Dr. Nancy Ross

About Dr. Nancy Ross

Dr. Nancy Ross is Contributing Editor for Medieval Art. She received her Ph.D. in the History of Art from Cambridge University in 2007. She specializes in medieval illuminated manuscripts and teaches art history at Dixie State College of Utah.

St. Mark from the Godescalc Gospel Lectionary, folio 1v., c. 781-83 — Thanks to Charlemagne, religious reform and cultural revival swept 9th-century Europe. We call this period “Carolingian.”

Carolingian art, an introduction

Botticelli, Annunciation — From the Annunciation to the Last Judgment, this handy guide explains key moments in Christian art.

Standard scenes from the life of Christ ...

Mosaic in the apse of the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe, 6th century (Ravenna, Italy) — Can artists be Christians? Are images lies? The use of art has been debated throughout the history of Christianity.

A new pictorial language: the image in ...

Good Shepherd Sarcophagus, Santa Maria Antiqua — […]

Christianity, an introduction

Middle left (detail), Scenes from the Apocalypse, Paris-Oxford-London Bible moralisée, France, c. 1225-45, detail — A luxury reserved for royals, moralized bibles paired image and text. Their commentary compared 13th-century bad guys to biblical villains.

Bible moralisée (moralized bibles)

The Story of Jacob from the Vienna Genesis - detail — A family outing begins with a river crossing and ends with Jacob wrestling an angel. This story twists and turns.

The Story of Jacob from the Vienna ...

The trial of Christ. Detail of Bernward's Door (Bernwardstüren) in Hildesheim Cathedral. The door was commissioned by Abbot Bernward in 1015 for St. Michael's Church in Hildesheim. It depicts eight scenes from the Old Testament on the left (from top to bottom) and eight scenes from the New Testament on the right (from bottom to top). — These monumental medieval doors look back to ancient models. Read the biblical narrative down and up, or left to right.

Bronze doors, Saint Michael’s, Hildesheim (Germany)

Saint Matthew from the Ebbo Gospels (detail) — This expressive illumination depicts St. Matthew at work. He juggles a stylus in one hand and an ink horn in the other.

Saint Matthew from the Ebbo Gospels

The Harrowing of Hell, c. 1440-70, carved painted and gilt alabaster, 58.3 x 31.5 cm (Victoria and Albert Museum) — Straight from the monster’s mouth! Christ leads the way as Adam and Eve escape the jaws of Hell.

The Harrowing of Hell

Lindau Gospels cover (detail) — Few medieval book covers survive. This bejeweled example depicts the crucified Christ and comes from Charlemagne’s workshop.

Lindau Gospels cover

Röttgen Pietà - detail — Taut skin, exposed ribs, a bleeding wound—this Christ suffered in both life and death. Medieval viewers took solace in his pain.

Röttgen Pietà

Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well, folio 7 recto from the Vienna Genesis, early 6th century - detail — One image, two episodes—and three cultures. This narrative of Rebecca contains multitudes.

Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well, Vienna ...

The phoenix from folio 56 recto of the Aberdeen Bestiary, written and illuminated in England around 1200. The Bestiary describes this magical bird as building its own funeral pyre and then rising from the ashes. — […]

The Bestiary

Full-page miniature of St. Luke as an evangelist, 6th century. This page prefaces the Gospel of Luke in the St. Augustine Gospels (Cambridge, Corpus Christi College MS 286). — […]

Medieval manuscripts, an introduction

Mosaic in the apse of the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe, 6th century (Ravenna, Italy) — […]

A new pictorial language: the image in ...

Homilary, The Resurrection, Walters Manuscript W.148, fol. 23v (The Walters Art Museum) - detail — From the Annunciation to the Last Judgment, this handy guide explains key moments in Christian art.

Standard scenes from the life of Christ ...

Christ as the Good Shepherd, Gala Placidia — Jesus is the central figure of this religion, but there are many sects—and great diversity of belief and practice.

Christianity, an introduction

North Transept Rose Window, c. 1235, Chartres Cathedral, France—video here — […]

Introduction to the Middle Ages