Style I

The Anatomy of Germanic Art

 

• Introduction
• Early Animal Style
• Style I
  • Gold Bracteates
• Style II B
  • Gold Foil Figures
  • Helmet Plates
• Style II C
• Style II D
• Style III E (Broa Style)
  • Figurative Motifs

 

• The Anatomy of Viking Art

 

 

 

This article is a work in progress and will be updated.

 

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The Anatomy of Style I

 

c. 450 – 550

 

 

 

Shapes

 

1. Spirals and spiral patterns.
2. Striation/Hatching patterns.
3. Striated pellets for joints.
4. Heads in profile.
5. Heads facing forward.
6. Boat-shaped eyes.
7. Open mouth with long jaws and curling lips.
8. Short, downwards-curving mouth.
9. Crescent-shaped eyebrow-bow.
10. Almond-shaped hips.
11. Leaf-like feet with curved outlines.
12. Feet with toe-fronds.
13. Curling back-toes occur.

 

 

Outlines

 

Even outlines with slight tapering.

 

 

Flow

 

A mix of geometric and wavy curves.

 

A. S-shapes.
B. Single loops.

 

 

Pattern

 

• Very tight interlace with almost no visible background.
• Double contour occur.
• Single-stranded ribbons.
• Double-stranded ribbons.
• Multi-stranded ribbons.
• High relief.
• Ribbons are broken into panels by intersection.
• Only two line widths.

 

 

 

Composition

 

• Carpet-like distribution of motifs and shapes of equal size and equal compositional value (A, C).
• Geometric and zoomorphic framework (A).
• Compositions based on line-symmetry (A, B).
• Triskellion or swastika compositions of 3-fold and 4-fold rotational-symmetrical animal heads (D).

 

 

 

Motifs

 

• Geometric patterns (A, D).
• Four-legged animals (A, B).
• Animal Heads (A, D).
• Human figures (C).