Hildegard of Bingen. The Universe by Hildegard of Bingen is a deeply intricate and religious manuscript that was created between 1150 and 1175 CE.
When Hildegard was three years old, it is said, she began having visions. She was unaware that these visions were being sent to her from God until she was around five years old. Hildegard described her visions as causing her to see humans as “living sparks of God’s love, coming from God as daylight comes from the sun” (Saint). Her experiences inspired her work in illuminated manuscripts. During Hildegard’s lifetime, the printing press had not yet been invented. Therefore, all books had to be handcrafted. Since she made the entire manuscript by hand, the time and effort put in is evident because of the complexity of the work. Although Hildegard constructed The Universe by herself, it was not her design. The form came to her in one of her visions (Ford). When she was 43 years old, God spoke to her and ordered her to record all of the visions she had received from Him (Hildegard). She didn’t begin writing immediately, and it took her ten years, but she compiled her visions into a book entitled Scivias (Know the Ways), which is where her description of The Universe appeared (Hildegard).
Illuminated manuscripts were an artform that took many hours of nonstop, meticulous work. The making of manuscripts began with animal skins, typically calf skin, to use as a type of paper called parchment. Although it was expensive, animal skins were used for manuscripts because of its texture, strength, and translucence (What). Then, text was added followed by colored decorations and details that were painted onto the parchment with small tools that made very precise marks. A gouache paint, which is an opaque watercolor, was typically used to color the manuscript. The decorations also generally included metals such as silver and gold. Since most illuminated manuscripts at the time were created for religious purposes, the best materials were used for their construction because the artists wanted God to have the best artwork dedicated to Him.
The Universe by Hildegard of Bingen demonstrates several elements and principles of design, two of them being balance and unity. While balance and unity are not the same, they work together very well in most works of art, especially this one. Balance is seen on the vertical axis of this piece. Although it is not completely symmetrical, the right and left sides sufficiently balance each other. For example, each flame around the outer edge of the oval and each yellow star shape was created differently. The very center of the image is a circle that contains three different colors that do not contain symmetry in any way. On the top, right, bottom, and left edges of the egg shape, there are four different images. Despite there being slight differences throughout The Universe, balance still exists within the piece. Unity is created through the many different layers and colors of this work. Our universe is a vast place that humans do not completely understand, so the variety in shapes, colors, and designs that are displayed give the piece a sense of unity among all of the uncertainty surrounding the subject matter. Unity is also evident through the elements of The Universe that are portrayed as opposites. There is a sun and a moon, warm colors and cool colors, as well as geometric line and organic line. Although these components are opposites, they create a harmony. In our universe, we need all of these things because we are unable to have one without the other, like night and day.
Another element of design that is displayed in The Universe is illusionary space. This manuscript is a two-dimensional work of art, so all of the space is illusionary. Overlap gives the biggest impression of space within the piece. There are several frames that vary in color and pattern around the outside of the manuscript. The egg shape covers the inner blue and green frames almost entirely and overlaps the rest of the frames only on the top. The placement of the egg gives the viewer the sense that the colored frames are going back into the distance. Color also plays a role in demonstrating illusionary space. Warm colors tend to come forward in artwork while cool colors tend to recede. Because of this, the reds and yellows in The Universe appear closer up while the blues, greens, and purples appear farther back.
Color works in many ways in this specific illuminated manuscript. In addition to giving the impression of space, color also allows the viewer to understand the different parts of this work. For example, there are thin yellow and red shapes protruding from around the outside of the egg. Because of the warm colors, one is able to determine that the shapes are supposed to resemble flames. Color also shows contrast in this manuscript because it is different throughout the various shapes and patterns. There are no spots where the color of one shape touches the same color of another shape. The flames are a good example of this aspect of color as well. They could have been painted with only yellow, but each flame is has a red outline so that none of them seem to blend together. Contrasting colors also appear in the image of the sun and moon. The larger portion of the circle is yellow, which represents the sun, and a small, crescent-shaped
sliver of the circle is red. Because of the differentiation in color, the viewer is able to understand that this portion of the manuscript is meant to symbolize night and day.
Two more major elements of design that are used in The Universe by Hildegard of Bingen are pattern and repetition. There are many patterns displayed throughout the illuminated manuscript. Some of the rectangular borders contain patterns, such as the purple and blue colored border that has a repetitive black line that zig-zags along the frame to give it a wave-like pattern. Patterns are also seen in each layer of the egg shape. The repetition of the flames around the outside of the egg creates a pattern. The gray and red design on the black layer of the egg repeats, and although the design is not perfectly replicated over and over again, it is still a clear pattern. The yellow and white star shapes on the blue layer of the egg create a pattern that resembles an abstract interpretation of a night sky. These elements of design are important in The Universe because the manuscript is divided into many different layers, most of which have their own unique pattern. The concept of each layer having a different pattern relates to the universe in which we live. The different areas in our universe all have different qualities, much like Hildegard of Bingen’s The Universe.
This illuminated manuscript is obviously an abstract work of art. The organization of the lines, shapes, patterns, and colors is not something one would see in the real world. A significant reason that the piece is so abstract is because it is based on religion. God is not something that humans are able to visualize literally, so religious art typically becomes highly symbolic. There are many symbols shown throughout Hildegard of Bingen’s The Universe, some of them being more obvious than others. The first symbol, which is a big focal point in the piece, is the flames that create the outer edge of the egg. These flames may symbolize warmth that is surrounding our universe and keeping us alive. Another important symbol is the shape that The Universe takes. Hildegard portrays the universe as an egg, which is associated with the idea of fertility and new life. A material that is used in this manuscript is gold leaf, which is symbolic as well. The gold represents the light of Christ that shines in these “illuminated” works of art. The sun and moon are also symbols that we see in this manuscript. They symbolize nighttime and daytime, both of which are things that humans need in their lives. It represents the cycle of each day. Finally, the four red flowers at the very top of the egg shape may symbolize growth, whether it be personal growth, growing as a community, or growing in Christ.
The Universe by Hildegard of Bingen is a famous illuminated manuscript from the 12th century. Hildegard’s visions from God that she experienced from age three allowed her to excel in her artistic endeavors. Her artwork portrayed her visions from God in an abstract way that speaks through symbols. Her use of balance, unity, illusionary space, color, pattern, and repetition allow the viewer to have a glimpse of what she witnessed in one of her many visions. Hildegard of Bingen is a very talented woman in history who created remarkable works through her inspiration from God.
Works Cited
Cothren, Michael and Marilyn Stokstad. Art: A Brief History , Pearson, 6th edition.
Cothren, Michael and Marilyn Stokstad. Art: A Brief History , Pearson, 6th edition.
