User:Nbraker2001/sandbox

During the Middle Ages, a plethora of art was created by Christians that dictated Jews in a fictional or stereotypical manner. This art was based on preconceived notions about how Jews dressed or looked, as well as the “sinning” acts Christians believed they committed.

Jews as enemies of Christians

Medieval Christians believed in the idea of Jewish “stubbornness,” which correlated to many characteristics of Jewish people. Specifically, Jews did not believe that Christ was the Messiah, a savior. This idea contributed to the idea that Jews were stubborn, but also extended further in that the Jews dismissed Christ so far that they decided to murder him by nailing him to a cross. Jews were, therefore, marked as the “enemies of Christians” and “Christ-killers.”

The notion behind Jews as Christ-killers was one of the main inspirations behind antisemitic portrayals of Jews in Christian art. For example, in one piece, a Jew is placed in between the pages of a Bible, while sacrificing a lamb with a knife. The lamb is meant to represent Christ, which serves to reveal how Christ died at the hands of the Jewish people.

Jews as Devil-like

Further, according to Medieval Christians, anyone who did not agree with their ideas of faith, including the Jewish people, were automatically assumed to be friendly with the devil and simultaneously condemned to hell. Therefore, in many portrayals of Christian art, Jews are made out to resemble demons or interact with the devil. This is meant to not only portray them as ugly, evil, and grotesque but also to establish that they are innately similar. Jews would also be placed in front of hell to further showcase that they are damned.

Jewish stereotypical appearances

By the twelfth century, the concept of a “stereotypical Jew” was widely known. A stereotypical Jew was usually male with a heavy beard and a type of hat, such as round, pointy, or tall. A hat was a significant identifier for someone Jewish. They would also have large, crooked noses. These notions were portrayed in Medieval art, which ultimately ensure that a Jew could easily be identified. The idea behind a stereotypical Jew was primarily to portray them as an ugly creature who is to be avoided and feared. In this manner, Jews would be discredited. After all, Jewish people were the enemies of Christians.

Nbraker2001 (talk) 18:34, 23 November 2019 (UTC)