This book articulates a new approach to medieval aesthetic values, emphasizing the sensory and emotional basis of all medieval arts, their love of play and fine craftsmanship, of puzzles, and of strong contrasts.It offers an understanding of medieval literature and art that is rooted in the perceptions and feelings of ordinary life. The Experience of Beauty in the Middle Ages is a jumble of interesting and perceptive insights into the conceptual underpinnings of medieval art, architecture, and literature.