Ford, Jack. “The Cosmic Egg of Hildegard of Bingen.” Inner Lives, 16 November 2016, https://innerlives.org/2016/11/16/love-and-the-senses-in-the-medieval-cosmos-the-cosmic-egg-of-hildegard-of-bingen/. Accessed 5 December 2018. “Hildegard of Bingen.” New World Encyclopedia, 24 December 2017, http://www.newworldenc yclopedia.org/entry/Hildegard_of_Bingen. Accessed 6 December 2018. “Saint Hildegard of Bingen.” Franciscan Media, https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-hildega r d-of-bingen/. Accessed 3 December 2018. “What is an Illuminated Manuscript?” Khan Academy, https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-co ntent/getty-museum/getty-manuscripts/a/what-is-an-illumin
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Student #5
Scivias, meaning “Know the Ways," is an illuminated manuscript by Hildegard von Bingen portraying twenty-six religious visions that she encountered. Hildegard of Bingen, also referred to as Saint Hildegard, was born in 1098 CE and passed away in 1179 CE. She was a woman of many accomplishments; she was known as a composer, musician, scientist, physician, Christian prophetess, creator of the monastery, and writer of a new alphabet (lingua ignota) -and the list continues. In 1141 CE, she began to document the visions she had since the age of five years old. At the time, the only people she had told about the visions was a monk, Volmar, and Jutta (her superior). In the preface of the Scivias, Hildegard explains that God commanded her to share her visions with the public. She decided to put her dreams in illustrations so she would not forget them, and so they could be understood by others. Hildegard composed “The Universe” during the Middle Ages. The Middle Ages started in 476 AD, otherwise known as the Dark Ages, was the time after the fall of the Roman Empire. There were many factors that caused the Roman Empire to fall, one in which was Christianity and the change in traditional values. People believed that since they were not living a good Christian life that the Dark Ages was God’s punishment to them. The period following the Middle Ages was called the Renaissance. This was known as the cultural movement between the Middle Ages and modern history. The Renaissance was a time for creative evolution.
Hildegard created “The Universe” in a monastery. The monastery is a community of monks living under religious vows. The Scivias contains three parts which represent the Trinity. The first two parts of the Scivias have the same length, whereas the third is as long as both of them combined. The first section consists of Hildegard of Bingen explaining how she was told by God to create the work and includes six visions about creation and “the Fall”. The second section has seven visions reflecting salvation of Jesus Christ, the sacraments, and Church. The third part explains through thirteen visions how sacrifice has created God’s kingdom and the dynamic tension between good and evil. The last part also contains 14 songs. Each vision has descriptions of everything she saw and heard, believing the voices to be from heaven. In the third vision of Part I, “The Universe” can be found. People had different perceptions of what they thought the illustration was about. For example, one idea was that the illustration represented a female reproductive system. The opening of the birth canal could represent the beginning of life outside of the body. The Universe was made out of parchment, a term for carefully prepared animal skin, more specifically a baby lamb’s skin. This means that in order for Hildegard to illustrate The Universe, a baby lamb had to be sacrificed. The making of parchment is a slow, long process. During this time, medieval animals were suffering from a disease which causes damage to the animal skin. In order to prepare the skin, the flesh and hair must be cleaned and then put onto a wooden frame. While being stretched, the parchment maker alternates scraping the skin with a knife and wetting/drying the skin. This creates tension, allowing the skin to be durable and thick. In the bible, lambs were the sacrificial animal, and also represented Jesus being the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world; lambs are symbolic of justice, innocence and purity. For such an important and highly valued illustration, it deserves to be made with the most precious resources.
In The Universe by Hildegard, the use of compositional balance and unity is shown. Hildegard’s perception of her illustration was unique. The illustration is made up in a circle, meaning a never-ending cycle. The entirety of “The Universe” is based around the idea of the egg is the universe which was not unheard of during the Middle Ages, but was considered unusual. She thinks of the universe as an egg where everlasting things are created. The egg represents unity and wholeness which is her basic truth and foundation of the universe. This means that God organized all things while keeping everything else in mind. You can’t have God without the heavens, the under earth, and those on earth. Just like the egg, everything is intertwined in the universe for the greater benefit of the whole. Unity in the piece shows togetherness and flow, bringing emphasis to all important things. An egg is also considered to be organic, which means that the universe is too. This refers to everything that is living, can grow, breath, love, embrace, and create. It stands for the beginning of something new. In Hildegard’s dreams, the “cosmos” also came forth in her visions as a source of balance. They consisted of catastrophic elements such as fire, whirlwinds, stones, lightning, and thunder (fire, water, earth, and air). As humans, we get to celebrate and tell all things relating to God. We get to be the ones to understand and unfold all that he has created. By thinking of the cosmos, or everything as a whole, Hildegard is pushing herself away from the ideas of Plato who thought that the universe was basically static. Nothing was connected. With that being said, the illustration is also a representation of the circle of life. The circle of life is in constant motion and never stagnant. When it comes to symmetry while looking at The Universe, it is split vertically down the middle. At first glance, the illustration looks symmetrical. But, the more the piece is analyzed it shows more asymmetry (bilateral). The symmetry refers back to the idea that the universe needs balance in order to operate to its full potential.
When it comes to color, it is symbolic in the piece. There is a shade of cool blue, warm golds, and reds as the primary color components of the page. For example, the element of fire is sterile or clean and shown surrounding the embryo (the world). As God is clean and sterile, so is the fire. It looks as if the egg is being lit by the fire, and could mean that God is above all things bualso in everything. The deep warm gold color, representing the fire, shows energy and signifies that the universe is active while the cycle of life is occurring. The dark, red flower looking forms could also exemplify the planets. From a viewer's perspective, the fire also stands out as if it is protecting the universe, or egg. The sun, in a bright yellow/gold color, and the moon in a warm, dark red color symbolize the dynamic tension of good and evil. It makes the viewers interested because the moon is represented by a warm, dark red color which usually means that something is hot but in this case that is the sun. As god is clean and sterile so is the fire represented. The cool, blue color represents the clear/pure sky and contains the stars. More primary colors are used in the illustration rather than secondary colors, showing that certain aspects are more important than others.
When it comes to space, The Universe provides the viewer with a visible feature of the universe as a whole. The egg, which is the largest form, reminds the viewer of the hierarchical scale in the sense that it is the biggest part of the piece which shows the importance of the universe. The egg stands out due to the fire, making the patterns around it come off as smaller and of less importance. A linear perspective can be used to look at the two-dimensional piece of art.
