Art Before the Black Death

It's no secret that the Black Death changed the way that people felt about death and dying; this change can be seen in the illustrated manuscripts that were produced during and after the plague. However, I feel that in order to understand the transition in attitudes towards death it's important to understand how society viewed death before the plague. As previously mentioned in my last blog post, the Black Death hit its peak in 1347 and lasted until 1351; what I failed to mention and what is equally important is the fact that the plague had originated much earlier than that. Throughout the 14th century the plague had spread throughout Europe; cities would be wrecked by the disease than recover and wrecked later again, Europeans had already began the transition on their attitudes of death.

Before getting to the transition I wanted to take the time and research some of the styles that came before then so that I could get a better understanding of how art changed. 

http://faculty.cua.edu/pennington/churchhistory220/lectureten/blackdeath/art%20page%201.htm

"In the 1300’s, renowned Italian artists such as Giotto painted solid graceful figures, using tranquil pastel tones and a three-dimensional, balanced sense of light and space." [1] 

Virtually of art before the peak of the Black Death was painted in this style. According to Medrano-Cabral the "Medieval artist strove for realism; churches and monasteries were covered in inscriptions, paintings and sculptures that portrayed biblical scenes or saints." [2] Death in this time was not to be feared but rather revered as the natural passage between ones time on earth and their future in the afterlife. When the plague began to spread across Europe, that attitude quickly changed. 

http://entomology.montana.edu/historybug/YersiniaEssays/Medrano.htm

"Many sought personal salvation and ways to reach spiritual enlightenment. Among the examples is the mural painting, “The Procession of Saint Gregory” ca. 1300."[3]

The Black Death and it's fatality rate changed the way that society viewed death. Instead of being a natural passage to the afterlife, it was now viewed as God's punishment for the sins of society; death was feared.

"The Black Death powerfully reinforced realism in art. The fear of hell became horribly real and the promise of heaven seemed remote. Poor and rich were left with a sense of urgency to ensure their salvation. Educated rich men and women read about the Day of Judgment" [4]

Understanding this change is important for the latter stages of this research project and blog. These early paintings of nobility and godliness would soon be replaced with images that depicted the dying as what they were; religious symbols such as demons, dragons, the grim reaper, etc...are present and represent the change of fear towards death with the reality that hell was real. It would take many years for this to take precedent in art but it would affect art for hundreds more.

Next weeks blog entry will focus on the transition and will include more artwork and a more detailed definition of the transition between the non death fearing to the plague ridden, death fearing people. I will also try to locate some literary sources that will give first hand accounts of the feelings of death during the plague in order to better understand why the illustrated manuscripts changed in their depictions and meanings of death.

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[1]"The Black Death and Art." The Catholic University of America. faculty.cua.edu/pennington/churchhistory220/lectureten/blackdeath/art%20page%201.htm (accessed September 21, 2013).

[2]  "The Influence of Plague on Art from the Late 14th to the 17th Century ." MSU Entomology Group. http://entomology.montana.edu/historybug/YersiniaEssays/Medrano.htm (accessed September 23, 2013).

[3] "The Influence of Plague on Art from the Late 14th to the 17th Century

[4] "The Influence of Plague on Art from the Late 14th to the 17th Century

[5] "The Effect of the Black Death on Medieval Artists and art." The History of Art and The Curious Lives of Famous Painters. http://www.historyofpainters.com/black_death.htm (accessed September 23, 2013)