Portable Art to Great Cathedrals - The Evolution of Medieval Art in Europe

        Medieval Europe began as small percolations, tribal groups briefly rising to fill the vacuum of power left after the fall of the Roman Empire. The Christian religion, imported from Rome, emerged as a unifying force. Christian scriptoria became the center of European learning. Cathedral-building programs and, later, pilgrimage routes bolstered the economy. Using specific examples of art from at least two medieval cultures, explain how art reflects the political circumstances of its respective culture.