When it comes to the pattern, the repeated shapes and lines add to the illustration’s cyclical style. Furthermore, the space is similar to the cosmos in the sense that the planets hang in an organized fashion but the stars are scattered all around them. The fire has a triangle like a look to it that creates emphasis to the piece. Among this pattern, there is another pattern inside of the edges that represent stars which seem to have symmetry to them. The entirety of the artwork is filled with a sort of design and there is no area that is truly left bare. Due to this, the artwork looks very busy. There is no negative space in the piece which means that negative shapes weren’t used due to the piece of art being without emptiness. It is very intricate, everything is symbolic of something in a different way. As there is more analyzing done to the piece, the smaller details are revealed. The high point of the fire, which is at the top of the page, takes up space and represents the East as the left side signifies the North.
Hildegard was a woman with many talents and was respected in her time. She was a religious leader and had many followers who trusted what she had to say and valued her teachings. She delivers her message through her illustration using specific materials to make a valued piece. During this time, it was believed that the word of God was almighty and of high importance which is exactly what Hildegard wanted to portray in her illustrations.
References
Anngisler, E. (2017, February 21). Hildegard of Bingen "Scivias" 1142-1152 (Chapter 1).
Cothren, Michael and Marilyn Stokstad. Art: A Brief History , Pearson, 6th edition.
Cothren, Michael and Marilyn Stokstad. Art: A Brief History , Pearson, 6th edition.
Ford, Jack. (2017, November 17). Love and the Senses in the Medieval Cosmos: The Cosmic Egg of Hildegard of Bingen
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Student #6
Hildegard of Bingen: The Universe, an Illuminated Manuscript
The Roman Empire was one of the longest lasting powerhouses the world has ever known. An immense amount of intellect, architectural advancement, and art development came from the age of the Roman Empire. Just when it seemed impossible for such a powerful empire to fall, it did exactly that. The Roman Empire began to decline around eight-hundred CE. The fall of the Roman Empire left people in complete shock. The Western Roman world was cast into a dark period, known as the Middle Ages, that lasted until around fifteen-hundred CE. At the beginning of the fall of the Roman Empire, nobody was learning, there was no government, no regulation, and no enforcement if laws.
In the midsts of it all, the black plague reached Europe and started to spread like wildfire. In October of 1347, 12 ships docked at a Sicilian port and the passengers were terribly ill. It started with fleas that would bite infected rats, and the fleas would then spread it to humans. The black plague became so destructive that it adapted to spreadable through air and body fluids. Doctors started methods known as bloodletting and boil-lancing, in the hopes to prevent the spread of the disease. It became so horrific that people would avoid making contact with other people. Eventually, doctors and priests grew so terrified of the disease that they would refuse to see those that were infected. Many people believed the plague was a punishment from God, and that in order to survive they needed to earn forgiveness. Just a few of the consequences of the fall of Rome and the Black Plague include tax revenue decline, no public works being commissioned, peasant revolts, trade decline, and a Feudal System that would fall towards the end of the Middle Ages. The European region was in chaos, and there was no single form of government to unite the people.
Bishop Augustine of Hippo, also known as Saint Augustine, saw a chance for hope and started to piece the European region back together, through the use of Christianity. The Christian faith centers on beliefs regarding the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Holy Bible, made up of the old testament and the new testament, includes important scriptures that outline Jesus’s teachings, the lives, and teachings of major prophets and disciples, and offer instructions for how Christians should live. The Church, being the only stable part of society, became the center of all intellect and prosperity. Monasteries, religious buildings that housed priests, monks, and nuns, were producing beautiful forms of art. Things that were small, personal, and had religious meaning. During this time period, something known as the illuminated manuscript became a common form of art produced within the monasteries These manuscripts were large and ornate as a way to celebrate the word of god. They were known as “illuminated” because the manuscripts illuminate the mind with the teachings of the Bible, painted in gold and color.
Only the finest materials would be used to make these manuscripts, due to the high importance of them. They are the word of god after all. Velum, a fancy paper used for religious writings, was made from lambskin that was tanned. The use of a baby sheepskin was very symbolic in many ways. God is the shepherd of his people, as a shepherd watches over a flock of lambs. Baby sheep are seen as pure and innocent, as should the children of God be seen as. Gouache, similar to watercolor and tempera paint, which is made up of a high ratio of color pigment and a solid white pigment such as chalk, plus gum arabic as a binding agent, was used instead of other paints. The quality of gouache was much higher than that of acrylic or watercolor. It has a lovely, heavy, velvety texture that absorbs light rather than reflecting it, creating a very smooth appearance. This makes it ideal for opaque coverage. Another highly valuable material used in these illuminated manuscripts was gold leaf. What gold leaf is, is a very thin sheet of pure gold. Gold leaf is gold that has been hammered into thin sheets by goldbeating and is often used for gilding. It creates a smooth, reflective surface that illuminates; which reinforces the idea that these manuscripts illuminated the mind with the word of God.
One person who impacted this time period strongly, with her many artistic and intellectual accomplishments throughout her life, was Hildegard of Bingen. Hildegard was born in 1098 CE. Hildegard became the leader of her convent in 1136. Around the year of 1147, she founded a new convent near Bingen, where she wrote important documents on medicine, the natural sciences, invented an alternative alphabet, and created her very own illuminated manuscript. She was a gifted composer, and to some is considered by many to have written the very first opera. She also corresponded with emperors, popes, and powerful abbots. Hildegard had many followers due to being so gifted.
“The Universe” was one of many illuminated manuscripts created by Hildegard, all of which came together to create her book Scivias (a word derived from the Latin scite vias lucis, which means “know the ways of the light”). The perfect name for such an intellectually illuminating set of manuscripts. According to Hildegard, she was commanded by God himself in 1141, and with help, she began to record the mystical visions she had been experiencing since she was a little girl. “The Universe” is one of Hildegard's most well-known works, which has been examined and interpreted by many people over hundreds of years. After her vision now known as “The Universe”, Hildegard stated “After this I saw a vast instrument, round and shadowed, in the shape of an egg, small at the top, large in the middle, and narrowed at the bottom; outside it, surrounding its circumference, there was a bright fire with, as it were, a shadowy zone under it. And in that fire, there was a globe of sparkling flame so great that the whole instrument was illuminated by it”. Many see the illuminated manuscript created by Hildegard as symbolic because it depicts the encounters she had with God in her dreams. It is her visual encounters with the universe. The word of God spoken through Hildegard of Bingen.
