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Jan 1, 1305
The Scrovegni Chapel by Giotto
The Scrovegni Chapel is a beautifully painted series of Frescoes in a church in Italy. The paintings chronicle the life and suffering of Jesus Christ and was considered influential in other works such as the Maesta. The frescoes were created as a penance by the son of a wealthy banker whom participated in the “sin” of usury and the existence as well as the beauty of the work shows the idea of repentance and forgiveness inherent not only in religion but in humanity as a whole. -
Jan 1, 1311
The Maesta by Duccio di Buoninsegna
The Maesta is a large altarpiece which depicts the entire life of Christ in a series of 43 small paintings. The artwork is widely considered to be beautiful in both beauty and scope as it covers all of Christ’s life, including the aftermath of his crucifixion. The Maesta is also credited with launching the new era of Italian painting and leading the medium away from Byzantine influence and toward a more realistic capturing of life and nature. -
Jan 1, 1319
Cantwell Fada by Unknown
The Cantwell Fada statue is a beautiful piece carved from a single large slab of limestone. It was originally believed to be the lid of a sarcophagus which was removed and placed in a church. It shows the strength and achievement of Irish artists before the country was destroyed by war and the plague. Its simple lines and crusadic imagery show the power of the effigy. The legacy exists today in both the art world and the superstitions of locals. -
Jan 1, 1320
The Divine Comedy by Dante Allegheri
The Divine Comedy is the masterwork of Italian poet Dante Allegheri. It details a man’s journey through hell, purgatory, and eventually heaven. Aside from the obvious relationship to religion, the piece also showcases Italian politics of the day and Dante’s place in those politics. The work established a singular rhyme scheme and setup and truly analyzes the woes and problems of man. The Divine Comedy, especially the Inferno is still widely taught today. -
Jan 1, 1322
Ars Nova Notandi by Philippe de Vitry
The Ars Nova Notandi
The Ars Nova Notandi is the Masterwork of Philippe de Vitry. The piece is a treatise on music and it became the name of the music of the entire era. It showcased new advancements in musical notation, rhythm, and mensural notation (polyphonic vocal music) and because of this piece, Vitry is credited with the creation of those musical aspects. Musical scholars trace the entirety of modern rhythmic notation to this work -
Jan 1, 1336
South Doors of the Florence Baptistry by Andrea Pisano
The South Doors of the Florentine Baptistry are a bronzed work of art detailing the entire life of St. John the Baptist. They were created by master Bronzer Andrea Pisano and as the doors were always open, were meant to be read separately like a book. The doors still remain perfectly intact today and were so well received that they became a symbol for the glory of Florence. The piece spans mediums using both sculpture and literature to give the full effect. -
Jan 1, 1345
Virgin and Child by Unknwown
This Virgin and Child was originally paid for by a sisterhood of nuns and remained atop the alter of their church (Saint Catherine at Diest). The work is marble but traces of gold gilding still appear on the piece. It is a beautiful representation of common material for the time. The closed eyes of the holy mother show the audience the importance of the child she is holding and the happiness of the baby is all but contagious. -
Jan 1, 1348
Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountain by Huang Gongwang
Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains is considered the masterpiece of renowned Chinese painter Huang Gongwang. It depicts the natural landscape of the Funchun mountains and is an intricate piece which originally contained another piece. The art speaks to both the Chinese style of the time and also to art as a whole in that it is showcasing naturalism. It brings to mind the beauty and reverence the artist must have felt for nature itself. -
Jan 1, 1349
Sì Com'al Canto by Maestro Piero
Si Com'al Canto
Sì Com'al Canto was composed by Maestro Piero, one of the earliest and most recognizable composers of the Trecento period in Italy. He was most well-known for his madrigals and Si Com’al Canto is one of the first recorded uses of the cononic structure which shortly after became incredibly popular. The music is passionate and creates a very spiritual atmosphere despite the fact that Piero’s music was secular. -
Jan 1, 1349
Primordial Chaos by Zhu Derun
Primordial Chaos is an important piece by another of the Four Masters of the Yuan Dynasty. The piece is an intricately planned painting on scrollwork which is centered on a perfect circle which draws the eye. The painting symbolizes the circle of life and the tree with its trailing lines represents the constant change of the circle of life. It speaks volumes to the questions humanity especially to religions such as Daoism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. -
