Medieval synthesis question

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David Lee, Andy Kang, Freddy Tsao, Michael Amini

Team 1 Period 1

During the Medieval era, a new social class emerged called tradesmem, and during that time, artists valued knighthood and code of conduct that pertained to religious value. During the Medieval era, Feudalism, a social system where people’s economic status decides their social status, flourished. These two characteristics of religious value and Feudalism allowed wealthy tradesmen to become wealthier. Although its first purpose was to reclaim holy city, the crusades were later turned into a war to gain more land and trade rout to the east. While the noble and the rich in history contributed to the economy, but the medieval art indicated that those tradesmen had impacted on the economy, unlike other era. The Tara Brooch is an example of the Medieval that shows that tradesmen have contributed to the economy, by mastering useage of gold, silver, and copper, and shows that it is one of the most important works of art of the medieval period. In The Canterbury Tales, there are many characters, such as knights, merchants, cooks, and friars, and it portrayed that merchants and wealthy landowners have contributed to the economy and they defined social classes. This characteristics remains throughout the entire piece consistently.

Period 5 Team 1

John Farnworth

Fedor Kossakovski

Charles Salumbides

Justin Cornford

Medieval Synthesis Question # 2

2. During the medieval period, the economic system that was used was feudalism. Feudalism was the holding of land in exchange for service or labor. However, as well as this creating a distinct landowner and peasant division, it also expanded and refined the roles of tradesmen. Tradesmen were men who mastered a craft which they then sold at markets. Tradesmen also had apprentices, or aids who learned the craft usually in exchange for lodging or food. Tradesmen’s roles were expanded because, since most of the common people spent their time toiling in the fields, they had no time to create these goods for themselves, so therefore the trades men had to create them for them. Tradesmen became so important, because the people relied on them to receive that certain good or service, that they eventually influenced the aristocracy and rocked its foundation. Many of these craftsmen became very wealthy and could essentially buy in to the aristocracy, or could influence their decisions based on their economic power. In terms of society, these tradesmen were generally below the aristocracy, but above merchants and peasants, which meant that they had a much greater influence on the politics of the time. The creation or expansion of tradesmen was depicted in Medieval art because many of these tradesmen created what could be considered works of art themselves, which they infused with the medieval values and styles of that time and place. The crafts that many tradesmen perfected happened to also be artistic, such as wood-carving or glass-blowing, which thus had an artistic impact on the era. During the medieval period, the economic forces at play led to the expansion and refinement of the role that tradesmen played on society.

Wyl.Period 6.Team6

October 14, 1066 was the day King William conquered England in the Battle of Hastings. With this victory, King William conducted the feudal system which included the knights of chivalry as the foundation. This type of system came with the respect given to the people in higher social classes, like the aristocrats. The aristocrats made sure the economic structure was well balanced. Because of their wealth and creation, the aristocrats were able to influence those around them. They had the most admirable and eminent works, like the creation of the Gothic Movement buildings. Distinguishing and conveying the new idea of light instead of dark was inordinate. The Gothic cathedrals were represented as a wall of light. It was in the great churches and cathedrals that the Gothic style was expressed most effectively, its distinctiveness, which advanced them to appeal to the emotions. In addition, during the Medieval Era, arts of different battles increased the value of the knights of chivalry, and were spread through the class of tradesmen. This class rose from the Church that introduced the Crusades. This era had the best impact and influence on the artists.

-Jonathan Gor, Jason Koo, Ellen Na, Ryan Ng

asher.p1.t3.medieval

During the Medieval Period economics were greatly focused on trade. Crusades and the urge for travel during the era greatly influenced the art of the period as well. Many goods that were traded grossed though Egypt, Alexandria, and many other places before it ended up in England. The imports were brought into Medieval England consisted of jewelry, spices, paper, and many other goods. The English exported things such as metals, wax, and oils. The reliance on trade created many jobs and allowed a new class of society to emerge: the tradesmen. The tradesmen were able to work and import and export all kinds of goods so they were able to become the middle class and have their opinions heard by the bureaucrats. Before the tradesmen emerged the majority of the leaders did not hear peoples’ opinions because the majority was poor people. In addition to more people influencing politics when the tradesmen emerged, art was greatly changed. For example, Miroir Historal depicts an urge for travel during the Medieval Period. In the painting Vincent de Beauvais shows the Crusades leaving for Antioch. The Crusades were a major part of creating trade routes and stimulating the economy. The artwork also depicts the excitement of trade and travel throughout different lands. Overall politics, art, trade, and even travel were influenced by the emergence of tradesmen and their apprentices. The development of the economy was also positively affected by this change in society.

