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Jan 1, 1100
Mosaic Portrait of Christ
The awe-inspiring mosaic portrait of Christ Pantokrator in the central dome of the katholikon in Dafni, Greece presents a stern and powerful judge, as well as saviour, rendered in dark stones against a glimmering gold ground -
Period: Apr 18, 1100 to Apr 18, 1300
The Middle Ages
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Jan 1, 1120
Cathedral of Saint Lazare, Autun.
High Relief medieval carving
showing Judas Iscariot hanging
himself, helped by devils (1120-35)
By French sculptor Gislebertus, -
Jan 1, 1125
Church Porches
Church porches, such as the one at St Pierre in Moissac, decorated with complex figural scenes are one of the primary innovations of Romanesque art and represent the earliest examples of large architectural sculpture in Europe since ancient times. -
Jan 1, 1131
the Virgin Eleousa
Painted by a Byzantine artist and taken to Kiev, the Virgin Eleousa, also called the 'Virgin of Vladimir', is one of the early icon paintings in Russia, establishing a tradition that continues long beyond the fall of the Byzantine empire in 1453. This painting is taken to Moscow in 1395 to protect the city from invasion by the Mongols -
Jan 1, 1135
Saint-Denis Abbey Church
Reconstruction begins on the Saint-Denis Abbey Church, near Paris by Abbot Suger, transforming it into the first full example of Gothic architecture. This shrine, which is the burial place of the first bishop of Paris, becomes the main monastery, treasury and burial place of French royalty. -
Jan 1, 1135
Last Judgement Sculpture
Made from marble, this sculpture would have been placed above the entrance to a cathedral. The scene depicts humans as they are judged prior to their acceptance to heaven. The subject matter of this art reflects the attitude the church encouraged within its members. The sculpture was a reminder to the people that God is all knowing, and that each individual would ultimately have to face God and all their sins. The sculpture above the exit of the church depicts those that have been saved, reflect -
Jan 1, 1163
Cathedral of Notre-Dame
Construction of the famed Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris begins. Eventually this soaring structure comes to epitomize Gothic architecture, boasts the first use of the architectural technique of flying buttresses and for a long time it is the tallest building in the Western world -
Jan 1, 1174
Eight-Story Bell-Tower
An eight-storey bell-tower is built next to the cathedral in Pisa. Because it sits on marshy land, the tower begins to tilt during construction, which the architect tries in vain to rectify. -
Jan 1, 1194
Chartres Cathedral Renovations in France
After a fire in 1194, Chartres Cathedral is rebuilt. The elaborate programme of brightly coloured stained glass includes religious and historical scenes, as well as images of common people at work. -
Jan 1, 1198
Three Kings' Shrine, Germany
Master goldsmith Nicholas of Verdun creates the Three Kings' shrine, bringing a renewed interest in classicism to a structure made of exquisite gilded bronze, silver, gemstones and enamel. -
Jan 1, 1211
Statues outside of Notre-Dame, France
The exterior of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Reims is decorated with a great many sculptures, many of which depict the Virgin Mary, reflecting the increased attention being paid to the mother of Jesus. The sculptures reveal a heightened sense of movement and interaction that foretells the greater realism of later Gothic art -
Jan 1, 1220
Charlemagne's Dream
Stained glass window
Cathedral, Chartres -
Jan 1, 1249
Sadasiva Temple, Nuggehalli
The Sadasiva Temple was constructed in c.1249 by Bommanna Dandanayaka, a commander in the Hoysala Empire during he rule of King Vira Someshwara. It is located in Nuggehalli, (also spelled "Nuggihalli"), a town in the Hassan district of Karnataka, India. Located a short distance away in Nuggehalli, and built around the same time is the Lakshmi Narasimha temple. The town was called Vijaya Somanathapura in ancient times and gained importance as an agrahara (place of learning) during the time of Bom -
Jan 1, 1250
Doorway from Moutiers-Saint-Jean
The tympanum above the doorway depicts Christ crowning the Virgin as the Queen of Heaven. This portal, probably from the north aisle of the cloister, would have led from the monastic precinct into the abbey church. The portal suffered severe damage during the sixteenth-century Wars of Religion; the heads of the two kings may have been repaired in the seventeenth century. -
Jan 1, 1255
Duccio di Buoninsegna
This was one of the rear panels of Duccio’s magnificent Maestà in Siena cathedral. With more than fifty individual scenes, the altarpiece was about fourteen feet wide and towered to gabled pinnacles some seventeen feet over the main altar. It was installed in June 1311 after a triumphant procession through the streets of Siena. Priests, city officials, and citizens were followed by women and children ringing bells for joy. Shops were closed all day and alms were given to the poor. -
Jan 1, 1260
Virgin and Child Enthroned
Italian painter and mosaicist Cimabue paints Virgin and Child Enthroned in which he combines aspects of Byzantine painting traditions with an interest in volume and human emotions that influences later artists. -
Jan 1, 1266
“Lamentation” by Giotto di Bondone
This piece was extremely ground-breaking in its time because of the strong diagonal composition, the range of emotions, the rich colors, and the variety of perspectives from which the figures are drawn. With the foreground figures backs facing the audience, the scene feels less staged, and the viewer feels more connected to the emotional turmoil of the figures in the painting. -
Jan 1, 1269
Fakr ad-Din Mosque
The mosque was built in 1269 by the first Sultan of the Sultanate of Mogadishu, Fakr ad-Din. Stone, including Indian marble and coral, were the primary materials used in the construction of the masjid. The structure displays a compact rectangular plan, with a domed mihrab axis. Glazed tiles were also used in the decoration of the mihrab, one of which bears a dated inscription. -
Jan 1, 1270
Master of Saint Francis
The artist apparently modeled the arcade and the Roman-style dress after an early Christian sarcophagus unearthed in 1262. This marble coffin was reused for the burial of the Blessed Egido, a companion of Saint Francis, in the crypt of the church of San Francesco al Prato in Perugia. Probably the two panels here were originally in the same church, placed on the altar directly above Egido's coffin. -
Jan 1, 1294
The Cathedral of S Maria del Fiore
The Cathedral of S Maria del Fiore in Florence, with its soaring dome and classical forms and construction techniques, is one of the earliest precursors of the Renaissance style in Italy
