The Polychromy of Early and High Medieval Wood Sculpture

Content and hypotheses: In the European early and high medieval ages, wood sculptures used in ecclesiastic spaces have been vividly painted with colors and adorned with precious metals. Today, we know how these sculptures have been painted regarding technique and what types of pigments, colorants and metal leaves have been used. However, the aesthetic and artistic effects and meanings of these sculptures and their colorful coats have rarely been studied. In the field of art history, the art of sculpture as pure form has been evaluated for a long time to be more important than possible layers of color on it. This attitude resulted in ignoring and often destroying the colorful surfaces. Therefore, the proposed art historical study will investigate these colorful surfaces, called polychromies, recognizing polychrome wood sculpture as a specific art form of the early and high medieval ages. Its intention is to show that color is an essential part of these sculptures and that it significantly constitutes their aesthetic effects, liturgical functions, and artistic meanings. Methods and new aspects: In the center of the proposed study will be the art historical analysis of art technical data (such as applied pigments, used painting techniques etc.) taken from available conservation research and material analysis. This approach is new because it exemplifies a method of how to asses systematically art technological results and of how to make them accessible and usable for art historical research. The investigations will analyze in detail how the different visual and aesthetic effects (such as shiny surfaces against matt ones) are created and how the different parts of the medieval wood sculptures are rendered by color and adorned with metals. Furthermore, the meaning of the used colors and metals will be examined, which is often related to the liturgical function of these sculptures. New aspects concern also the study of the artistic, cultural and economic environment of the sculptures fabrications. Artistically influential traditions, liturgical requirements, economic circumstances and availability of pigments and other materials will be taken into consideration to better understand the reasons for painting and adorning wood sculpture with colors and metals, in the early and high medieval period.

The main objective of this project was to systematically study the close interdependence of art technical, material, and artistic manifestations of the polychromy (Fassung) of early and high medieval European wooden sculpture, dating from the tenth to the beginning of the thirteenth century. By taking art technology into account for art historical questions, a solid basis was created to recognize the polychromy of this era as a sophisticated art form and to make it accessible to current art historical research. To this end, available data from art technological investigation and scientific material analysis from more than 100 sculptures was assessed systematically. The searchable annotated collection of data created now makes it possible for the first time to place observations on respective sculptures in a larger context. An important finding is the application of a wide variety of sophisticated techniques across Europe, particularly with regard to the following aspects: light effects, spatial effects, simulation of material, repetitive decoration, simulation of goldsmithing, reception of early Christian painting and decoration techniques. From today's perspective, the use of these techniques can be seen as specific to the genre of early and high medieval polychrome wooden sculptures. Considering relevant sources on theology, art technology, and perception it was demonstrated that selected materials (e.g., pigments, metal leaves), together with techniques of polychromy and painting generate meanings that are specific to the respective sculptures. Particularly with regard to light, but also to the other aspects mentioned above, materials are manipulated through artistic processing in such a way that strategically usable properties become particularly prominent. The project's results are not only of significance for further art historical and cultural studies research, but also for conservation science. Together with the collection of data, they broaden and contextualize the art conservators' examination and direct the focus to the techniques and aspects mentioned above that, from today's perspective (and as a result of this project), prove to be particularly characteristic of the polychromy of early and high medieval wooden sculpture. Taking these results into account in future conservation concepts ultimately will support the preservation of the objects' material and historical integrity.