Romanesque Art

1. Romanesque Art Chapter 15

2. Objectives • Understand the major regions of Europe in the Romanesque period and be sensitive to the stylistic differences among the regions, especially in the sphere of architecture. • Become familiar with the major pilgrimage routes and destinations of the period. • Familiarize yourself with key structural units of the vault, the rib, the buttress, and the organization of bays. • Learn the parts of the portal of the typical Romanesque church and appreciate the role of sculpture in articulating the parts of the entrance. • Recognize the enormous importance of relics and the legends of saints in the designation of holy places throughout Europe. • Watch the re-emergence of monumental sculpture in Europe (absent since the collapse of Rome). • Learn the variety of artistic traditions drawn upon by Romanesque artists, including contemporary ones such as Islamic and Byzantine, and the continuing presence of ancient Roman art.

4. Good Stuff You Should Know • 11 important aspects of Romanesque architecture • “Romanesque” is the first international style since the Roman Empire. Also known as the “Norman” style in England • Competition among cities for the largest churches, which continues in the Gothic period via a “quest for height.” • Masonry (stone) the preferred medium. Craft of concrete essentially lost in this period. Rejection of wooden structures or structural elements. • 4. East end of church the focus for liturgical services. West end for the entrance to church.

5. ROMANESQUE ART • Church portals as “billboards” for scripture or elements of faith. • Cruciform plans. Nave and transept at right angles to one another. Church as a metaphor for heaven. • 7. Elevation of churches based on basilican forms, but with the nave higher than the side aisles.

6. ROMANESQUE ART • Interiors articulated by repetitive series of moldings. Heavy masonry forms seem lighter with applied decoration. • Bays divide the nave into compartments • Round-headed arches the norm. • Small windows in comparison to buildings to withstand weight

7. Historical Context • Romanesque = in the Roman manner • Feudalism dominated economic life • Worcester Chronicle • King/Nobles • Churchmen • Peasant Farmers • Pilgrimages • Holy places of Christianity • Crusades • A series of military expeditions against Islamic powers

8. Romanesque: Social overview • Feudal system reaches peak • Land is main source of wealth and power • Church increases influence on daily lives • Church is center of town • Churches- • testimony to power of Church • faith of people • skill of builders

9. Compare Byzantine & Romanesque

10. EMPHASIS ELEVATION MAIN TRAIT SUPPORT SYSTEM ENGINEERING AMBIANCE EXTERIOR Horizontal Modest Height Rounded Arch Piers, walls Barrel vaults (and some Groin) Dark, solemn Simple Romanesque Overview

11. Cathedral of Saint James (Santiago Campostela) • Held the body of Saint James • Designed to accommodate crowds of pilgrims • Served as administrative center • Used 3 different kinds of vaults • Ribbed • Barrel • Groin

13. Groin Barrel Ribbed

14. St. James Cathedral Santiago de Compostela 1078-1122 Spain

16. Cathedral Complex at Pisa • Competed with Muslims over control of the western Mediterranean • Built a cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary • Complex contains the cathedral, freestanding bell tower (campanile), and a baptistery.

18. Cathedral Complex 11th Century Pisa, Italy

22. Speyer Cathedral • Soaring towers • Wide transepts • Triple aisled • Red Sandstone • Largest Romanesque Church

24. Speyer Cathedral 1080-1106 Germany

27. Durham Cathedral • Served as a military outpost • Stone and brick…NOT wood • Reminded the Brits of ancient Rome • Count-Bishop = Durham authority • Architects divided each bay with two pairs of diagonal crisscrossing ribs

28. Durham Cathedral 1087-1133 England

30. Church of Saint-Etienne • Founded by William the Conqueror in 1067 • Front divided in 3 vertical sections by 4 buttresses • 6-Part vault • Originally had a timber roof • Towers were added during the Gothic period

31. St. Etienne Normany, France 1060-77

33. VAULTING OF THE NAVE • Sexpartite Vaults

34. Vaulted Ceilings Ribs Tribune / Gallery Clustered Piers Ambulatory

35. Dover Castle 12th Century England

36. St. Sernin • Constructed to honor Saint Sernin • Popularity increased when Charlemagne donated relics to the church • An important stop for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela • “Pilgrim Plan”

37. St. Sernin 1080-1120 Toulouse, France

41. Decoration of Buildings • Revival of Monumental Stone Sculpture • Reflects increasing importance of the Virgin Mary • Prophets, Bishops, ordinary people, monsters, animals, plants, geometric shapes. • Heaven and Hell

43. Creation and Fall • Wiligelmus inspired by ancient sarcophagi • Modena Cathedral • Subjects from Genesis • Creation and Fall • Three Dimensionality • Arcades give stage-like setting • Was once painted

44. The Creation and Fall West Façade of Modena Cathedral Italy 1099

45. Jeremiah South Portal Trumeau Saint-Pierre 1115

46. Christ in Majesty, Tympanum of the South Portal at Saint-Pierre 1115-30

47. Last Judgment • Cathedral of St. Lazare • Christ returned to judge the souls at his feet • Expressive Forms • “May this terror frighten those who are bound by worldly error. It will be true just as the horror of these images indicates.”

48. Last Judgment, Tympanum by Gislebertus 1130-35 CE St.-LazareAutun, France.

49. Last Judgment Gislebertus 1130-35 CE

50. Dancing Jesus