Jan 1, 1350
Con Brachi Assai by Giovanni de Cascia
Con Brachi Assai
The Con Brachi Assai is a beautiful cacce created for three voices by Giovanni da Cascia, an Italian composer. Cascia’s work, especially this piece helped to usher in the style of 14th century madrigals across music and he was known to written his own texts as well. This work is not unified tonally and therefore, it is always somewhat different when performed, showing the use of improvisation. -
Jan 1, 1365
Le Messe de Nostra Dame by Guillaume de Machaut
Le Messe de Nostra Dame
This piece (the mass of Our Lady) is widely considered to be one of the great masterpieces of medieval music. It is most notable historically as the first complete setting of the Ordinary of the Mass. It is also notable as Machaut added a 4th lower voice to help strengthen the tenor and augment its musical prowess. The music is beautiful and soothing and speaks across language barriers. -
Jan 1, 1372
The Rongxi Studio by Ni Zan
The artist Ni Zan is considered one of the Four Great Masters of the Yuan and shows the beauty in the simplistic art of the Rongxi Studio and its work. The piece showcases amazing pen and brush control and the technique gives us an amazing effect in that the detail is both refined and sketchy. The poem laid overtop later on was what originally inspired the art work and the beauty and veneration has lasted for generations. -
Jan 1, 1375
Modonna and Child by Peter Parler
The Madonna and Child sculpture was created by Peter Parler, a landmark sculptor and Architect. The piece is beautiful in the classic sense of religious harmony it creates but it also showcases a wonderful childlike happiness in the face of the baby Jesus. Even with the damage to the limbs of both subjects, the sculpture remains one of the most striking pieces of the Medieval Era and was removed from a cathedral to be preserved in a museum. -
Jan 1, 1386
Confessio Amantis by John Gower
The Confessio Amantis is a famous Middle English poem which used the frame of a confession to intermingle various narrative poems. The beauty in his work is in the truth of humanity it shows. In his day, Gower was as respected as Chaucer and although Chaucer’s work is to this day better known, Gower’s influence on writing, especially that on Shakespeare is undeniable. It is most well known as being the first direct precursor to Modern Standard English. -
Jan 1, 1387
The Canterbury Tales by Gregory Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales is widely considered to be the greatest written work of the English middle ages. Chaucer crafted over 80 smaller stories which speak to the nature of humanity through famous parables such as the Wife of Bath and The Miller’s Tale. Chaucer’s work shaped the English language by focusing on the literary use of the vernacular and his stories were said to inspire great writers such as John Gower and William Shakespeare. The legacy of these stories lives on to this day. -
Jan 1, 1390
Bust of the Virgin by Unknown
The Bust of the Virgin is a beautifully rendered terracotta sculpture depicting the Blessed Virgin tilting her head under the weight of her holy crown. It is the ONLY known terracotta sculpture existing from the Bohemian middle ages. The piece showcases the “Beautiful Style,”focusing on the work and the aesthetic qualities presented. The virgin is revered world-wide and this sculpture is a perfect example of the beauty in iconography and has been repainted for centuries showing its veneration. -
Jan 1, 1390
The Wenceslas Bible by Multiple Artists
The Wenceslas Bible was created by a team of scribes, translators, and illuminators. The bible is considered important as it is one of the first translated into German. The beauty of the piece is not relegated strictly to its historical or religious context as it is also celebrated for the amazing work done by multiple illuminators. The most impressive aspect of the work is that it was never fully completed and yet has survived for centuries. The work contains 654 miniatures and initials. -
Aug 1, 1392
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Unknown
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an epic poem detailing one of the best known Arthurian legends. It is a story of classic English and French chivalry in action. The piece deals with honor and loyalty in the face of death and has lasted for centuries, instilling and inspiring readers with the story’s emotional ending. The work is famous as it is a contemporary piece to The Canterbury Tales and holds some of the same basic themes and symbolism. -
Jan 1, 1399
Mourners of Dijon by Claus Sluter
The Mourners of Dijon were burial statues placed around the tombs of nobleman in Burgundy. The sculptures surround burial slates and help to forever mourn their patrons. He pieces evoke emotion and actually spawned a new iconographical tradition surrounding burial decorations. Some have their faces shrouded in cloaks adding to their despair.
