Transcandental Beauty in Medieval Church Art.

 

   Throughout the ages of the church, it has always been seen that artwork is an essential aspect of worship. While some may conclude that the early artworks within the church are dated, and some are less aesthetically beautiful than others, that does not take away the importance they hold within its history. The church's artwork is not solely meant to appease the eyes but to express the beauty within them. The transcendental beauty of art remains the main focal point within medieval art, for within every Christian artwork, there lies the truth in them, and they have the purpose of expressing the scriptures and the truth of God. 

    Christian artwork during the Medieval period often had a big emphasis in regards to the halos that can be found in many paintings. While the halo can aesthetically appear to be a focal point within the image to draw the viewer in, that is not its sole purpose. The halo within the church is meant to show and reflect the holiness of a person's life in which they lived their lives in service of Christ.[1] The Transcendental Truth that lies within the halo in a painting is to show us the truth within a saint's life, much like within images of the last supper, we see all of the apostles sitting within Jesus with Halos surrounding their heads. We know of their graces and the life they lived with Jesus; we see and are reminded that they were holy men through the truth and goodness of the halo.

    Medieval art during this time may not be as appealing as modern art or different paintings during the same period, but they do not serve the sole purpose of aestheticism; that is not to say that they do not hold beauty within them. To bring out the fullness of the paintings, there has to be a balance within the artist that understands that the image itself, while not being the true beauty, must still have effort put into it. Artists can be caught up in the "message" of a painting and choose to make something that is abstract and does not have substance.[2] With the image to the left, we still see examples of symmetry within the art regarding the angles, the trinity, and those to the bottom. To disregard the physical quality of the painting is to break the internal beauty that it holds. Suppose an artist were to paint a saint and choose to ignore the halo that should be present behind them. In that case, that takes away the truth and goodness that is present within the artwork; an artist must always have the best intentions behind their work, not for monetary profit, but to bring the truth out as best as they can.[3]

    Medieval artwork draws us into an introspective look regarding Transcendental beauty and the power that it holds within. We see the repetition of motifs within medieval art regarding halos since they express the truth, goodness, and beauty within the scriptures to further strengthen the faith and allow those outside the faith to glimpse into the living truth that is ever-present in our lives.

Citations

[1] "Halo" Encyclopedia Britannica, at Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. Mar 4, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/art/halo-art.

[2] Umberto Eco, Art and Beauty in the Medieval Ages, London: Yale University Press, 2002, 42.

[3] Eco, Art and Beauty, 41.

Image Sources.
Our Lady of the Sign

The Holy Trinity