Art History Unit 7: Europe in the Romanesque Period

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Art History Unit 7: Europe in the Romanesque Period

2 / 19 Nave and choir, Sant Vincenç. ca. 1029–1040 Cathedrals built in the Romanesque period were made of stone, and relied on the Ancient Roman

system of arches and barrel vaults. Interiors appear heavy and dense with thick walls and small windows.

3 / 19 Lintel of west portal, Saint-Genis-des-Fontaines, France. 1020–1021 Stone relief sculptures are decorative, inspired by illuminated manuscripts.

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Nave, Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. ca. 1075–1120

• Christians considered pilgrimage to be a key factor to their religion.

• Most traveled to notable cathedrals that housed holy relics, remains of

saints. These relics were believed to have healing powers.

• This cathedral was the final stop along the European pilgrimage route, and

was the grandest of them all.

• Traditionally, pilgrimages to Jerusalem was important to Christians, but

that path was too dangerous due to the Crusades, wars in the Middle East

between Europeans and Muslims, who occupied the area.

5 / 19 Plan of Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain (after Dehio) The pilgrimage floor plan is shaped like a cross, and allows traffic to flow around the Cathedrals to view the relics without interfering with rituals.

6 / 19 The Chasse of Champagnat. Reliquary casket with symbols of the four Evangelists. ca. 1150 Holy relics were kept in small caskets called reliquaries. These were displayed in the apsidioles of the Cathedrals.

7 / 19 Christ in Majesty (Maiestas Domini). ca. 1096 Common depiction of Christ is Christ in Majesty: Christ as a royal leader.

8 / 19 Gunzo and others. Plan of Monastery of Cluny (Cluny III), France (after Conant). ca. 1088–1130

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Reconstruction of Abbey Church, Cluny

• The Benedictine Monastic Order built their original monastery with

Cathedral in the Romanesque style.

• The original cathedral was rebuilt three times after the Romanesque period.

• Monasteries were exclusively used for the monks. The Cathedrals were the

only portion of the monastery that had public access.

• The commoners entered the Cathedral from the front entrance. The monks

used their own entrance on the side.

• Monks performed rituals in the Cathedral five times a day.

10 / 19 Cloister, Priory of Saint-Pierre. ca. 1100 A cloister is an open pavilion used exclusively by the monks. They are traditionally placed

outside the monks entrance to the Cathedral, and it is where they begin their processional rituals.

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Trumeau and jambs, south portal, Church of Saint-Pierre, Moissac, France.

• Sculptural elements that were popularized in the Romanesque period can

be described as linear, decorative, and stylized.

• Human forms were not created in a representational, three dimensional

style. Instead, they were molded to the surface, using unnatural proportions.

• Design elements were created using patterns and lines, with no regard to

the spatial qualities of the Ancient Roman sculptures.

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South Portal with Second Coming of Christ on tympanum, Church of Saint-Pierre, Moissac, France. ca. 1115–1130

• Entrances to Romanesque Cathedrals were traditionally decorated with

scenes of the Second Coming of Christ or Judgment Day.

• This is a biblical reference to the prophecy of Christ returning to Earth,

condemning the evil to hell, and rewarding the good with heaven.

• These scenes centered on Christ in Majesty, surrounded by demonic

monsters and tortured human forms.

13 / 19 West portal, with Last Judgment by Gislebertus on tympanum, Cathedral of Saint-Lazare. ca. 1120–1135

14 / 19 The Building of the Tower of Babel. Early twelfth century. Detail of painting on the nave vault, Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe, France A rare example of Romanesque painting. Stylistically, it is very similar to the preferred

method of decoration: relief sculpture.

15 / 19 St. Matthew, from the Codex Colbertinus. ca. 1100 The most common form of Romanesque painting can be found in illuminated manuscripts.

16 / 19 St. Mark, from a gospel book produced at the Abbey at Corbie. Early twelfth century

17 / 19 West façade, Notre-Dame-la-Grande. Early twelfth century.

18 / 19 Crowds Gaze in Awe at a Comet as Harold Is Told of an Omen. Detail of the Bayeux Tapestry. ca. 1066–1083a

19 / 19 West façade, Saint-Étienne. Begun 1068

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