Frankish Art

Finger Ring with a Cross, 450–525 CE, Gold filigree, cloisonné cells inset with garnet;

•Generally worn by high ranking men and women

• Some used as seals but most were decorative

• Demonstrates sophistication of Frankish metalwork

Brooch with a runic inscription on back Merovingian, 6th century AD Length: 7.4 cm

Animal head from Oseberg ship burial,

ca. 825 CE, wood, about five feet tall

Germanic animal style

“The imagination of these wandering people teemed with fantastic creatures of all sorts. Their belief that the deep, dark forest of the north virtually swarmed zoomorphic and demonic populations was widely shared by the nomadic hunters of all tribes…. Medieval man, long after he ceased his wandering and despite Christianization, remained more than half pagan; his terrors were bound up with his tribal experience and the memory of fiend-filled forests and pagan rites.” – Horst de la Croix, Art Through the Ages.

Situla (Bucket for Holy Water), ca. 860–880 Carolingian; Ivory

•Used to dispense blessed water on the faithful during processionals

Glass drinking-horn Frankish/Merovingian, 5th century CE

•Large horns would have been passed between guests•Shape derived from late Roman models

Belt Buckle, 675–725 CE; Found in Germany; Iron with silver inlays.

Iron and silver buckle Merovingian, 7th century CE

Iron axe-head inlaid with silver Merovingian, 7th century CEFrom Germany Length: 17.5 cm

•A ceremonial or battle axe•The throwing axe was the favorite weapon of the Franks•Silver in-lay shows the status/military rank of original owner

Frankish "Claw" Beaker, 400–600 CE

Fragment of a Sarcophagus, 700s CE•Monogram of Christ (Chi and Ro) along with alpha and omega – common motifs

•Non-Greek speaking sculptor

Equestrian statuette of Charlemagne 9th CenturyBronze, Maximum height of horse: 21 cm

•Artists took up the Gallo-Roman tradition of casting and based their works on examples from antiquity

Pair of Bird-Shaped Brooches, 550–600 CEGold sheet, cloisonné cells

•Women generally wore pairs of brooches

• Birds were a favorite design form