Compositional balance and unity are displayed throughout Hildegards illuminated manuscript very well. She is able to play with symmetry very well to express a balance and unity. If you glance at “The Universe” you notice a bilateral (vertical) symmetry, which is what makes it visually seemed balance. What’s funny is that if you stare long enough that symmetry slowly starts to fade away, and the piece of work becomes asymmetrical. There are many tiny details, some in the center and others off to the side more, that make it asymmetrical. It adds a different sense of balance because even when you notice the things that make it asymmetrical, it still visually appeals to you in a symmetrical way. One other thing that adds to its sense of balance and unity is the fact that there is no linear perspective. No one true destination your eyes should end up. It allows your eyes to roam freely, and your understanding of the piece to slowly grow. Your mind becomes illuminated by every inch of the piece of work.
Hildegard manages to create a sense of illusionary space very well. She clearly shows a strong knowledge and intelligence through her use of techniques. When it comes to space, she uses two techniques in particular to create depth. The use of overlapping is very successful in turning a 2D manuscript into something that could visually seem to be almost 3D-like. If you look at the feather-like shapes encircling the egg, the use of overlap allows them to seem almost like a moving flame. Hildegard also uses the temperature of colors to create illusionary space.
This is why space and color are so connected in this piece. She uses cool colors to push back imagery, and warm colors to pull shapes forward. Again, looking at the feather-like shapes you see that that are warm colors. This is to pull them forward. The flames are almost coming off the page of the manuscript. They are illuminating the page, drawing inattention, and pushing your eyes towards the center. The warm colors, the reds, oranges, and yellows, are useful in drawing the eye through the detail into the center. The cool colors, such as blue and green, compliment the piece well and add to the visual depth.
Pattern and repetition are noticeable throughout the entire manuscript, which is something Hildegard did to visually improve upon the piece. The pattern and repetition that you can see do a number of things, one of them is to support the balance of the piece. It is used to create a border, one of which the top and bottom are red and the sides are blue. Teese borders add to the symmetry, which adds to balance. Another pattern that almost takes the spotlight in the manuscript is the feather-like flames. It is one shape, repeated and mapped multiple times, spread evenly around the egg shape. This also gives a visual sense of symmetry and balance. Pattern and repetition are often used to just emphasize the point of something. To draw more attention, when attention is needed. Hildegard accomplishes this idea very well and is able to emphasize the flames to draw attention towards the center, to then show off the focal point of the egg.
Symbolic illustrations are extremely prevalent throughout the illuminated manuscript. Hildegard described this instrument in her vision as if it were an egg in the center, surrounded by flames, floating in what could be considered time and space (the universe). The egg is the focal point of the instrument, meaning it has the most important relative to everything else. If you think about an egg, it is similar to the idea of using lambskin for the paper. An egg is the beginning of a chicken's life, a fetus not yet born. The time period of when a baby remains in the womb is that babies most pure and innocent moments of living. Not yet born, unable to sin. The flames surrounding the egg are what illuminates the illustration. It can represent a few things. The flames surround the egg, almost as if they were to protect it. It is as if God is the flame, protecting the egg (his flock) from danger and sin, attempting to preserve the innocence of his children. The flames could also represent what the instrument should make you feel. When yo read the word of God you should feel a burning passion inside of you. You should feel a flame within your heart always willing to listen and understand the word of God. A passion to celebrate what he stood for, and continues to stand for even in death.
Work Cited
Adler, Philip and Randall Pouwels. World Civilizations, Cengage Learning, 7th edition.
Cothren, Michael, and Marilyn Stokstad. Art: A Brief History, Pearson, 6th edition.
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Student #7
Hildegard of Bingen: The Universe
Hildegard of Bingen is a truly remarkable figure; a revolutionary that is often overlooked by those just beginning to learn history. In a vision, she claims she was shown the universe and as proof left behind a fantastic illuminated manuscript. The illuminated manuscript of The Universe holds significance not only for its lavish materials and attention to detail but also because of the “rap sheet” of its creator. Saint Hildegard, in addition to being an artist, was a composer of music and drama, a renowned theologian and a botanical and medical text writer. She was born in 1098 and lived to the age of 81 years (longer than the average American’s current life expectancy of 78 years) (Encyclopædia Britannica). One of her most famous accomplishments remains the very grand illuminated manuscript known as The Universe.
Hildegard of Bingen, also known as Saint Hildegard, was born to noble parents and received a formal education from the church (Encyclopædia Britannica). This put Hildegard ahead of the crowd as mass education of the populace did not begin to arise in Europe until the 16th century (I.K.). She was regarded as a highly talented composer of music, plays, and poetry. She left behind many writings including the biography of two other saints and two treatises on medicine and natural history which contained information that was highly advanced for the people of nearly 1,000 years ago. She attributed much of her knowledge to visions—in fact, she claims to have had visions as far back as she can remember, and always held steadfast that these visions were of significant importance. She evangelized to much of Germany, trying to tell people of her visions and sharing some of the knowledge she was blessed with. Unfortunately, she did not receive the recognition she deserved during her lifetime and was never formally declared a saint until recently in 2012 by the Pope (Encyclopædia Britannica).
Hildegard began her work on the Cosmic Egg with a sheet of vellum—a fine parchment made from the skins of baby lambs. While nowadays vellum refers to smooth types of paper, in the days of Hildegard, there had yet to be any elaborate manufacturing techniques for paper such as the ones we have today, and so the idea at the time of its making was to use the most precious materials available in order to emphasize the importance of the work.
Her next step in creating her piece was a gouache outline, followed by a deep blue lapis lazuli on the borders of the vellum manuscript and in the center of The Universe. Lapis lazuli was quite a difficult material to get for Hildegard seeing as, at the time, the limestone was only found in the mines of Afghanistan. The red cadmium follows along the outside border, as well as the edges of the gold leaf, the stars, and the five-pronged hands holding up the gold leaf. Cadmium might be the more commonly found material used in this painting, but its deposits are still only found in small quantities in the earth's crust. The gold leaf tongues along the border of the oculus are 14k+ gold and really shows off the extravagasance of the Cosmic Egg.
The symbolic significance of Hildegard’s Cosmic Egg is staggering. A careful balance of turbulent fires, wind, and water, the Cosmic Egg conveys the dynamic nature of our world in a way which is more than fitting gave what we know of it today (Ford). In the center of the egg is the earth, with the moon above it and the sun shining brightly overhead with three bright red stars shining above it. These stars are supposed to be either the planets Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, or the outlining stars of Orion (David). Amidst the chaos, the only area in the proposed map which seems to provide any sort of respite is the great blue border which surrounds the egg, a “zone of watery air” (Ford).