Wyl.P6.T3 Medieval Synthesis Question 2

Within the British Medieval period, the economy was at a point in which growth was occurring and would eventually lead to the British renaissance. The British aristocracy received their wealth from taxation of peasants. Peasants spent what was left of their income (not taken by taxes) on manufactured and imported goods. This is where the tradesman came in and assumed its position that did not conform with aristocratic wealth. Even though not elaborately wealthy, tradesmen were privately employed, received steady wages, and were annually taxed by their local kingdom. As Britain gained more involvement in international trade, so did the necessity for local artisans, manufacturers, and merchants to expand their crafts and goods into the market and comply with the soon increasing demands of luxury from the aristocracy. Overall, British citizens were beginning to receive their own surplus of individual wealth. Within rare cases over time, this wealth could equal that of a British aristocrat therefore rocking the foundation that aristocrats were always above those that were lower citizens. Within Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, a large encompassing theme of the book was the corruption of the Catholic Church. Historically and as well due to trade/tradesmen, the Catholic Church had grown incredibly wealthy and had exercised great control over much of Europe as a result. Chaucer reflects the corruption in his literature with characters such as the Monk and the Prioress. Such characters are clearly depicted as preferring an aristocratic lifestyle rather than a monastic devotional one, both going as far in context as making religion a profitable trade. (260 Words)

Dylan M.
Jenny Z.
Caleb O.
James J.

Asher Period 3 Team 6 Medieval Synthesis Question Post

The Medieval Period suggested a time of prosper among the tradespeople, their work in circulating trade of goods, currency, and intellect brought about a new magnitude of emphasis towards the tradesmen of the time period. The tradespeople, once placed on the lower levels of social hierarchy established themselves as the doors to the global market or just the world in general. As the 12th century Europe experienced a rigid specialization within its society, the flux of production and manufacture increased in its output and quality, and trade was especially encouraged among the people. Adding more kindle to the already bursting flame of bartering, the high demand for foreign and luxury goods from the feudalistic royalties was on a steady rise. However, the trading wasn't limited to that between goods and currency, the spread of ideas and intellectual development experienced its apex to its time. Words and ideas were passed between people of differing societies and nations. in such a sense, the tradesepeople not only held a firm hold on the economic circulation of the era, but also its intellectual development as well. Although the fervent worship of the fearsome God discouraged highly against the acceptance of any idea against their own, to stop such an immense flow was deemed impossible.

The art of the time period properly depicts the significance of the merchants and tradespeople of the era. The materials in itself shows a globalizing market, as the linen, paint, and textiles used in the popular forms of art can be traced back to eclectic sources, often from one continent to another. Within the art themselves, a lively scene of the market was often used to symbolize the flourishing economy of the time; the picturesque scenes of the marketplaces displayed that trading was an essential aspect of both the economy and the social life, and is picture almost as a cultural activity. Along with religious worship, trading was considered a vital aspect of the Medieval culture.

