Romanesque Art-1

Romanesque Art-1

Chapter 15

Theme Card“Build it (block by block) and they will come.”

• This theme borrows a line from the film, Field of Dreams: “Build it and they will come.” – Romanesque period as a time of building churches. – The “block by block” refers to the use of stone for building, the

development of new vaulting techniques, and the “blocky” appearance of the Romanesque style.

– “They will come” refers to the advent of pilgrimage and the impact it had on the scale of Romanesque churches and their locations.

Romanesque Culture• 11th and 12th Century European style• Means “Roman Manner”

– Refers to the Architecture- return to “Clunky”

• Begin to see nations forming• Inherited Power and putting friends into

power• 1095 Pope Urban II demands the taking

back of the holy lands- CRUSADES• First Universities formed- roman scrolls

found

France and Northern Spain

• France begins consolidating power

• Iberian peninsula (Spain & Portugal) remained divided between the Christians and the Muslim Rulers

The pilgrims journey

•People would take a pilgrimage to religious places and stop at specific places along the way

•Relics would be houses in this stopping points that would have things like …

•The bone of this Saint•Or the virgin’d dress when she gave birth•Etc…

Santiago Compostela

Title: Transept, Cathedral of Saint James, Santiago de Compostela. View toward the crossing Date: 1078–1122•Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain.

•The cathedral is the reputed burial-place of Saint James the Greater, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ.

•It is the destination of the Way of St. James

•97 m long and 22 m high. •It preserves its original barrel-vaulted cruciform Romanesque interior.

•a nave, two lateral aisles, a wide transept and a choir with radiating chapels.

•is the largest Romanesque church in Spain

Title: Reconstruction drawing (after Conant) of Cathedral of Saint James, Santiago de Compostela

Title: Plan of Cathedral of Saint James, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

•The barrel-vaulted nave

•the groin-vaulted aisles

•Nave and Aisles consist of eleven bays,

•wide transept consists of six bays.

• Every clustered pier is flanked by semi-columns

•Lit galleries run, at a remarkable height, above the side aisles around the church.

Title: Cross Section of The Cathedral of Saint James, Santiago de Compostela (Drawing After Conant)

Compound pier- a column or pier with attachments

Sanctuary- sacred or holy enclosure used for worship

Tympanum- lunette over doorway

Choir-section of church used for clergy usually fitted with screens and stalls/seats

•The Sainte-Foy abbey-church in Conques was a popular stop for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela•It was built in Romanesque style, using a warm-colored local limestone infilled with a local gray schist. •draw for medieval pilgrims at Conques were the remains of Sainte Foy, a martyred young woman from the fourth century.•double purpose:

• to accommodate the flock of pilgrims •a community of monks to gather for the divine office seven times a day

Title: Abbey Sainte-Foy in Conques Date: 900-1120

Title: Reliquary Statue of Sainte Foy (Saint Faith) Medium: Silver gilt over a wood core, with added gems and cameos of various datesSize: Height 33" (85 cm)Date: Late 9th or 10th century with later additionsA HOLY RELICStolen from Saint Ages in a “holy Robbery”

Holy robbery was when the “Saint” said she wanted to be moved

The skull of Saint Foy also referred to as Holy Faith, young martyr girl from the 4th century

Face made of a roman parade mask

Inlayed jewels and cameos

Gold repousse, over wood core

Title: Reconstruction drawing of the Abbey at Cluny, Burgundy, France. 1088–1130. View From The East.

Title: Reconstruction drawing of the Abbey at Cluny, Burgundy, France. 1088–1130. View From The East.

Cluny independent status answering only to Rome

Influential and prosperous

Attracted successive patronage from rulers

300 monks and many went on to found more than 200 priories

Monks were well disciplined and educated

Landholding made it wealthy

Build Cluny III which was the largest church in Europe at 98 ft high, 40 ft span, and 450 ft long

Widely influential

Title: Plan of The Abbey of Notre-Dame, Fontenay, Burgundy, France, 1139–47

Title: Nave, Abbey Church of Notre-Dame, Fontenay Date: 1139–47

Oldest surviving Cistercian structure

Simple geometric plan

Long nave with rectangular chapels in the square ended transept

Despite simple plan, architectural elements still reflect those of their time

Harmonious proportions and fine stonework, not lavishly decorated

Pointed ribbed vaulting over nave, pointed arches in nave arcade

Compound piers

Very few window

Title: Doubting ThomasMedium: Pier reliefSize: figures nearly life-sizeDate: c. 1100

Known as Architectural sculpture

This relief sculpture is on a pier

Christ invited Thomas to touch his crucifixion wounds

Strong diagonal formed by hand

Christ larger

Name this building? Which religion is this building directly associated with? Discuss the buildings structure and ornamentation in relation to its religious significance.

Title: South Portal and Porch, Priory Church of Saint-Pierre, Moissac Date: c. 1115Source/ Museum: Tarn-et-Garonne, France

Romanesque portal- stop on pilgrimage

Carved Tympanum- complex works of folklore, religious symbolism, and biblical narratives

Still bears traces of original paint

Jesus with halo and mandorla large and in the center

4 evangelists along the sides

2 angels

24 crowned elders- motion

2nd coming of christ

Title: Trumeau, South Portal, Priory Church of Saint-Pierre, Moissac Date: c. 1115 Source/ Museum: Tarn-et-Garonne, France

Trumeau- is the post between the doors

Lions and the prophet Jeremiah

Saint Paul on left

2 pairs of Lions cross in an “x” shape in the front

Body made to fit the curve of the post, Decorative rosettes and scallops resemble Islamic art

This sculptures were made shortly after the first crusade

Twisting body, stylized lions and vegitation

Artist: Gislebertus Title: Last Judgment, Tympanum on West Portal, Cathedral (Originally Abbey Church) of Saint-Lazare, Autun Date: c. 1120–30 or 1130–45 Source/ Museum: Burgundy, France judgment day, terror reigns down on the human souls, hands scoop up souls, Jesus still large and in charge, with halo and mandorla, very expressive twisted faces and bodies, delicate web like detailing much like illuminated manuscripts

Title: Capital: Suicide of Judas, Cathedral of Saint-Lazare, Autun Date: c. 1125

From a capital , underneath would have been a Corinthian column

Stylized plant life adorn background

Flying demons or beasties, judge and help

The Gospel of Matthew says that Judas returned the money to the priests and committed suicide by hanging himself