It has been theorized that the Cosmic Egg was made in resemblance of the female genitalia. Dianna Elizabeth Conner, a feminist author, wrote on the supposed symbolic meaning of the Cosmic Egg’s iconography, saying:
Hildegard the theologian compared God to a Cosmic Egg that surges flames into the universe, emptying and filling itself like a womb—creative, beneficial, and nurturing to all life within. She spoke of this sacred feminine as Divine Love, the essence of the universe—the highest fiery power that shines in water, burns in the sun, moon, and stars, stirring everything into existence, and causing all life to glisten with this light. (David)
Considering the context of its making, the imagery of the piece reflects Hildegard’s religious focus. The apparent iconography of the egg in conjunction with the turbulence of The Universe suggests something more than just creation. Her illustration, along with others of her visions which she has either made or spoken of, convey details in the Book of Revelation (David). What one could conclude from such a thing is a demonstration of the circle of life, which begins with creation, continues with death, and ends (or rather, restarts) with creation. In other words, “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” (Mathew 20:16)
Why she made her works, though, is an interesting story. While it is known that her illustrations are all connected due to the attribution to her Godly visions, Hildegard spoke on why she was so compelled, specifically, to put them on paper and share them with the world. In her own words, translated into English:
But I, though I saw and heard these things, refused to write for a long time through doubt and bad opinion and the diversity of human words, not with stubbornness but in the exercise of humility, until, laid low by the scourge of God, I fell upon a bed of sickness; then, compelled at last by many illnesses, and by the witness of a certain noble maiden of good conduct and of that man whom I had secretly sought and found, as mentioned above, I set my hand to the writing. (...) And again I heard a voice from Heaven saying to me, 'Cry out therefore, and write thus!' (Hildegard von Bingen, Scivias, trans. by Columba Hart and Jane Bishop)
The colors used in The Universe are vibrant. Likely having been chosen deliberately for their effects, both the color choices and the materials utilized convey a variety of different meanings and values. The first color the human eye tends to notice is red—while this is due to a survival response, Hildegard takes advantage of this impulse in our brains to give life to the painting. Red may have also been used in direct reference to blood, as blood is the life of the body, and Hildegard (a physician as well as an artist) would have likely wanted to take advantage of the color red in this way. She borders the outside near the edge of the vellum with red cadmium and extends the color to the edges of the gold leaflets, the heavenly stars above, the many stars in the center, and the five-pronged arms holding up the gold leaf, as well as the heart-like object which appears on the far right of the painting, pointing towards the illustration’s center. This choice could indicate a message such as the persistence and perversion of life. The moon is also marked red purposely in a way to give it a crescent shape.
Analogous to the red is the green, located in the center on what is to be the earth; on the base of the five-pronged arms; in the head located at the bottom center; and on the three-headed object in the center-left. Similarly representing life, but in a different way is the green on the earth. I can attest from personal experience that the earth is full of life – a decent chunk of which is green. While the tone of the green seems more subdued than the other vibrant colors of the page, it matches the tone of the work and is an honest representation of life on our planet, as the green (when viewed from space) is more of a subdued green. Complimenting the green is the blue lapis lazuli which covers most of this work. The blue holds the background for the stars in the center of the piece, as well as line the inner border cast by the cadmium outline. This outer border possesses the tiniest gold stars scattered throughout. The inner blue housed within the eye of the work is the perfect highlight to the gold and red. The gold is mainly concentrated on the outside of the oculus in dagger-like strips. The gold also extends to the stars in the oculus, and on the lapis lazuli border, as well as the moon.
The patterns seen across this work have implied symmetry, however no matter which way you split The Universe up – either on the X-axis or the Y-axis it actually fails true mathematical symmetry requirements. When examined closely it is seen that this was on purpose. The dagger-like gold-leaf all point outward and in a slightly turned direction that continues to bend as the path of gold daggers is followed. The crescent moon is ever so slightly crooked, and the earth in the center of the oculus clearly has a river in the center pointing towards a specific direction. The bright red stars atop the piece follow a trail of the gold daggers off to the side. Then there are the three strange objects on the outer rim of the oculus, the brain, the horned head, and the three-headed monstrosity. All of these would eliminate any possibility of pure symmetry. But perhaps Hildegard meant it as a symbol of creation itself within her depiction of creation. The one agreed upon rule: no beginning, and no end. The heavenly bodies depicted begin with the earth in the center, above is the moon, and above both is the sun. A trinity. The three objects on the outer rim of the oculus once again have a trinity. Finally, there are three prominently used colors: Red, gold, and blue are the trinity of colors used here. And interestingly these colors can be used to make just about every other color that we see on TV, phone, and computer screens. These are the three colors used in a single pixel on such devices.
Hildegard’s method of spatial differentiation comes from an illusionary perspective. Very clearly the objects that are supposed to be closest are the earth, moon, and sun. The stars in the background are drawn similarly to the main star atop, making the viewer see them as farther away. And finally, in the outer border along the lapis lazuli are even smaller. With a little bit of context on the size of the earth and moon and sun, these miniature stars on the border appear to be at astronomically large distances from the main objects. And that was the goal in styling it this way, to represent the vastness of our universe and to show just how tiny we are in it.
Works Cited
Art A Brief History by Marilyn Stokstad and Michael Cothren (The University of Kansas, 2016)
hildegard-von-bingen-001999.
Ford, Jack. “Love and the Senses in the Medieval Cosmos: The Cosmic Egg of Hildegard of
Bingen.” Inner Lives, 17 Nov. 2017, innerlives.org/2016/11/16/love-and-the-senses-in-
the-medieval-cosmos-the-cosmic-egg-of-hildegard-of-bingen/.
Hildegard von Bingen, Scivias, trans. by Columba Hart and Jane Bishop with an Introduction by
Barbara J. Newman, and Preface by Caroline Walker Bynum (New York: Paulist Press,
1990), pp. 60–61.
I.K. “Western Europe - Educational Roots, Reform in the Twentieth Century, Contemporary
Reform Trends, Future Challenges.” Practical, Sternberg, Creative, and Students –
StateUniversity.com, education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2547/Western-Europe.html.
“St. Hildegard.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 30 Nov. 2018,
www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Hildegard.
Student #8
Illuminated manuscripts are some of the most celebrated works of art from the early Christian world. The manuscripts contained religious teachings that aided in founding the monasteries that created the elaborate works. These books also had a role in some missionary work. They were typically decorated with gems and gold, as well as highly pigmented inks. These illustrations were painted onto lamb’s skin. Lambs are an important symbol in Christianity, as followers are seen as the lambs of God. They were kept on the altars of the missionaries and were thought to act as a talisman that would protect parishioners from attacks. Monks living in these monasteries would spend hours working on these pieces in scriptorias, or workshops, working in a type of religious trance. The goal of the imagery was to induce a type of trance in the reader, allowing them to simply meditate on the words contained in the manuscript. The images on the manuscripts were generally more abstract than previous art pieces, with the focus being less on capturing the exact look of something, and more on capturing the hallucinations seen by the monk as they were in their intense meditations and focusing on the written words the manuscript would contain.
