Gardner’s Art Through the Ages,
13e
Chapter 17
Romanesque Europe
1
Europe About 1100
2
Goals
• Understand the term “Romanesque” in designating the artistic
style of a historic period.
• Examine the need for large scale pilgrimage churches, the growth
of architecture and urban centers.
• Understand the ‘millennial’ and apocalyptic mood of the
Romanesque era and their impact on artistic themes.
• Understand the role of relics and the artistic objects designed to
contain relics.
• Recognize differences and similarities in regional Romanesque
architecture and artistic styles.
• Understand the narrative function of the human figure in
Romanesque sculpture.
3
Romanesque Europe
• Understand the term “Romanesque” as a style in art and
architecture.
• Examine the result of pilgrimages and the crusades in terms of
architecture in Europe.
• Understand the ‘millennial’ and apocalyptic mood of the
Romanesque era and their impact on artistic themes.
4
Romanesque Architecture
• Examine the result of pilgrimages and the crusades in terms of
architecture in Europe.
• Identify architectural elements particularly those associated with
the large pilgrimage and monastery churches.
• Explain the function of specific architectural elements such as the
ambulatory, radiating chapels, and crossing square
• Recognize differences and similarities in regional Romanesque
architectural styles.
5
Important Elements of Romanesque
Architecture
Recognize the following architectural features:
• Ambulatory – major innovation
• Radiating chapels
• Portal and its parts
• Nave, transept, and side aisles
• Cruciform (overall shape of building)
• Crossing square
• Bays (3-D modules of nave and side aisles)
• Gallery/ tribune level
• Clerestory (usually small in Romanesque churches)
• Barrel vault (the norm for Romanesque naves)
• Groin vault (less common, used more in side aisles)
• Cloister (element in a monastic abbey church)
6
Figure 17-2 Interior of Saint-Etienne, Vignory, France,
1050-1057.
7
17-2A Interior (looking east) of Saint-Philibert, Tournus,
France. Vaults, ca. 1060.
8
17-2B Interior (looking east) of Sant
Vicenç, Cardona, Spain, ca. 1029–1040.
9
Figure 17-3 Plan of Saint-Etienne, Vignory,
France, 1050-1057. (1) nave, (2) aisles, (3)
choir, (4) ambulatory, (5) radiating chapels.
10
Pilgrimage Churches
• Examine the pilgrimages and crusades in terms of architecture in
Europe.
• Identify architectural elements associated with the large
pilgrimage and monastery churches.
11
Geometry and Vaulting
• Examine the architectural elements and scheme that made
possible Saint-Sernin’s in Toulouse, France.
• Understand that the design of a Romanesque church is based on
mathematical ratios in relation to the size of its crossing square
• Understand the importance of Cluny and the Cistercian religious
order in architecture and art.
12
Figure 17-4 Aerial view (looking northwest) of Saint-Sernin, Toulouse, France, ca. 1070–1120.
13
17-4A Aerial view (looking southwest) of Sainte-Foy, Conques, France, mid 11th to early 12th century.
14
Figure 17-5 Plan of Saint-Sernin, Toulouse, France, ca. 1070-1120 (after Kenneth John Conant).
15
Figure 17-6 Interior of Saint-Sernin,
Toulouse, France, ca. 1070-1120.
16
17-6A Interior (looking east) of Saint James,
Santiago de Compostela, Spain, ca. 1075–
1120.
17
Emergence of Large Relief Sculpture
• Observe one of the large marble relief panels from Saint-Sernin
• Realize that these are the first precisely dated large relief panels
of the Romanesque period and that they are by a known artist
• Understand the prominent role that sculpture will play during the
Romanesque period
18
Figure 17-7 BERNARDUS
GELDUINUS, Christ in Majesty, relief in
the ambulatory of Saint-Sernin, Toulouse,
France, ca. 1096. Marble, 4’ 2” high.
19
17-7A Christ in Majesty (Maiestas Domini) with apostles, lintel over the doorway of the abbey church, Saint-Genis-des-Fontaines,
France, 1019–1020. Marble, 2’ X 7’.
20
Diagram of a Romanesque Portal
Figure 17-10 The Romanesque church portal.
21
Figure 17-1 South portal of SaintPierre, Moissac, France, ca. 1115–
1135.
