Medieval Art and Architecture

Paper Summary:

Arguably Islam was the most influential of the cultural donors to medieval art and architecture, via Armenia as well as the cultures hugging the Mediterranean, but Islam itself had already influenced other cultures (Byzantine) and been influenced by even earlier ones (pre-Islamic Persia and more). This paper shows, therefore, that any tracing of Islamic influence in medieval European art and architecture must include the incorporated remnants of all the earlier inter-cultural donations. It shows that the two most influential contacts though which the cultural iconographies were spread are, arguably, the Crusades and the Moorish subjugation of Spain.

From the Paper:

"Of particular importance to medieval life was the abbey and the priory. Particularly important were the Benedictine abbeys. While Benedict was a mid-sixth century cleric, and Islam itself, of course, could not have been influential until at least the start of the seventh century, Benedictine abbeys continued to be built for centuries, reflecting in great degree an Eastern influence. While "the typical plan of Benedictine abbeys and priories evolved out of the Roman country villa of late antiquity"......about 820, a plan for an idea monastery was created (Schuetz-Miller, 2000). It was considered to be the first pattern that took into account the relationship of all the parts to each other and to the whole, assuring geometric harmony; harmony had been a hallmark of Eastern life."

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