Romanesque Art

Romanesque Art

• 11th and 12th Centuries CE in Western Europe

• Romanesque refers to “in the Roman style”

• Term Romanesque Art first used in 19th Century

• Architectural style includes Roman style details, including Roman columns and round arches in the windows

Major Events during Romanesque Period

Pilgrimages - religious travel to important sacred sites

Crusades - series of military campaigns waged by Roman Catholics to gain control over the Holy Land in the Middle East

First Crusade: 1095 – 1099 CESecond Crusade: 1147 – 1149 CEThird Crusade: 1188 – 1192 CE

Pisa

Cathedral Complex of Pisa (Tuscany, Italy), Romanesque Architecture, begun 1173 CE

Pisa• “Leaning Tower of Pisa”

part of Cathedral complex of buildings

• Tower is a Campanile (type of bell tower)

• Campanile built on top of the ruins of an old building

• Campanile started to lean right away

• Today, the Campanile leans 13 feet off of the perpendicular

• The tower continues to move, but much less since they’ve added lead to the foundation of the building

Cathedral Complex of Pisa (Tuscany, Italy), Romanesque Architecture

Campanile

(Bell Tower)

Romanesque Churches

Plans were designed in the shape of a Crucifix

nave apse

transept

Church of Sainte-Foy (France)

Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy (Conques, France), Romanesque Architecture, 1120 CE

Church of Sainte-Foy (France)

• Pilgrimage Church (Religious Travel)

• People travel here to be healed

• Sainte-Foy was a child Saint in 4th Century

• Contains the bones of Sainte-Foy (reliquary) that were stolen by monks

• Additive Architecture (added extra towers, and rebuilt some parts later) - Original Dome Collapsed

Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy (Conques, France), Romanesque Architecture, 1120 CE

The nave of St. Sernin, Toulouse, France, 1080 – 1120 CE

Nave – “body of the church”

Romanesque round arches

Masonry (stone) arches

Arched Vaulted Ceiling and Columns on walls support the ceiling

Design leaves little space for windows (lack of natural light)

St. Sernin – pilgrimage church – very large building for a Romanesque style church – needed large space for visitors

Romanesque Portals

• A Portal is the decoration around the entrance to a building, usually Churches

• Round Arches

• Relief Sculpture

Romanesque Portals

• A Portal is the decoration around the entrance to a building, usually Churches

• Round Arches

• Relief Sculpture

Portal Cathedral of Saint-Lazare

Portal Cathedral of Saint-Lazare

• Judgment of Christ (Christ deciding who goes to heaven or hell). Sinners on one side and saints on the other side of Christ in center on Tympanum

• Warning to those entering the church, including text (written in Latin)

• Relief Sculpture

Portal, Cathedral of Saint-Lazare (Burgundy, France), Romanesque Architecture, 1130 CE

Creation and Fall of Adam and Eve

Creation and Fall of Adam and Eve

Wiligelmus, Creation and Fall of Adam and Eve, Modena Cathedral (Italy), height 92cm, 1099 CE

Artist - Wiligelmus

Narrative Portal - (narrative is a story) Tells the Story of Adam and Eve

Relief Sculpture - modeling of figures gives relief strong 3-D feeling. Originally Painted with Bright Colors

Three Scenes Scene 1 - God with angels and God Creating Adam

Scene 2 - Eve Born from Adam

Scene 3 - Adam and Eve eat forbidden fruit in shame

Romanesque

Capitals

The Magi Asleep

The Magi Asleep

The Magi Asleep, capital from interior of Catedral of Saint-Lazare, 1125 CE

Capital - Decorative top of Architectural Columns

Creation of Narrative Scenes on Capitals is a Romanesque innovation

Also called “Historiated Capitals”

Scene from childhood of Jesus - story of Angel Waking the 3 Wise Men

View from Above

Christ in Majesty

Christ in Majesty

Christ in Majesty, detail of apse wall painting from Church of San Climent (Barcelona, Spain), 1123 CE

Christ figure in center of wall painting

Christ as ruler and judge of the world

Alpha and Omega - first and last letters of Greek alphabet on either side of Christ (“Beginning and End”)

Christ holds a book with Latin “ego sum lux mundi” (“I am the light of the world”)

Decorative patterns and stylized forms

Colorful palette - Romanesque artists liked bright colors

Bayeux Embroidery

Detail from the Bayeux Embroidery

Bishop Odo Blessing the Feast

(from Bayeux Embroidery)

Bishop Odo Blessing the Feast,

detail from Bayeux Embroidery,

Linen with Wool Thread, 1066 - 1082 CE

Strip of Embroidered Linen known as Bayeux Embroidery created by women in France

Embroidery - handcrafted stitches using thread on already-woven fabric creating images and text

50 Scenes with 600 human figures, 700 horses, dogs, and other creatures, 2000 letters

This Scene is a feast before a battle - Bishop and Knights eating at curved table

Translation of text: “…and here the servants perform their duty. Here they prepare the meal. Here the bishop blesses the food and drink.”

Reliquary Statue of

Sainte Foy

Reliquary Statue of

Sainte Foy

Reliquary Statue of Sainte Foy, Wood with Gold and Gems, Height 85 cm, 980 CE

Relics of Sainte Foy stored inside the sculpture - body is hollow (relics are sacred objects from a religious figures - can include bones, hair, teeth, personal objects, etc.)

Gems and Cameos added by those making a pilgrimage to Reliquary Church of Sainte-Foy in Conques, France

Head may be from an older sculpture from Roman Empire (head of a Roman emperor?)

Sculpture survived several wars through history, including French Revolution in late 18th Century

Virgin and Child

Virgin and Child

Virgin and Child from Auvergne, France, late 12th Century, height 78.7cm, Oak Wood

Only wealthy churches could afford art works in precious metals and gems - wood was more common medium

Statue of Virgin Mary and Christ Child

Serious and Stiff

Stylized drapery of clothing

Mary seated on a throne (represents wisdom)

Christ Child once held a book in his left hand representing wisdom, his right hand raised in blessing