22
Figure 17-8 Restored cutaway view of the third abbey church (Cluny III), Cluny, France, 1088-1130 (John
Burge).
23
Figure 17-14 Interior of abbey church of
Notre-Dame, Fontenay, France, 1139–1147.
24
Regional Variations
• Identify Romanesque architectural elements in Germany,
Lombardy, Normandy and England.
• Examine the distinct qualities of Italian Romanesque.
25
Northern European Romanesque
• Romanesque architectural elements in Germany, Lombardy,
Normandy and England.
26
Figure 17-19 Interior of Speyer Cathedral,
Speyer, Germany, begun 1030; nave vaults,
ca. 1082–1105.
27
Figure 17-20 Aerial view of Sant’Ambrogio, Milan,
Italy, late 11th to early 12th century.
28
Figure 17-21 Interior of Sant’Ambrogio, Milan, Italy, late 11th to early 12th century.
29
Figure 17-30 West facade of Saint-Étienne, Caen,
France, begun 1067.
30
Figure 17-31 Interior of Saint-Étienne, Caen, France,
vaulted ca. 1115–1120.
31
Figure 17-32 Plan of Saint-Étienne, Caen, France.
32
Figure 17-33 Interior (left) and lateral
section (right) of Durham Cathedral,
England ,begun ca.1093.
33
Figure 17-34 Plan of Durham Cathedral, England (after Kenneth John Conant).
34
Romanesque in Italy
• Examine the distinct qualities of Italian Romanesque.
• Notice architectural elements such as stone tracery, gables, and
pinnacles that were later Gothic additions.
35
Figure 17-25 Cathedral complex, Pisa, Italy; cathedral begun 1063; baptistery begun 1153; campanile begun 1174.
36
Figure 17-26 Baptistery of San Giovanni,
Florence, Italy, dedicated 1059.
37
Figure 17-27 Interior of San Miniato al
Monte, Florence, Italy, ca. 1062–1090.
38
17-27A Entombment of Christ, fresco above the nave arcade, Sant’Angelo in Formis, near Capua, Italy, ca. 1085.
39
Romanesque Sculpture
• Examine the revival of stone sculpture, its placement and
iconography.
• Observe how the arrangement and form of Romanesque
sculpture is closely tied to its architectural framework
• Understand the narrative function of the human figure in
Romanesque sculpture.
• Understand the role of relics and the artistic objects designed to
contain relics.
• Recall the names of two known Romanesque sculptors
40
Figure 17-9 General view of the cloister (left) and detail of the pier with the relief of Abbot Durandus (right), SaintPierre, Moissac, France, ca. 1100–1115. Relief: limestone, 6’ high.
41
17-9A Christ, Doubting Thomas, and apostles, pier relief in the cloister of the abbey church of Santo Domingo, Silos, Spain, ca.
1090–1100.
42
Figure 17-28 WILIGELMO, creation and temptation of Adam and Eve, detail of the frieze on the west facade, Modena
Cathedral, Modena, Italy, ca. 1110. Marble, 3’ high.
43
Figure 17-11 Lions and Old Testament prophet
(Jeremiah or Isaiah?), trumeau of the south portal of
Saint-Pierre, Moissac, France, ca. 1115–1130.
44
Figure 17-12 GISLEBERTUS, Last Judgment, west tympanum of Saint-Lazare, Autun, France, ca. 1120–1135. Marble,
21’ wide at base.
45
17-12A GISLEBERTUS, Suicide of Judas, historiated capital from the nave of Saint-Lazare, Autun, France, ca. 1120–1135.
Musée Lapidaire, Autun.
46
17-12B GISLEBERTUS, Eve, detail of the lintel of the north portal of Saint-Lazare, Autun, France, ca. 1120–1135. Stone, 2’ 4
1/2" X 4’ 3”. Musée Rolin, Autun.
47
Figure 17-13 Pentecost and Mission of the Apostles, tympanum of the center portal of the narthex of
La Madeleine, Vézelay, France, 1120–1132.
48
17-13A Central portal of the west facade of Saint-Trophîme, Arles, France, mid-12th century.
49
17-13B West facade, Notre-Dame-laGrande, Poitiers, France, ca. 1130–1150.
50
Figure 17-29 BENEDETTO ANTELAMI, King David, statue
in a niche on the west facade of Fidenza Cathedral, Fidenza,
Italy, ca. 1180–1190. Marble, life-size.
