Art & Design in Medieval Europe
The period 300–1000 saw the culture of the later Roman Empire succeeded by one dominated by an increasingly organised Christian Church.
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Charlemagne and Aachen
Charlemagne (747–814) ruled over the largest empire in western Europe since the height of the Roman Empire. Charlemagne's reign saw renewed interest in Roman art and ideas …
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The Devonshire Hunting Tapestries
These four 15th-century tapestries with hunting scenes came to the V&A from the estate of The Dukes of Devonshire. They probably belonged to the celebrated Countess of Shre…
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The War of Troy Tapestry
The War of Troy tapestry is part of one of the most important sets of tapestry still surviving from the latter part of the 15th century. The Trojan War tapestries were made…
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The Gloucester Candlestick
The ‘Gloucester candlestick’, dating from 1104–13, belonged to the Church of St Peter in Gloucester (now Gloucester Cathedral). As metalwork was commonly melted down and re…
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Apocalypse & the Book of Revelation
The apocalypse comes from the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, which describes the final battle between God and Satan – Armageddon. During the medieval perio…
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Champlevé Enamelling, 1100–1250
Between 1100–1250 specialist metalworkers flourished in the areas around Cologne (the Rhineland), Liège (the Meuse Valley) and Limoges (France). They supplied monasteries a…
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Alabaster Sculpture in Medieval England
Alabaster, a fine-grained form of gypsum, is a smooth, marble-like stone that became popular during the late Middle Ages for the carving of religious sculptures. England wa…
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Music from a Missal from the Abbey of Saint Denis
The Saint Denis Missal is a beautifully illuminated manuscript from about 1350, on display in the V&A’s Medieval & Renaissance galleries. It contains all the texts and musi…
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Medieval Monasteries
Christian monasticism developed in Egypt in the 3rd century when some Christians chose poverty and isolation as a way of getting closer to God. Communities copying the stri…
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Study Room resource: Medieval writing and printing
The contents of this resource has been put together to illustrate book production from the hand-made manuscript to the printed page. The resource will be useful for teacher…
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Style Guide: Medieval Revivals
The Medieval Revivals style was inspired by architecture and decorative arts from 1000-1600. The interest in Norman, Gothic and Jacobean styles reflected a romantic nostalg…
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Medieval Jewellery: In Europe 1100-1500
Jewellery hasalways been of central importance to all human societies, but medieval jewelleryis relatively less well-known. This book draws on the imp…
Buy nowEvent - Medieval & Renaissance Tour 11.30
Thu 27 May 2010–Tue 31 December 2013
TOUR: Join this daily one hour tour which introduces the V&A's stunning Medieval & Renaissance Galleries. Starting at the Meeting Point, Grand Entrance at 11.30.
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