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Equestrian Statue of Charlemagne
From the Latin
" eques ", meaning
"knight", deriving from " equus ", meaning "horse".
Statue in gilded bronze. The statue was erected in 175 CE

Carolingian Art
Equestrian Statue of Charlemagne
• Inspired by Roman equestrian monuments such as
Marcus Aurelius
• Imperial crown and robes
• Orb as a symbol of the world
• Rider larger than the horse he rides on (Hierarchy of scale)
• Horse is on parade, seems tame and obedient
• Sits as though he is standing upright

Palatine Chapel, Aachen, (What is now Germany)
Architect: Odo of Metz
Charlemagne began the construction of the Palatine
Chapel around 792, along with the building of the rest of the palace structures. It was consecrated in 805
San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy

Palatine Chapel, Aachen, (What is now Germany)
Architect: Odo of Metz
Charlemagne began the construction of the Palatine Chapel around 792 , along with the building of the rest of the palace structures.
[3] It was consecrated in 805 by Pope Leo III in honor of the Virgin Mary. The building is a centrally planned, domed chapel. The east end had a square apse, and was originally flanked by two basilican structures, now lost but known through archaeology. The chapel was entered through a monumental atrium, to the west. The plan and decoration of the building combines elements of Classical, Byzantine and Pre-
Romanesque, and opulent materials as the expression of a new royal house, ruled by Charlemagne.
San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy

Carolingian Art
Palatine Chapel, Aachen
•Central plan, topped by an octagon
•Built for Charlemagne
•Inspired by San Vitale
•Capitals taken from old
Roman monuments
•Large heavy appearance
•Arches smaller on first story, larger on second
•Arches on second story have Roman columns placed inside that are purely decorative, and do not hold the arches up
•Arches on first floor have a low, heavy, thick appearance
•Arches have a striped pattern
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Carolingian Art
Lorsch Gatehouse, Lorsch
• Not really a gateway, but probably in an atrium in a monastery
• Cf. a triumphal arch in a
Roman forum
• Gabled roof for snow
• Three equal openings
• Columns placed against wall
• Surface pattern and design
• Fluted pilasters
• Chapel on top may have been a reception hall for distinguished guests
• Imitation pediments
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Carolingian Art
Monastery Plan, St. Gall,
Switzerland
• Ideal plan of a selfsufficient monastic community
• Church in center, other buildings around
• Daily activities in one place
• Cloistered monks never leave except to work in the fields
• Community of about
250-300 monks with 30 to 40 serfs per monk
• Highly organized
• Many altars in church, not for congregation, but for monks to say Mass
• Everything necessary for the monks grouped around the cloister
Timber architecture in outer buildings
Standard of comfort was high for the time
Serfs lived with animals in their pens
Infirmary, school, convent, guest house
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Ottonian Art
Saint Michael ’ s, Hildesheim
• Two pairs of lateral entrances
• Two pairs of crossing towers
• Two pairs of stair turrets
• Two apses
• Two transepts
• Supports in the nave are not traditional columns, but pairs of columns alternating with square piers
• Divides nave into three separate units of three openings each
• First and third units are related to the lateral entrances to the buildingNave is a hall that connects the two apses
• Windows do not line up with arches below: 9 arches with 10 windows
• Spacious undecorated interior
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The Bernward Column in Hildesheim
Cathedral (1893–2009)
Year
Type
Material
Dimensions
Location c. 1000 victory column bronze
3.79 m (149 in);
0.58 m diameter
(23 in)
Hildesheim
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Ottonian Art
Bronze Door of Hildesheim
• Suggestions of Roman monumentality: inspired by bronze doors of the
Pantheon (now gone) or Palatine Chapel
(no decoration)
• Solid bronze, each scene molded separately
• Scenes compare scenes of the fall of man with the saving of man
• Rectangular scenes with few figures and a barren landscape, empty background
• Emphasis of gesture, liveliness
• Bony figures
• Emphasis on extremities: hands, feet, head
• Spiky foliage
• Heads fully rounded and emerge from background
• Scenes tell the story of the life of Christ and

Ottonian Art
Bronze Door of Hildesheim
• Suggestions of Roman monumentality: inspired by bronze doors of the Pantheon
(now gone) or Palatine Chapel
(no decoration)
• Solid bronze, each scene molded separately
• Scenes compare scenes of the fall of man with the saving of man
• Rectangular scenes with few figures and a barren landscape, empty background
• Emphasis of gesture, liveliness
• Bony figures