“The Universe” by Hildegard of Bingen is one such illuminated manuscript. Born to a noble German family in 1098, she would eventually become the leader of her convent in 1136, eventually founding a new convent near Bingen around 1147. Hildegard was a multi-talented woman. Not only did she paint manuscripts, but she also wrote about medicine and science, invented an alternative alphabet, and is credited with writing the first opera, along with many religious musical pieces. She also frequently corresponded with popes, emperors, and abbots. What makes “The Universe” so unique is that it is actually a depiction of one of the religious visions Hildegard had been experiencing since she was five. She only began recording these visions after she received a command from God in 1411. With the help of her nuns and a monk named Volmar, she recorded her visions and her descriptions of them as she saw them. The symbolism in “The Universe” is not quite as straight forward as one would assume, as Hildegard’s descriptions of the visions were literal descriptions of what she was seeing, not explanations of what the visions may mean.
The compositional balance and unity are noticed at first glance through the general shape of the piece as a whole. It is more or less symmetrical, with an egg shape mostly inside a rectangle. Since the piece is abstract, the shapes are able to flow into the next more easily. There is almost a layered look to it, with each layer getting further and further from the fiery sphere in the center. Upon closer examinations of the details however, the balance seems to be off ever so slightly. The head shapes are a prominent example of this. There is one at the bottom of the egg piece, but instead of being balanced by another head at the top, there is a star burst shape with smaller star bursts below and above it. The head to the left of the flaming sphere is much closer to it than the one on the right. Additionally, the top of the egg shape tilts ever so slightly to the right. Finally, the top of the egg also goes over the top of the rectangle, which seemed to go over the edges of the egg in every other place where they intersect. This image of perfect yet imperfect balance gives the illusion that the piece is moving in the wind like a billowing flag. The very fact that the eye is drawn to the fiery sphere in the center provides this piece with unity. The eye is then guided around the piece, and as one focuses on the different parts, they notice smaller details that they may not have noticed at first glance, like the fact that the head shapes have three faces. This unity is aided by the way the piece seems to be self-contained. The rectangle serves as both a background to the egg, and a frame for the piece itself, not including the top where the egg overlaps it. The use of the color blue both inside the egg and in the background, rectangle gives the sense of connection between the two parts of the piece, furthering the overall unity. The two shapes do clash a bit, slightly ruining the sense of unity. The egg shape is very smooth and flowing with uneven edges like a flame. The rectangle on the other hand, is very precise, with exact edges and corners. The smooth straight edges of the rectangle only waver or break where they are overlapped by the top of the egg.
The “globe of sparkling flame”, as Hildegard described it, may be meant to represent Heaven, God, or the church itself. The shadows between the egg shape and the flames that surround it may represent Hell or the effects of acting against Christian beliefs and values. The overall egg shape around which everything else falls could represent life, or the lives of those who convert and are born again through baptism as Christians. The head shapes could represent many things. They could represent Hildegard herself receiving the visions, or they could represent souls inhabiting the different realms in the Christian religion, Heaven, Hell, and Earth.
Given that this piece is two dimensional and most of the aspects of it are more abstract, illusionary is not as simply to find as many of the other elements of art. One of the ways space is created is through overlapping decorations. For instance, the egg overlapping the rectangle at the top but being overlapped on the sides and bottom give an interesting illusion that the egg is placed predominantly in the rectangle but it emerging through the flames that surround its edges. More instanced of overlap are present with the face like shapes, which are placed on top of whatever layer they appear over. This makes them appear as if they are sprouting from the layer itself, or from where the line separating one layer from another. Another example of illusionary space in this piece is found in the six starburst shapes at the top of the egg. Since one is much larger than the other five, this makes it appear as though it is coming forward more than the others. A final example of illusionary space found in this piece is in the use of cool and muted colors versus bright and warm colors. The egg is surrounded by bright gold and red flames, which brings the overall shape forward. These flames are set against a blue and yellow background. While yellow is usually considered a warm color, the gold in the flames makes it appear much cooler. The wave-shaped decorations around the edges of the rectangle are done in muted colors as well, with a bright red border encasing them. This almost makes it look like a picture frame that has had the decoration carved into it. The interior of the egg itself is a combination of warm and cool colors. The sphere at the very center is set on a blue background and surrounded by what appears to be gold and red starbursts. This makes the orb seem to be in between the stars and the blue background, or that the sphere is among the stars on the blue background, not necessarily in front of them. The redhead shape in the golden flames pops forward more than the flames itself, while two of the blue ones seem to be more or less in the same space as their surroundings. The third blue one that is in the black and red layer also comes forward a bit more off of its background. This combination of colors provides a slightly bouncy effect that can be disorienting if stared at for too long.
On the topic of colors, “The Universe” has a variety of colors included in it. Most of the pigments are of the primary colors blue, yellow, and red. There is also come secondary colors like green and purple in the piece, but these are much scarcer and more muted. Whether this is done on purpose for more accurate presentation of Hildegard’s vision, or it is just a result of the colors that were most easy to obtain is hard to say. Analogous colors being used side by side is used in multiple places in this piece. The first of which is the blue and purple decorations on the edges of the rectangle. The second is the red outlining the golden flames around the egg. This gives the flame more dimension. This same color scheme is used in the starbursts in the center of the egg surrounding the sphere. While exact complimentary colors are not very well represented in this piece, they can be seen in the red and yellow that is placed beside the blue. This has the same contrasting effect as if it were orange used instead of red and yellow separately. Green, the complementary color of red, also makes an appearance on the piece, although it is extremely minor. Green is seen only around the sphere in the center of the piece, and even then, it is a very dull green, not the bright green we usually see next to red around the holidays.
Pattern and repetition exist in this piece in several forms. One of which is the use of starburst shapes inside the egg. This mostly random assortment makes the piece start to resemble the night sky. The only star bursts that don’t seem to have a random arrangement are the six at the top of the egg shape. Since these ones are very clearly in a line, they could possibly represent some idea in the Christian religion. The flame pattern surrounding the egg is another example of this, as it is one simple shape repeated over and over, layered repeatedly to provide the illusion of a flame. Another aspect of the piece that is repeated is the four head shapes. These shapes are in different places of the egg shape, and they all face outward. The placement of these head shapes, three being near the edge and one near the center, helps to draw the viewers focus around the piece.