Ash.P3.T3

Medieval Synthesis Question

The rise of craftsmen and tradesmen came about through the revival of a demolished economical system, which fell along side with the glorious Romans Empire, and the closing of a gap between the Heavens and Earth. After the Crusades, a link was reestablished between Western Europe and Eastern Asia, as a result the previously neglected trade routes began to flourish once again with commerce. Thus a new middle class formed comprised of merchants, craftsmen, tradesmen, and others, such as intellectuals, philosophers, and mathematicians. Art was no longer expensive, or created specifically for royalties and nobles, thanks to cheaper and more affordable forms of art, such as glasswork, metalwork, sculptures, embroidery, and mosaics. These formsof art became more prolific,catalyzing the growth of the new class of art appreciators. Also as an outcome of the Crusades, the Church gained even more influence, which is reflected in the literature of the era, which was highly religious. An example of this, and the zenith of literary works of this era, would be The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer. The book tells the story of a group of pilgrims who share stories, and the best story would receive the prize of a free meal.This piece of work was a revolutionary step in the arts at the time; previously in the Early Middle Ages of the Medieval Era, the nobilities and royalties would rarely read of the lower classes and enjoyed tales of heroes, such as Beowulf, or tragedies like Oedipus the King, but due to the growing influence of the middle class and influence of the Church, the view and appreciation of art went through a dynamic alteration. The idea of bringing the Heavens closer to Earth could also be seen in Filippo Brunelleschi’s reintroduction of the dome at the Cathedral of Florence. The use of domes dated back to the Romans, who believed that the Heavens were one with the Earth. This key shift in the Medieval Era brought about the end of the Dark Ages and ushered civilization into the Renaissance, where the newborn class made up of craftsmen and tradesmen would expand greatly, and where the arts would flourish at its peak for about a hundred years.

Wylie.P5.T4 - Medieval Synthesis Question

The emergence of the middle class was a profound event in the Medieval Period, its roots founded in the development of cities after periods of conflict and unrest. Whereas the population sustained a prolonged decline followed by stabilizing at a low population during the Middle Ages, the Medieval Period marked a population boom and a shift towards sustained urbanization. The new population spurred a wealthy economy, while the promise of success broke the restrictive ties of serfdom through the promise of wealth equality. Artisans and tradesmen banded together into guilds, groups of similar tradesmen that, as a united force, had the power to challenge the noble aristocrats of the feudal system, centralizing power in the Medieval hierarchy by defeating feudal barriers against trade.

The coming of a new middle class, both wealthy and optimistic, brought a new style of art that contrasted the dreary, cynical art of the early Middle Ages. Previously unavailable due to its high cost, stained glass was used to create magnificent displays in churches. Quite distinct as color was scarcely used, stained glass art inspired awe in its novel showing of color and light. Also conveying the new idea of light rather than dark was the extravagant Gothic architecture. Designed with tall, sharp arches, Gothic cathedrals literally presented a wall of light, and, when combined with stained glass, created a unique sense of grandness and spiritual elevation. The middle class influenced Medieval art by changing the general attitude of artistic presentation; breaking free from the depressing works of the early Middle Ages, artists looked to the energy and rosiness.

Asher Period 1. Team 8!

Originally, the noble were the only rich and therefore, arguably, successful class within the feudal system. However, as the system began to fall apart, wealth became less about who-you-are and more about what-you-do. The rise of the tradesmen was slow. After being ravaged by the Black Death, villagers found that they had surplus of items. So, they decided to sell their products in small, weekly local markets. This market eventually got bigger, as other tradesmen began to join in – however, a small city wasn’t entirely profitable. So, some tradesmen began to pack their things up in order to wander from city to city, selling their goods. Eventually, the number of tradesmen numbered so high that guilds began growing. Soon, tradesmen and manufacturing went from a small disorganized group of sellers to a highly organized market system.

After the Black Death, the average European found that his prosperity increased by a large percent margin. Because of the quick fall of competition, the tradesmen found that they had more power in what they did. They took advantage of the fact that they were a strong and budding class – they began to inject pieces of themselves into commissioned art. This demographic – tradesmen who began working after the Black Death – build numbers of projects for for churches and royals alike. they began to sculpt their masterpiece, they sculpted something important to them: the concept of death. After having dealt with the Black Death, which killed an estimated 1/3 of the population, a theme began to emerge in many pieces of medieval art: demise. This was reflected even in pieces of church art. Paintings like “The Man of Sorrow” depicted Jesus dying, bringing a heavy focus to his suffering. Paintings like “Dance of Death” and “Memento mori” (which translates to “remember you will die”) point out the shortness of human life, and how inevitable death seems to be.

