ROMANESQUE ART

ROMANESQUE

DATES: 11th – 13th LOCATION: Western Europe

NAME: People thought that it was a reminiscent of Roman Art

FUNCTION OF THIS ART: TO SPREAD THE RELIGION AND BRING PEOPLE CLOSER TO GOD

MAIN CHARACTERISTICS:

• Architecture: They built churches, cathedrals and monasteries

• Sculpture and painting: They were a useful tool to teach the Christianity. People were not able to read and write, so they learnt by looking at these pieces of art

The use of symbols was very important. The message was more important than the aesthetics

The artists were anonymous craftsmen

ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE

MATERIAL: STONE TO AVOID FIRES AND STAND THE PASSING OF TIME

MAIN ELEMENTS

1. SEMICIRCULAR ARCHES THEY WERE IN WINDOWS AND DOORS

2. BARREL VAULTS THEY ARE MANY SEMICIRCULAR ARCHES TOGETHER

3. DOMES THEY ARE ALSO COMBINED SEMICIRCULAR ARCHES

SAN MARTÍN DE FROMISTA: PALENCIA

FASTENER ELEMENTS

In order to build these buildings, the architects used fastener elements. Thus, these elements could support the weight of the building

Round arches, columns and pillars

Thick walls with small windows and buttress

The windows were very small, so the light was very little. The atmosphere in the Romanesque churches was very dark

Shape of the floorIt has the shape of a cross to remember the death of Jesus

In the diagram of the floor, we can see different elements:

• The crossing: The place where the two arms of the church cross

• The shorter arm is the transept

• Towers: Sometimes there were two towers near the main entrance

• Naves: They were the halls of the church. Churches had three or five

• The apse and the ambulatory were at the top of the cross

ROMANESQUE SCULPTURE

CHARACTERISTICS:

• They were not realistic. The most important thing was the message and the symbols

• They were painted in bright colours to attract the attention of the people

• The space and the shape was sometimes adapted to fit into the space available in capitals and cloisers. There were many subjects in the capitals

• Wooden carvings had two themes: The Virgin and Child and Jesus on the Cross

In the facades, sometimes there were decorated with sculptures related with Christ in Glory –showing his power- and the Last Judgement to alert people about the hell. That decoration was very important in the tympanums of the main entrances

ROMANESQUE PAINTINGCHARACTERISTICS:

• They were inside of the Churches and they were like a book for the people who were not able to read

• They were not realistic. They were rigid and schematic and they did not have background landscapes

• They were painted in bright colours to attract the attention of the people

• Mural paintings on walls of the apse were very common.

The life of saints was also shown in altarpieces and altars. This technique is known as panel painting. It is painted on wood

There were also miniatures in bibles and manuscripts