Given that this piece was created to illustrate a religious vision seen by Hildegard, it is loaded with symbolic illustrations. “The Universe” appears to have different layers to it, starting with the sphere in the center. To me, this sphere seems to symbolize the Earth. The use of more muted shades of blue and green evidence to this, as well as the sphere’s ornamentation. The green bump-like shapes around the edge can be interpreted as mountains, the blue wavy layer could be the see, and the red lined layer could be the ground. The blue layer with stars on it would then represent the sky, most likely the night sky as there is a circle with a crescent moon in it, and said stars can only be seen at night. The black layer with seems to have sea anemones in it could be an artistic representation of Purgatory, one of the realms where the souls of the dead dwell in the Christian religion. Purgatory is said to be a dark place where the souls wander aimlessly, so the use of the colors black and red could represent this realm. The flame layer on the outside of the egg shape then must represent Hell, the Christian underworld. This is the realm where sinners are said to burn for eternity and be punished for their sins, so it makes sense that fire would represent Hell. An image that symbolizes heaven is a bit harder to detect in this piece, unless the very center circle of the sphere is earth and the three layers around that symbolize Heaven. If this is not the case, then the blue layer with the stars is meant to symbolize Heaven. I follow this train of thought because of the placement of the head shapes. It is my belief that these head shapes are supposed to represent souls in different parts of the Christian after life. There is one inside the sphere, one on the blue layer, one in the black layer, and one in the flames, meaning they would represent souls inhabiting Earth, Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell. Given that the faces on these heads have something coming from their mouth, it is possible they are meant to be either praising the Christian God, or screaming in agony and fear depending on where they are. What fascinates me is this piece does not seem to have a clear representation of the Holy Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. These are mentioned in many Christian prayers and hymns, as well as much of the literature written on the topic, so seeing a piece that is designed based on a religious vision that lacks the trinity is slightly odd to me. Of course, there is no solid way to understand what this vision is supposed to mean, and knowing that information would certainly clear this up.
Regardless, “The Universe” by Hildegard of Bingen is a beautiful and hypnotic piece, that reveals more and more details the longer you look at it. Th historic and religious importance of this piece is undoubtable, and discussing it for art or religion will only bring about more theories and questions.
Works Cited
“257.” Art History, by Marilyn Stokstad and Michael Watt Cothren, Pearson, 2018.
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Student #9
Illuminated manuscripts were one of the more prominent art forms during the medieval period for the Christian people. These illuminated manuscripts were very ornate Bibles that carried the word of God. These particular Bibles were usually the main Bible for a church because of their immense religious and monetary value. These illuminated manuscripts were created by monks who were usually cloistered in monasteries. They would work on these books for months on end. One page on average, took them a month to create because of the media that was being implemented and because of the sheer amount of detail that was being put into these pages. The Christian followers at the time believed that the illuminated manuscripts were the closest that someone could get to God. It enlightened them through the word of God, but the ornate design caused them to feel a closeness to that enlightenment through reflective media and vibrant colors.
During this time Europe was in a period of unrest. The Roman empire was not as large as it used to be and no longer controlled all of the land it did before. Only the Eastern empire was left. In place of the Western empire, there were now a plethora of small states, which would often war with each other. As a result, communities and countries were not as stationary as before and moved around because of the violence which displaced them. Therefore, their art was not like the art of the Egyptians, Greeks or Romans. Their art tended to be small and portable, like the illuminated manuscripts. In addition, they did a lot of metal working during this time. They made things like clasps for religious vestments, which were very ornate and incorporated media like glass, gold and even gemstones. They also made textiles that were very ornate for religious purposes during this time. One could argue that they did produce churches during this time, which were not mobile pieces of art. I would argue that most of these early churches were buildings that previously existed and were converted for use by the Christians. By and large, the buildings themselves were already present.
The picture shown above is from one of these manuscripts. This particular manuscript is titled The Universe and was created by Hildegard of Bingen circa 1150-1175CE. (Stokstad,
p.257) The creator of this piece was a very influential person and was credited with many innovations in her time. She was originally born in a normal family which was the Mainz family. (Christianity Today) She was the youngest of 10 children in the family. (Christianity Today) She was a cloistered nun and lived from the years of 1098CE to 1179CE. One of the innovations that she made during her life was the creation of an alternative alphabet. This alphabet included replacements for the current letters and was an alternative to Latin, which was being used at the time. She also can be credited with the creation of the first opera. She was a gifted composer and created many musical pieces throughout her life time. Another accomplishment of Hildegard was her creation of a convent in 1147 where she was the abbess. This convent was established near the Rhine river by the community of Bingen. She also created a series of medical writings, as she was also a pharmacist.
She cataloged and discovered many medicinal properties for plants and how they were able to help the body. (Monastery of St. Gertrude) Some of these herbs included: savory, sage, thyme and parsley. While we only see these things as having culinary uses, they had medicinal purposes at the time and helped provide a great deal of comfort to patients in their final days, when they had diseases that could not be cured. For example, she said that savory had a verity of uses when it came to treating the heart, stomach and mind. It specifically helped with depression, or as she called it, sadness of the mind. (Monastery of St. Gertrude) “It is good and useful for both the sick and healthy to eat. There is something sour, or bitter, in it which does not bite the insides, but makes the person healthy. Let whoever has a weak heart or a sick stomach eat it raw and it will strengthen the person. Also, a person who has a sad mind will be made happy if he or she eats savory. If eaten it also heals and clears the eyes.” (Monastery of St. Gertrude) While the usage of these plants was very innovative at the time, we must keep in mind that this was when
medicine was not at all where it is today. At the time they did not believe in germ theory, and they did not even fully recognize miasma theory, which was the theory that there is good air and bad air. People still thought that humors were the things that caused a person to get sick. There were four elements, including blood, in the body that one had to keep in check in order to stay healthy. Even with these being the main ideas of the time, she was still able to discover the uses of these herbs and how they would be able to help people. When she discusses the usage of sage, we can see an example of the humor theory and how it impacted Hildegard’s discoveries of medicine. “It is good to eat raw or cooked by one who suffers from noxious humors since it checks them. Take sage and pulverize it. Eat this powder with bread, and it diminishes the overabundance of bad humors in you. Also, let whoever suffers a stench from some rottenness put sage in his or her nostrils, and it will benefit the person. But if a person abounds in an overabundance of phlegm or has stinking breath, let them drink it often. The bad humors and phlegm will be diminished.” (Monastery of St. Gertrude) She also found that thyme had medicinal purposes. “…it perforates ulcers with its strength and does not heal them if placed over them. Let whoever has leprosy season this herb with other good herbs and condiments. Rub this on any type of leprosy, and it lessens the foulness of the leprosy with its warmth and strength.” (Monastery of St. Gertrude) The last important herb she found to be useful for medicine was parsley. “When it has been eaten, it reduces fevers that strike but touch a person only lightly. Nevertheless, it generates seriousness in the mind.” (Monastery of St. Gertrude)
While Hildegard did do all of these things, they were not what she was most known for. While this may seem surprising, the main thing she was known for was her divine visions. She started having these visions when she was about 5 years old. These visions were religious in nature and revolved around the Christian religion. She continued to have these visions throughout her life and started to record them in 1141 CE. As a result of all the aforementioned accomplishments and circumstances that she found herself to in, she became a very prominent figure in medieval society. She held correspondence with many members of the church and abbots of other monasteries. She also had correspondence with other important figures, one of these being the Pope. She even had correspondence with the Holy Roman Emperor himself. While the significance of this may be lost on us today, this was a very rare thing at the time. Women of the time did not play such pivotal roles and were generally subservient to men. The fact that she was a leader of a convent on her own is astounding because a convent leader would usually have to work under a friar. The fact that she was able to achieve all of these other accomplishments is almost impossible and is the reason in my opinion, why she was so respected and trusted by these powerful individuals. Lastly, as a cloistered nun she made illuminated manuscripts. As shown above, the church at this time was a place for innovation, artistic growth and education. Many of these monasteries were producing illuminated manuscripts, but Hildegard’s were different. The reason that they were different was that they were based on her visions, and she tried to depict to the best of her ability what she saw when God showed visions to her.
