Annunciation to the Shepherds
Folio in the Lecitonary of Henry II
Recichenau, Germany
1002-1014 CE
Tempera on Vellum
This work is a unique combination of all of the recent styles of art we have studied: Late Antique, Byzantine, and Carolingian-Ottonian. The solid gold background immediately brings to mind Byzantine art like the Transfiguration in the apse of the monastery at Mount Sinai, or Crucifixion in the Church of the Dormition, among others whose trademark is the shining gold leaf as a basis for the images on top. Early Christian landscape and animal portrayal, like that found in The Good Shepherd at Galla Placidia can be seen in this work as well. The narrative that is told through the angel’s gestures and the people’s response is purely Carolingian tradition, now carried out by the Ottonians. Thus, this piece shows how ideas were passed down, copied, and refined to create new styles in art.
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