TVM Mezzanine: Romanesque Art

Romanesque art architecture, sculpture, and painting is one of two great artistic eras that occurred in Europe during the Middle Ages. Romanesque architecture emerged about 1000 and lasted until about 1150, by which time it had evolved into second great artistic era: the Gothic. Romanesque art was at its height around 1100 in France, Italy, Britain, and Germany.

The name Romanesque refers to the fusion of Roman and Byzantine styles with local Germanic traditions. Romanesque art tended to dominate in France; but the style was used all over Europe (except eastern Europe where the Orthodox Church preserved the Byzantine traditions). Geographic distribution of artists with limited communication resulted in a variety of local types of Romanesque Art.

The Romanesque developed during the spread of monastic life in the 11th and 12th centuries. Europe at this time began to regain a measure of political stability after the fall of the Roman Empire. The churches of the time began to acquire political power greater that many royalty. To further church political power, cathedrals were designed to show that power. Romanesque churches employed design features meant to impress both the common folk and royalty. These include:

This last element was necessary because large impressive buildings produced outward thrust on the arched vaults and massive piers were needed so the building didn't tear itself apart.

Monumental sculpture revived during the Romanesque period after almost 600 years of dormancy. Relief sculpture was used to show events from the Bible on the capitals of columns and around the doors. A new style of sculpture evolved from classical figural tradition and a heritage of angular Germanic design.

Large paintings in the Romanesque period covered the interior walls of churches. The fragments of fresco that survive show that mural painting of the period imitated the sculptural style. Both sculpture and painting tended to show two major aspects: biblical events, and lives of saints. Gothic art began to replace the Romanesque around 1250.

A group of visitors were recently caught writing graffiti in our museum. Oddly they all seem to be older and wearing crowns. In any case, this is what remains of their iconoclasm.

Cluny Mediaeval Museum. Paris

Some of the great buildings in all of western civilization were built.... among these is the design of the plaza for the cathedral in Pisa, Italy done at the beginning of the eleventh century. It is not just the architecture, you need to be there to appreciate the use of space and the way in which these three building interact in that space. No pictures can substitute for a visit to Pisa.

Baptistery

Cathedral

Campanile

Pisa, Italy
founded 1053
consecrated 1118
finished 1272

Campanile designed by the sculptor Bonanno Pisano (active about 1175 to 1186)

Christ and St. Denis
1250

St. Foy
about 1200

Virgin and Child
1300

Twelfth Century (1101 - 1200)

This is an early illuminated book containing the New Testament gospels. It is located today in Dublin's Trinity College Library. Illumination was begun in the late 8th century at an Irish monastery on the Scottish island of Iona. This monastery was destroyed by a Viking raid, and the book was taken for safekeeping to the monastery of Kells in County Meath, where it was probably finished sometime in the early 9th century. A copy of it was published in 1974.

Thirteenth Century (1201 - 1300)

Cimabue
(Bencivieni Di Pepo)

He was both painter and monk. He worked in the Byzantine style. In 1290 he painted frescoes of New Testament scenes in the upper church of S. Francisco, Assisi; and the "St Trinita Madonna", now in the Uffizi, Florence. He also painted the "Madonna Enthroned with St. Francis".

Both Giotto and Duccio were probably his students. Cimabue's character may reflect his name, which translated is "bullheaded." In the Divine Comedy Dante places Cimabue among the proud in Purgatory. Dante uses him to illustrate the transience of earthly fame: "Cimabue thought to hold the field in painting, and now Giotto hath the cry." Pride and a high standard of excellence distinguished Cimabue from many anonymous artists of the Middle Ages.

This was the beginning of the great period of stained glass. We have few examples, and the ones we have are from an unknown source and date. But, being all we have; here they are.