Medieval Art & Illuminated Manuscripts
History of art and architecture in Medieval period and historical manuscripts of Medieval times. As the economic and social fiber of the Roman Empire decayed, so did the arts. Of the great writers of the empire, none existed after the second century and the last sculpture of merit was a bust of Carcella. Following that bust there were no significant works until an artist rendered a stylized portrait on Constantine. Among the decaying art scene there did exist some exemplary work, as Byzantine architects, mosaicists, and painters built churches from Sicily to the Balkans and were highly skilled. It was not until the end of the Middle Ages, toward the beginning of the Renaissance, that art truly made a resurgence. The links included herein relate specifically to Medieval art and historical manuscripts.
Bibliotheque Nationale de France: Age of King Charles V
View an online presentation of more than 1,000 illuminated manuscripts from the Bibliotheque Nationale de France.
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah: DScriptorium
Browse an extensive collection of digital images of medieval manuscripts taken from some of the most esteemed collections in academia.
Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.: Medieval Art
Find information on the all the arts of the Middle Ages at this site which provides a large directory of related links.
Columbia University, New York City, New York: Images from Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts
View an expansive collection of illuminated manuscripts that span the entire medieval period and are indexed by country and date.
Interlog.com: Medieval Art and Architecture Guide
Find a variety of information on the arts of Europe during the Middle Ages and search helpful links on related topics.
Les très riches heures du Duc de Berry
View a digital reproduction of the classic medieval book and find information on its long history and eventual deterioration.
Michigan State University, East Lansing: Russian Icons
View an impressive collection of Russian religious figures from the Middle Ages, including images of Saint George.
University of Oxford, England, United Kingdom: Celtic Manuscripts Resources Guide
Browse images of a variety of Celtic manuscripts from the medieval period, and find information about other resources.
University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Images of Medieval Art and Architecture
View an impressive online collection of images of some of the most important art and architecture produced during the Middle Ages.
University of Texas, Austin: Origins of Celtic Art
Read an academic essay which discusses the relationship between Celtic art and that of Hellenistic Greek works.