Medieval Civilization Quotes

“Renaissance painters saw everything from one perspective, photographically, "realistically," but medieval painters looked at a scene from several different perspectives at once. A medieval picture looked at with this in mind becomes very exciting indeed. It is as if the artist is everywhere at once: the castle is tiny as if seen from afar; the men on its battlements huge as if encountered face to face; this lake is seen from that distance and that tree from this.”
― Jeffrey Burton Russell, Medieval Civilization

“Renaissance" is not a good historical term, since it implies death and rebirth and great cataclysmic changes. There are few abysses or chasms in history; there are merely times when cultural change takes place more quickly and vigorously than at others.”
― Jeffrey Burton Russell, Medieval Civilization