The tradesmen who grew up surrounded by constant death and suffering thus reflected this in their artistic work. Their art, which became a personal reflection of their inner turmoil, shows the general mindset of their generation – intense fear and curiosity about death after the tragedy that was the Black Death. However, it also reflects a great prosperity that arrived from less competition – the sole reason the tradesmen class was able to bud and sprout so quickly and so efficiently.

Asher.p3.t4 Medieval Synthesis Question

In the Medieval period, many were prompted by the Crusades, or massive Christian military expeditions against Muslims, to travel to foreign lands; some became merchants and were able to perform trades with exotic goods. The Crusades was the most important factor in the expansion of trade and commerce in Europe because of the vast number of opportunities that it opened up for the tradesmen. New trade routes through Italy were made available, allowing the Medieval merchants to trade in luxuries such as spices, raw materials, cloth, and jewels. This novelty trade elevated the merchants’ level in society because the business was extremely profitable. In addition to the Crusades, numerous inventions of this time, which reflected the growing scientific advances of the era, also assisted the tradesmen’s careers because many of these innovations were nautical tools such as compasses and oars that aided in trade and exploration.

When Medieval tradesmen return to their homes, they are given myriad opportunities to sell in shops, markets, and Medieval fairs. Medieval fairs assembled buyers and sellers with intent to trade, mostly at public gatherings that gathered widely scattered populations and were therefore useful for creating opportunities of commerce. These fairs were particularly effective because they contained entertainment, which helped increased publicity and attracted more customers. The popularity of these fairs can be shown in Medieval art, such as the painting A Flemish Village Festival by David Vinckboons. This painting includes many aspects of the Medieval Fairs, including the various booths (the clothing booth in the middle of the image) in which the trade and commerce occurred, and the revelry and entertainment that took place in order to draw the customer’s attention.

The merchants were also successful in retaining their position in society as they formed an alliance—the Medical Merchant Guilds. These guilds controlled the trade method in the towns and set regulations on the trade business. The members of these Merchant Guilds played an increasingly integral part of Medieval town community, for they have their own involvement in civic duties.

- Daphne Chiao, Sophia Liu, Han Chou, Michelle Ozaki (P3, T4)

Wylie period 5 team 3

Before the Medieval Times small communities were formed; in these communities there was often a lord that would provide safeguard to the peasants working on his land.  As the feudal system developed and the Catholic Church began to grow all the more dominant and influential, a more orderly structure to the European continent was developed.  While in the Anglo-Saxon era there was one prevalent religion there were two common religions, and consequently organization was nonexistent due to the multiple factions that existed. Given the expansion of Mediterranean trading routes in Europe, and the rapid increase in the population, the Middle Ages shifted from a primarily farming society to one of exports and trade. Thus peddlers, the earliest merchants, who went village to village selling their goods to people, were also able to expand their own farm lands. As they became more familiar with the ways of trading, they were able to gather vast sums of earnings. As seen in "Village Feast" by Gillis Mostaert, the painting depicts the tradesmen joyfully selling their goods to the locals. This painting provides a light, delightful atmosphere showing the people at that era were enjoying their prosperity. But societal contests began to arise with those in power, such as lords or bishops, and those with their newly founded success in guilds. It should have come as no surprise that these new artisans and merchants who were coming into “new money” experienced the potent resentment towards their lord or bishop because they were still being held accountable to a superior authority.   By Paulina Alvarez, Emily Teraoka, Angela Oh, Karen Cao

Ash.p3.t8. Medieval Synthesis Question

Aristocracy dominated world culture well into the Medieval Era. However, during this era a new class began a slow rise to power which still exists in today’s capitalist societies.

At the start of the Medieval Era, the majority of a nation’s economic power lied with the elite aristocracy and/or royalty (especially evident in European countries such as England). There was virtually no middle class during this era, and the lower class was in large part ignorant to how much power they held. As the Medieval Era slowly faded, there began a shift in power from military to economic. As there became an increasing demand for tradesmen, lower class citizens stepped forward to fill the need for these more skilled jobs (as opposed to simple farming or infantry). Along with this change in identity for many lower class people, came a beautiful realization of importance and skill (which helped usher in the renaissance).