51
Figure 17-23 RAINER OF HUY, baptism of Christ, baptismal font from Notre-Dame-des-Fonts, Liège, Belgium, 1118.
Bronze, 2’ 1” high. Saint-Barthélémy, Liège.
52
Figure 17-18 Virgin and Child (Morgan
Madonna), from the Auvergne, France,
second half of twelfth century. Painted
wood, 2’ 7” high. Metropolitan Museum
of Art, New York (gift of J. Pierpont
Morgan, 1916).
53
17-18A Reliquary statue of Sainte-Foy, late 10th to early 11th century with later additions. Gold, silver gilt, jewels, and cameos
over a wooden core, 2’ 9 1/2" high. Treasury, Sainte-Foy, Conques.
54
Figure 17-24 Head reliquary of Saint Alexander,
from Stavelot Abbey, Belgium, 1145. Silver
repoussé (partly gilt), gilt bronze, gems, pearls, and
enamel, 1’ 5 1/2” high. Musées Royaux d’Art et
d’Histoire, Brussels.
55
Romanesque Painting and Other Arts
• Examine the extent and styles of mural and fresco painting on
walls and in vaulted ceilings.
• Explore the continuing art of manuscript illumination.
• Understand the artists, the themes, and the styles of Romanesque
manuscripts.
• Examine other two dimensional art, particularly weaving and
embroidery.
• Study the form and stylistic elements of the Bayeux Tapestry.
56
17-15 Initial R with knight fighting dragons, folio 4 verso of the Moralia in Job, from Citeaux, France, ca>
1115-1125. Oink and tempera on vellum, 1’ 1 ¾” X 9 ¼”. Bibliotheque Municipale, Dijon.
57
17-15A Initial L and Saint Matthew, folio 10 recto of the Codex Colbertinus, from Moissac, France, ca. 1100. Tempera on vellum, 7
1/2" X 4”. Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.
58
17-15B Saint Mark, folio 53 recto of the Corbie Gospels, from Corbie, France, ca. 1120. Tempera on vellum, 10 3/4" X 7 7/8”.
Bibliothèque Municipale, Amiens.
59
Figure 17-16 Nave (left) and painted nave vault (right) of the abbey church, Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe, France,
ca. 1100.
60
Figure 17-17 Christ in Majesty, apse, Santa María de
Mur, near Lérida, Spain, mid-twelfth century. Fresco,
24’ X 22’. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
61
Figure 17-22 Hildegard receives her visions, detail of
a facsimile of a lost folio in the Ruperts-berger
Sciviasby Hildegard of Bingen, from Trier or Bingen,
Germany, ca.1150–1179. Abbey of St. Hildegard,
Rüdesheim/Eibingen.
62
17-22A RUFILLUS, Initial R, folio
224 recto of a Passional, from
Weissenau, Germany, ca. 1170–
1200. [Material and size needed].
Bibliotheca Bodmeriana, Geneva.
63
17-36 Master Hugo, Moses expounding the Law, folio 94 recto of the Bury Bible, from Bury Saint Edmunds,
England, ca. 1135. Ink and tempera on vellum, 1’ 1/8” X 1’ 2”. Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
64
17-36A Mouth of Hell, folio 39 recto of the Winchester Psalter, from Winchester, England, ca. 1145–1155. Tempera and ink on
vellum, 1’ 3/4" X 9 1/8”. British Library, London.
65
Figure 17-37 EADWINE THE SCRIBE,
Eadwine the scribe at work, folio 283 verso
of the Eadwine Psalter, ca. 1160–1170. Ink
and tempera on vellum. Trinity College,
Cambridge.
66
Figure 17-35 Funeral procession to Westminster Abbey (top) and Battle of Hastings (bottom), details of the
Bayeux Tapestry, from Bayeux Cathedral, Bayeux, France, ca. 1070-1080. Embroidered wool on linen, 1’ 8”
high (entire length of fabric 229’ 8”). Centre Buillaume le Conquerant, Bayeux.
67
Discussion Questions
 Identify key elements of Romanesque architecture.
 What factors sparked the increase in building of churches
in Western Europe?
 Why do you think there was such a strong positive
reception of the concept of relics in Romanesque society??
 What were the various roles of figural art, both twodimensional and sculptural, during the Romanesque
period?
68