There was a plethora of media that was employed in the creation of these illuminated manuscripts. The media that was used in the creation of this type of piece was gold leaf, Gouache, which are a type of pure pigment that is used to create opaque colors with the appearance of water colors. This pigment could not be used alone and needed a binder in order to be employed in the piece. This binder commonly was egg. Ink was also used to write the words that the manuscript contained, which were usually from the Bible. One of the inks that was used was called Oxgall ink, which is an ink that is produced by crushing the livers of many calves.
This is a very dark and saturated ink that was commonly used in the manuscripts. The medium that was used to create the pages of these manuscripts was often lamb skin. This was significant because the manufacturing process for the manuscript meant that a lot of sheep had to be killed to make the manuscripts. This in turn made them very expensive and very valuable. The fact that these pages were made out of lamb also had another significance. In the Christian religion, the lamb has a very important significance because sheep represent the flock of God’s people. The fact that the pages are made out of lamb not only makes the manuscript have more monetary value but also more religious value. Thus, it was perceived to be more holy than just a regular bible. These manuscripts would be assembled in a codex form. This illuminated manuscript in particular implemented the media of: Oxgall ink, gold leaf and paints made form Gouache. The pages are most likely lamb skin as well and were assembled in a codex form. This is an illustration in a book which contains others and also describes her visions. It was produced to share these visions with the world and spread the word of God. This particular work shows a depiction of the universe. The point was to illuminate the reader’s soul with holy knowledge. The manuscript would also illuminate the reader’s senses through the vivid imagery, colors and reflective material that was used in the piece.
This piece employs balance in the form of radial symmetry. It is not perfectly symmetrical, and it is not a perfect circle. It is, however, symmetrical radially because of the fact that there is a pattern of golden beams or rays that circle the whole oval shape in the piece. They are abstract oval shapes that are very biomorphic in nature, and one could argue that they almost look like leaves. This oval of gold leaves encircles another oval that is black and contains more biomorphic shapes that repeat in a pattern around the whole oval. They almost appear to be pine- apples from their appearance but, again, they are very abstract in nature and it is very difficult to
discern if they are pineapples or some other shape. This oval encircles yet another oval that is blue with abstract shapes within it that appear to be a representation of stars. This oval surrounds a circle which is a representation of the earth. All of these circles and ovals surrounding each other create a feeling of unity almost like each circular shape is flowing around another. It also provides radial symmetry through this circular pattern in the piece.
This piece is a two-dimensional piece that, while it does not contain actual space, it does contain a fair bit of implied space. This implied space is shown in the middle. The way the ovals are positioned outside of the circle in the middle gives the viewer a feeling that they are viewing something that is large. It seems like the viewer is zooming out of something to be able to see the big picture. In this piece, the big picture is the universe and the concentric ovals help convey this sense of vastness and massiveness of the universe. The fact that the outermost circle expands past the border of the piece also helps convey this sense of massiveness and awesomeness that something as large as the universe would have on a person. In addition, the way that the oval at the top jumps out of the frame almost makes it appear that the universe is exploding out at the viewer.
The piece employs a variety of colors throughout. This is a polychromatic piece, and it uses a lot of primary colors. These colors are red, blue and yellow. An interesting thing to note in the piece is that is does not contain any of the secondary colors like orange, green or purple. As a result, this piece does not employ analogous colors because it lacks secondary colors which are integral to the implementation of analogous colors. Therefore, it is also unable to use complementary colors because of the absence of secondary colors which are needed to use complementary colors. The piece also uses black in one of the ovals and white in the border. The
piece has saturated values throughout. However, the red in the piece has a very light tint compared to the rest of the tone of the piece.
The piece has a lot of patterns that run throughout it, the first being that of the border itself. It contains biomorphic shapes that appear to be waves that interlock in a tessellation form and repeat throughout the whole border. They do, however, change color depending on whether or not they are vertical, in which case they are red, or horizontal, in which case they are blue. There is also a star pattern in a border that exists inside the other border. The stars are white on a blue background. The third pattern that exists within the piece is the pineapple type shape that exists inside the black oval which repeats for the circumference of the piece. There is also a pattern of flowers inside that oval in a different blue oval that orbits the circle in the center.
While this piece represents the universe, I also think that it represents its creation as well. Through the oblong shape that is created by the ovals, it appears to look like an egg. The egg is a very powerful symbol because it represents life and the creation of life. This is why I believe that this could also be showing the creation of the universe. There is also the golden oval which is made up of many golden rays that almost look like an explosion outward. This, coupled with its protrusion from the frame, shows that it is expanding like the universe and like life does from the egg in order to create a new being. I also believe that the big flowers represent other planets and that the smaller circle on top of the large circle represents the moon.
Works Cited
"Hildegard of Bingen." Christian History | Learn the History of Christianity & the Church. Christianity Today, 18 Feb. 2016. Web. 11 Dec. 2018.
"Hildegard of Bingen." Monastery of St. Gertrude. Monastery of St. Gertrude, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2018.
Stokstad, Marilyn, and Michael Watt Cothren. Art: A Brief History. 6th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2016. Print.
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