Medieval Art has a strongly theological approach with a marked religious connotation in all forms of its expression. The art of the Church and Christianity needed to teach the uneducated masses through images and to celebrate the fellowship between God and the world by recognising the former’s absolute pre-eminence. Art therefore had no autonomous value or was simply for its own sake, nor could it be a criterion for determining the most appropriate models and canons each time. It did not express the absolute creativity of genius, producer and incessant innovator of paradigms to adapt to, as was the case with the Romantics. It was intrinsically imitative, with pre-established orders and schemes.
The Medieval artist mainly sought refuge in anonymity, much like the common craftsman, in terms of concrete conditions of subsistence, social standing and importance. This is extremely understandable given the corporative nature of the arts. It lasted for many centuries, through the Romantic and the Gothic periods, covering one thousand years.
For those who want to admire examples of Medieval art in Italy, we suggest a visit to the ancient hamlets of Tuscany, Umbria, the Marche and Lazio, remembering that the whole of Italy is an immense museum full of works and architecture created during this flourishing artistic period.