Romanesque art

Romanesque art is a term used to describe art created in Europe during a period that stretched between the late tenth and thirteenth centuries. This era is situated between the pre-Romanesque and Gothic eras of European art history. The term Romanesque means in the style of the Romans and was devised in the nineteenth century to describe this broad era of art history. As the name suggests, this form of art was strongly influenced by ancient Roman works of art and architecture. Romanesque art was the first artistic style to see broad use across the whole of Europe since the fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century. Romanesque art was the primary style in use in metalwork, sculpture, architecture, and painting during this time, although the various regions of Europe had differing interpretations of the broader Romanesque aesthetic.

Romanesque art is characterized by more realistic depictions of the human form than in the pre-Romanesque period. Human figures were illustrated as elongated, abstract figures with soft, expressive faces. In addition, Romanesque art reintroduced the idea of a narrative into painting and sculpture. Scenes depicting biblical stories and other religious motifs were among the most common narrative themes in Romanesque art.

Brief History

Roman art itself was based upon earlier Greek works and used many of the same thematic motifs and construction techniques as Greek art. Where Roman art differed from its Greek forebears was in its international scope. At the height of its strength in the second century CE, the Roman Empire controlled vast territories throughout Europe, ranging from England to northern Africa and east to the Middle East—regions where examples of Roman art and architecture can still be found in the twenty-first century. Roman art was installed at all of the empire's colonial outposts throughout Europe, giving it a broad geographical representation that was unrivaled for the next several centuries. By the time the Roman Empire collapsed in the fifth century CE, virtually all of Europe had been exposed to its artistic aesthetic.

The period following the collapse of the Roman Empire is often referred to as the Dark Ages. There was greater political and cultural instability. Under this aura of increased turmoil and uncertainty, the arts suffered. There was a reduced emphasis on artistic innovation or the creation of monumental artworks like that seen in previous eras. While some civilizations such as the Merovingian, Byzantine, and Carolingian kingdoms rose to new prominence, their artistic footprint was greatly limited in comparison to either the Roman or the Romanesque periods.

By the eleventh century, Europe began to experience greater stability and prosperity again. However, the initial spread of Romanesque art was intimately linked to the growth of monasticism that began in the tenth century. Monasticism is a form of Christian devotion in which monks separate themselves from secular life to dedicate themselves to a spiritual existence. In their isolation, monasteries became important centers for the development of religious works of art and iconography. In this regard, Byzantine Christian iconography played a particularly important role in early Romanesque art.

Many religious groups such as the Carthusian, Cistercian, and Cluniac monastic orders began to spread across Europe. The pilgrimage routes linking these religious outposts transmitted both religious pilgrims and the passage of shared artistic visions. The start of the Crusades at the end of the eleventh century further accelerated the transmission of cultural iconography throughout the pilgrimage routes of Europe.

The first broad manifestation of Romanesque art occurred through the mass construction of new churches. The church population began to grow as Europe settled into a period of greater prosperity, requiring larger buildings for the bigger congregations. Beyond their function as centers of worship, these churches were constructed with the added intention of hosting of the holy relics of saints. While the floor plans of these religious buildings (such as the inclusion of such structures as a nave, lateral aisles, and an apse) were adopted from Roman plans, much of the knowledge required for the more ornate details of Roman-style construction had been lost. This necessitated the development of new construction styles, the specific nature of which varied across Europe.

The rise of Romanesque art began in southern Europe and eventually spread north to Scandinavia. It reached its artistic zenith between 1075 and 1125 in the areas occupied by present-day France, Italy, and Germany. Beginning in 1150 in Paris, the Romanesque style was slowly surpassed in popularity by the highly ornamental Gothic style, although the Romanesque aesthetic remained popular in such areas as central Italy until the thirteenth century.

Overview

Romanesque art is thought to have been influenced by a variety of sources. In addition to a resurgence of interest in ancient Roman works of art during this period, Scandinavian, Islamic, and Byzantine styles heavily influenced Romanesque art. One of the key characteristics of Romanesque art was its link to Christianity. In the wake of the Dark Ages, Christianity played a major role in the renaissance of European culture. This interplay between religion and art is a central component of Romanesque art and can be seen in such structures as the Benedictine Abbey of Cluny in France and the Maria Laach Abbey in Germany.

For instance, Romanesque churches incorporated a broad spectrum of artistic elements, ranging from floor plans and architectural details to the stained glass, frescoes, and sculptures that were used to ornament both the interior and exteriors of such buildings. From an architectural standpoint, these buildings included thick walls, tall towers, and the inclusion of nonstructural arches scattered throughout the building that were used to frame sculptures and important works of art. One architectural innovation from this period is the tympanum, a semicircular arch placed above the entrance to a church.

Roman influences were felt more strongly in Romanesque sculpture and paintings. Romanesque artisans made deliberate attempts to individualize the faces of depicted figures by highlighting bone structures and adding more detail to their hair and the drapery of clothing. Some of the major art forms dating from this period were the highly detailed illuminated manuscripts, psalters, and bestiaries painstakingly created by monks. Famous examples of Romanesque manuscripts include the Bury Bible, the Lambeth Bible, and the Psalter of Henry de Blois, all from the twelfth century. Commonly depicted scenes included episodes from the life of Jesus Christ. The figures were often elongated to fit the page and tended to be very expressive in form, with large, prominent hands and rich coloring. The figures were also of varying size, with more important figures drawn in larger proportions.

Bibliography

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Charles, Victoria, and Carl Klaus. Romanesque Art. Parkstone Press, 2017.

Fernie, Eric. Romanesque Architecture: The First Style of the European Age. Yale UP, 2014.

McNeill, John, and Richard Plant, editors. Romanesque and the Past: Retrospection in the Art and Architecture of Romanesque Europe. Routledge, 2013.

Petzold, Andreas. "A Beginner's Guide to Romanesque Art." Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/latin-western-europe/romanesque1/a/a-beginners-guide-to-romanesque-art. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.

"Romanesque Art." Boundless Art History, www.boundless.com/art-history/textbooks/boundless-art-history-textbook/romanesque-art-19/the-romanesque-period-124/romanesque-art-529-10886/. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.

"Romanesque Art (c. 1000–1200)." Visual Arts Cork, www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/romanesque-art.htm. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.

"Style Guide: Romanesque." Victoria and Albert Museum, www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/s/style-guide-romanesque/. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.

Toman, Rolf. Romanesque: Architecture. Sculpture. Painting. H.F. Ullmann Publishing, 2015.