04.17.09 – THE CAROLINGIANS
CAROLINGIAN RENAISSANCE:
CLOISTER: an open court yard with columns that run all the way around it and hallways to connect them





The franks arrive in the fifth century – choose as their site – Paris – their kings settles down and believes in
Christianity
The kings of the Franks – the most famous is Charlemagne – Charles the great - he has the pope crown him
This is a Christian empire
They all claim to have been chosen by god
EQUESTRIAN PORTRAIT OF CHARLEMAGNE(?) - THE CAROLINGIANS
 Portrait of a Carolingian king – these kings want to restore the empire
 This is the king on horseback and has an orb on his hand – claiming to be a world ruler
 This is based on images like “The Equestrian”
 This is made of bronze and has a lot of silver incorporated into it
 This is not a true portrait – generic features – drapery is pretty simple
 The horse is simple and plump looking – not as detailed
 This image is 9.5 inches tall

PALATINE CHAPEL, AACHEN - THE CAROLINGIANS
 Today this site is Germany
 Carolingian calls this second capital of Rome
 This is really the only monument that survives
 This is the chapel of the capital that he builds
 Looks like the layout of San Vitale
 There is a second story and has a dome over the center
 This has a sort of heavy simple look inside it
 Corinthian columns – these are spoils that were brought up from Italy
 This whole building is reused materials from earlier buildings
 This central space is used for the congregation
 The second floor is reserved for the king where there is a throne lodge
 The second floor alters are dedicated to the virgin Mary and the Christ

TORHALLE (GATEHOUSE), LORSCH - THE CAROLINGIANS
 The Carolingians and the church work together
 For the emperors the church is a major support
 They are trying to keep records and the only people who can read and write are members of the church
 Many religious communities just give their land to the king
 This a piece of land that belonged to a royal Abbey – there would have been monks that lived here
 This is in Germany where it snows
 This is the gateway that was used when the emperor came to visit
 Ionic Corinthian columns – they are imitating Roman triumphal arches like Constantine’s

PLAN FOR MONASTERY AT SAINT GALL - THE CAROLINGIANS
 During this time we really don’t have a lot of cities
 Most people have to support themselves
 One of the communities and large groups that survives is the Christian monasteries
 They are a center for religion and economic issues, etc.
 The church was trying to come up with a plan that would make all the monasteries look similar
 This is the original plan made on calf skin and has red writing
 It is drawn to scale
 Earliest ground plan that survives – made by an architect and for other architects
 Shown self sufficiency – you can’t rely on outside people
 Most important thing in plan is the church in the center
 There are large towers that mark the church so from far away people can see where the church is
 Church is a weird shape – there is an altar at both ends
 They salvaged columns from earlier buildings
 Open timber roof
 Right next to the church is where the monks reside and live the majority of their lives – they have direct
connection with the church because they pray a lot of the day
 There is a huge wine and beer cellar
 Animal sheds for food, mill for grain grinding; there is a huge kitchen w/ bakery or beer, hostile for guests,
guests houses for important people, school, abbots house, garden specializing in herbs, cemetery, etc.
ST. MATTHEW, CORONATION GOSPELS - THE CAROLINGIANS
 This is a little gospel book – the first four books of the new testament
 This book may have been buried with Charlemagne
 Little book – 9 inches high
 This is made of animal skin
 Very luxurious
 This is the name caught in the process of writing the bible
 The style of this figure – very fancy but outdoors
 His clothing looks almost like a toga
 The only thing showing this a s a sacred figure is the halo around his head
 This image looks like a roman figure