This shift is a subtle but important one in the world of art. Paintings slowly shifted from portraits of God or royalty to portraits of humble yet noble people. For instance, instead of seeing awe-inspiring pictures of Jesus shining from heaven, one might see a picture of humble Mary and Joseph with their donkey. There was less of a separation between God and man (and also the royalty and commoners) by the end of this era. What began as a simple economic shift led to a cultural revolution which still affects society and art today.

Wylie.P5.T6 - Medieval Synthesis Question

The Medieval Era was a period of time where if you were born into a certain class, there was no way to work your way up the ranks. If you were born into a peasant family, you were inevitably going to live the life of a peasant and if you were born into a noble family, you are inevitably going to become a person of nobility. But there was one middle class society known as tradesmen who tried to flip this notion on its head. The thing that set it apart from all the other classes was variety of skills. All other classes specialized in one skill, while tradesmen had their own personal skill whether it was painting, contracting, or any other trade. With other societal persons depending on a specialized skill from the tradesmen class, it made it easy for tradesmen to enhance their economic wealth. The burgeoning of the tradesmen in the Medieval Era is most closely depicted in a piece of art called The Theodora Mosaic in San Vitale. This painting is categorized as a Byzantine painting. In the painting there are ten men dressed in different colored robes standing in a row. The different colors they wear symbolize each one of their specialized skills. This painting is trying to show that even though these tradesmen stand together and form a class, they offer a variety of skills which make them a unique and economically wealthy class.

Medieval Synthesis Question

The Medieval period was the beginning of new culture and ideals for the people in Europe. This culture was built upon the growth of the middle class, which dismantled a lot of the influence that the nobles and kings possessed. The success of the middle class was a result of the crusades facilitating relations with other regions and expanding trade options. With the collaboration of other countries, the merchants were able to trade a variety of wanted luxuries and build their own sphere of influence. Powerful families and merchants became self sustaining powers that only felt threatened by other powerful powers and competition. This era became corrupted by these families and “corporations.”

However, this period gave a higher appreciation to the arts and craftsmanship. With the variety of trade coming in and the abundance of new product desired by the people, merchants required new and more specialized workers. For example, masonry was the highest paid and most respected profession to have because the expansions of towns needed the construction of more cathedrals, hospitals, universities, castles, and guildhalls. In addition, the massive amounts of wealth allowed for people to afford many luxuries, which promoted the arts and theater. Unfortunately, the theater showed the lack of knowledge of history during that period. Although, the Medieval times were shrouded by conflicts between rival merchants and families, the period brought new wealth and culture into the world.

Medieval Synthesis Question

During the Medieval Period, about 800-1400 CE, there were huge transformations in art, religion, and government. These transformations led to a new class of people and the shift to a more equal distribution of wealth. For example, the government changed from an aristocracy toward feudalism. This change was prompted by the desire to claim land and build beautiful, extravagant castles in order to out due other counties. The building of these castles opened up many opportunities for common people to advance in society. People who were previously limited to either a life of farming and famine could now strive to hold more advanced jobs with higher income. Even though there were still blatant distinctions between the wealthy and powerful compared to the poorer social class, their differences were less drastic than in the Anglo-Saxon era.

The castles, the ostentatious masterpieces highlighted Christianity; the dominate religion of this era. With the adoption of Christianity in the Anglo-Saxon era, religious activists went a step further in the medieval era and started the Crusades, huge wars and battles defending their religion from Islam. Another example of their emphasis on Christianity was in their art and architecture. Their castles were built with pointed tipped roofs, which symbolized the heavenliness, immortality, and sacredness of their flawless god. They also interpreted their religion through other forms of art, including sculptures, paintings, stained glass, mosaics, and many other mediums. In these pieces, artists would capture the pureness of religion and the sacredness and stability of it. Overall, the transformation from Anglo-Saxon to the Medieval era evoked much need change in government and society that was fueled by their new emphasis on Christianity.

