Researching Art in the Middle Ages (HC)

Over 500 image records with descriptions, bibliography and links to related artwork. Descriptions are more detailed in the first 250 records.

Extremely rich site for understanding the art of a particular region and time. Use the Time Period and Geographic menus to see key Works of Art, Related Exhibitions, and, under Related Content, Thematic Essays. Essays include:
The Cult of the Virgin Mary in the Middle Ages
The Nude in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
Saints in Medieval Christian Art

Available open access from the Index of Medieval Art

Provides over 100, 000 art images searchable by topic, artist, time period and more. Images can be used for non-profit educational purposes with credit to copyright holders.

Online collection of paintings from museums in Munich and other state galleries of Bavaria. See this link for 325 paintings dating from 1400 to 1490.
++ Offers open access images.

Search over 3 million objects in the museum's collections. Use the term medieval and add a relevant keyword. For more precise results, see the Advanced Search. You can use a date (Ex: Dates 800-1499 CE), a country's name or a subject.
Image description in Feminae: Tristan embraces King Mark
++ Offers open access images.

Includes links to manuscripts originally in the Bibliotheca Corviniana, assembled by by King Matthias Corvinus (1458-1490) as well as other artworks from Hungary and eastern Europe.

Find information about collections on exhibit. For more images, search in the database Joconde which covers artworks from the Cluny as well as museums across France.
Image description in Feminae: Ariadne with a Maenad and a Satyr

Search the Prado's digital art collection by epoch, theme and iconography.

Browse masterpieces by collection or time period. Search the collection by medium, time period or theme.
Image description in Feminae: Scenes of Host Desecration

From the link above browse highlights from the museum including medieval masterpieces.
Image description in Feminae: Apostle John on the breast of Christ

Browse masterpieces from this outstanding collection of medieval art by time period, material type or theme. Current and previous special exhibits are highlighted online. A catalog of the museum's holdings is available, Museum Schnütgen : A Survey of the Collection. Check Tripod for Haverford's copy.
Image description in Feminae: Vision of St Bernard

This link shows select artworks dating from 400-1500 with the most recent pieces appearing first.
++ Offers open access images.

Browse art with the keywords "medieval" or "middle ages". Search the collection database. See a catalog of early Netherlandish paintings beginning with the 15th century.
++ Offers many open access images.

Browse masterpieces by artist, title or description. You can also browse by these time periods: 14th century or 15th century.
Search the collections archive for more images.
Image description in Feminae: Cestello Annunciation

Explore collections by time period including Gothic and Medieval. Especially rich in the decorative arts. Also valuable for medievalist art and design from the 19th and 20th centuries. A full collections search is also available.
Image description in Feminae: The Symmachi tablet

Links for information on open access collections and permissions for use from major museums in the U.S.

Browse medieval painting and sculpture in the museum's collections.
++Offers more than 50,000 open access images.

Outstanding collection with master works from varied periods and cultures. The book, The Middle Ages in 50 Objects, draws exclusively from this museum. See the Tripod catalog for print and online copies.
Image record in Feminae: Adam and Eve mosaic
++ Offers Open Access images.

Browse important Byzantine collections at this museum. Search the digital collection for specific items.
Image description in Feminae: Hestia Polyolbos tapestry

Located in a Philadelphia suburb, the Glencairn Museum holds superb stained glass and sculptures among its collection of art from the Middle Ages.
Image record in Feminae: Pitcairn Flight into Egypt

Gardner was the first American to collect medieval art extensively. See the ollections search for artworks by century, theme, or room.
Example: 15th century paintings

On the Collection page, use the Advanced Search link to find artists, cultures (Netherlandish) or countries and collecting areas (e.g., manuscripts, paintings). Note that you can limit results to Open Access materials (identified as Open Content on the website).
Image description in Feminae: Temptation of Saint Anthony
++ The Getty is very committed to providing open access images with more than 100,000 currently available.

Search medieval art (in this case limited to time period (1000-1400 CE) and location (Europe).
The Met Cloisters is a museum devoted to medieval art.
Take a video tour of The Cloisters including monastic buildings, gardens and artworks. The Met collection search above includes artworks from The Cloisters.
Also on the Met website, see the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History for analysis of style, artistic influences and social history.
Image record in Feminae: Crib of the Infant Jesus
++ The Met is an important leader in open access initiatives with more than 400,000 currently available.

Browse highlights from the Art of Europe. For more images, use the Advanced Search for collections.

Browse medieval masterworks. Search the collection to find more images.
Image description in Feminae: Claudia Quinta
++Offers more than 50,000 open access images.

Search the online collection by artist, classification (e.g., painting, sculpture) or by country.
++ Offers more than 100,000 open access images.

Browse items from the Walters' outstanding artworks. Search the online collection by category (e.g., Medieval Europe), medium, place and other aspects.
Image description in Feminae: Case of Impotence
++ The Walters is a pioneer in promoting open access to the images of its collections through Creative Commons licenses.