Chapter 15 Romanesque

Chapter 15: Romanesque Art
Magister Ricard
Art History

What is Romanesque?
Roman Catholic Church is firmly established in Europe
Refers to period between 1050-1200 AD
Architectural elements are heavily borrowed from Rome
Pilgrimages (tourism!) were big business, influenced architecture
Sculpture taught religious ideas (due to illiteracy)

What Should You Know?
What is the main reason or cause for the rise of churches during the 11th and 12th centuries?
What are the architectural elements of this period?
How are they different than the following Gothic period?

Age of Pilgrimages
Artist: n/a
Title:Christ and Disciples on the Road to Emmaus
Medium: Pier relief
Size: figures nearly life-size
Date: c. 1100
Source/ Museum: Cloister of the Abbey of Santo Domingo, Silos, Castile, Spain

Apocalypse NOW!
Many believed the apocalypse was coming in the year 1000
This created more devout Christians
In 711, the Muslims invaded western Europe (Spain)
With the Viking threat also being a thing of the past, more unemployed soldiers
Crusades were devised to take back Holy Land from Muslims
Pilgrimages were undertaken to show piety

Here come them pilgrims!
Romanesque Architecture

Traits of Romanesque Architecture
Used the basilica-plan as the model
Following Carolingian and Ottonian architects
Did not use concrete, instead used cut stone and mortar
Buildings before 11th century used timber roofs, Romanesque use stone vaulting
Barrel and groin vaults resting on piers to create large openings
Arcades in side aisles allowed for pilgrims to walk around without disturbing ceremonies
Cruciform layout (long nave traversed by short transept)
Round arches!

Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela
Artist:n/a
Title:Transept, Cathedral of Saint James, Santiago de Compostela. View toward the crossing
Medium: n/a
Size: n/a
Date:1078–1122
Source/ Museum: Galicia, Spain
Held body of St. James, apostle to Iberian peninsula

Relics and Reliquaries
One of the main attractions for pilgrims were the relics
Eastern Orthodox (Byzantine) used icons
Western Christians (Roman Catholic) venerated relics
Every altar was to have a relic, these items become subdivided – even stolen
Relics generated tourism, income for these churches and towns

Reliquary Statue of Sainte Foy
Remains of a child martyr
Stolen from original shrine in Agent, France
Head made from Roman statue
Medium: Silver gilt over a wood core, with added gems and cameos of various dates
Size: Height 33" (85 cm)
Date:Late 9th or 10th century with later additions

Religious Orders: Cistercian Monks
Advocated strict mental and physical discipline
Life devoted to prayer
Intellectual pursuits combined with manual labor
Founded in 1098 with the Abbey of Citeaux

Baptistery
Campanile
Cathedral

Sant’Ambrogio, Milan
Dedicated to Saint Ambrose
Uses compound piers with 3 huge ribbed groin vaults
No clerestory
Begun 1080; vaulted after an earthquake in 1117

Nave, Durham Cathedral

Experiments With Groin Vaults!
Sant’Ambrogio
Durham Cathedral
Three Tiers to Churches
Clerestory
Gallery
Nave/Arcade

Saint-Etienne, Caen
Vertical element follows Carolingian architects, precedes Gothic designs
Spires built in 13th century
Was converted from timber roof to stone masonry vault after 1120
William the Conqueror was buried there in 1087

Messages for the Masses
Romanesque sculpture

Sculptural Features
Architecture dominated the arts due to its demand of manpower
Facades usually were didactic and symbolic
Most important images were located in tympanum – semicircle above the door
Archivolts frame the tympanum
Trumeau – sculpted supports of door and central pier

Sculptural Features
Tympanum
Trumeau
Archivolts

The Last Judgment, Saint-Lazare, Autun
Artist:Gislebertus
Title:Last Judgment, Tympanum on West Portal, Cathedral (Originally Abbey Church) of Saint-Lazare, Autun
Medium: n/a
Size: n/a
Date:c. 1120–30 or 1130–45
Source/ Museum: Burgundy, France

Christ in Majesty
Combines Byzantine style and Mozarabic
Fills apse in San Clement of Taull, Spain
Consecrated in 1123
“Ego sum lux mundi”
Used glazing

The Bayeux Tapestry
Not really a tapestry, but an embroidery
Tapestry is woven
Embroidery is applied to woven ground
Harold, Anglo-Saxon nobleman, betrays his oath to William, Duke of Normandy
With the Normans victory in 1066, William the Conqueror emerges as king of England

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Chapter 15 Romanesque

by John Ricard on Apr 11, 2010

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