Period 1 Wylie, Team 4

Claire West, Danny Shapiro, Ivy Arbolado, Edward Tyler

Asher Period 1 Team 4

The Medieval Period was unique by means that its economic class defined a person rather than by religion or philosophy. Society materialized as tradesmen and local merchants gave their followers the income from the dues of residents of a given territory for compensation for their services (Nelson). Feudal leaders utilized governmental functions as private property in order to loan, give, away, or pass on to their children; adopting a barter system to meet the people’s basic economic needs. This created a new classification for society as “feudal leaders could ‘lend’ someone a territory from which he could derive rents and renders in kind and services” (Nelson). The reason for this burgeoning was that it gave the lower class an economic opportunity, which was no longer under the authority and control of the upper class like it had been under the old feudalism system. This new middle class was the catalyzing force behind the spread of and differentiation in forms of art. For example, an important piece of medieval literature is The Cantebury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (Wikipedia - Medieval literature), which depicts the division of the three estates in which the characters are all divided into: "those who pray" (the clergy), "those who fight" (the nobility), and "those who work" (the commoners and peasantry) (Wikipedia - Cantebury Tales). This book reveals each class, especially in “The Knight’s Tale,” to reveal the respect, as well as disregard, for the upper class rules, which we defined by aristocracy of religion during the Medieval Era.

Nelson, Lynn H. "The Rise of Feudalism, 850-1000 AD Lectures in Medieval History Dr. Lynn H. Nelson, Emeritus Professor of Medieval History, KU." WWW Virtual Library @ Www.vlib.us WWW-VL United States History; World History; WWI; American History Documents; US Art Museums; US History Museums; USA Historic Sites; Native American Bibliography; Web Site Tools; Electronic Texts. University of Kansas, 2005. Web. 20 Oct. 2011..

"The Canterbury Tales." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Canterbury_Tales.

Wylie P6 T8_Medieval Synthesis

The medieval period led to the development and burgeoning of a new class system that would redefine modern culture. The established aristocracy that dominated the social climate in the feudalistic society was faced with the emergence of a wealthy middle class, composed mostly of tradesmen who had found a niche and grew influential among Europeans of this time period. This emergence of a new social class further had influences on the artistic spectrum of the period

Perhaps one of the reasons for this burgeoning new class was due to the fertility of crops in Europe during a period known as Medieval Warm Period or the Medieval Climate Optimum. This period helped bolster population growth as well as increased prosperity that found that this increase in physical capital and consumers helped influence the spread of production and commerce in Europe. Naturally, this ushered in the rise of tradesmen who profited from this boom in economic expansion. This rise in a middle class of people created a whole new market of artisans supplying their wares and artwork. Furthermore, the dominance of Christian beliefs in the lives of these medieval people would have prompted them to indulge in more religious motifs to satisfy their needs for art, sculpture and architectural works as a reassurance that God was integral to their lives.

Overall, the increased prosperity of medieval people led to an influx of demand in the art market. As people gained affluence, the need to flaunt this wealth was manifested through the developments of artistic works in this period.

Trent Kajikawa, Naomi Krieger, Daphne Liu, Wilson Muller

Asher.p4.t4.Medieval Synthesis

The Medieval Period was a revolution in history that incorporated the infiltration of Christianity to medieval life. Throughout Europe during the Medieval period, Christianity was spreading rapidly and soon became deeply ingrained in different parts of society. As Christianity was integrated with daily life, the tradesman class flourished as they were needed and called to build places of worship, cathedrals. These massive cathedrals that were built from wooden scaffolds, chisels, and hammers not only were ideal for the tradesman to thrive, especially stonemasons, but also reflected the architecture of the Medieval Times that was religiously dominated. For example, the Canterbury Cathedral is considered to be the centre of pilgrimage after the famous death of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Such cathedrals as this one were Catholic Churches that utilized the realistic fear of Hell and in return offering the promise of Heaven by joining the Church. The enormousness and sheer size of the 234 foot tower meant that money was always needed for supplies and upkeep that tradesman profited from which fueled there emergence in class. This form of art, architecture and stone working, integrates the ideas of the emergence in the non-noble wealthy and how religion triggered this change in society.

Christian Deamer

Sean Ehrlich

Theo Mandin-Lee

Marika Stanford-Moore