Romanesque architecture
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Interior of the Saint-Saturnin church |
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Romanesque sculpture, cloister of St. Trophime, Arles |
The term
Romanesque, like many other stylistic designations, was not a term contemporary with the art it describes but an invention of modern scholarship to categorize a
period. The term "Romanesque" attempts to link the
architecture, especially, of the
11th and
12th centuries in
medieval Europe to
Roman Architecture based on similarities of forms and materials. Romanesque is characterized by a use of round or slightly pointed
arches,
barrel vaults,
cruciform piers supporting
vaults, and
groin vaults.The great carved portals of 12th century church facades (see
Church of St. Trophime) parallel the architectural novelty of the period—monumental stone sculpture seems reborn in the Romanesque.
Romanesque appears to have been the first pan-European style since
Roman Imperial Architecture and examples are found in every part of the continent. One important fact pointed out by the stylistic similarity of buildings across Europe is the relative mobility of
medieval people. Contrary to many modern ideas of life before the
Industrial Revolution, merchants, nobles, knights, artisans, and peasants crossed Europe and the
Mediterranean world for business, war, and religious
pilgrimages, carrying their knowledge of what buildings in different places looked like. The important pilgrimage routes to
Santiago de Compostela (
Way of Saint James), in
Galicia, modern northwest
Spain, generated as well and spread some aspects of the Romanesque style. A particular scheme of Pilgrimage Church appeared and developed throughout the main routes in
Tours,
Limoges,
Conques,
Toulouse and
Santiago de Compostela.
The Romanesque was not confined only to architecture. It was accompanied by changes in design for woodworking seen, for instance in, chests and cupboards. The exterior of the book changes at this time, and as does manuscript design as scribes start to use a new clear style of writing (
Caroline minuscule). Texts are set among intricate spirals and elaborate and finely-drawn nature motifs. This became an international graphic style, influencing even Jewish illuminated manuscripts. In western painting, mosaic and fresco design, from around 1150 a spirit emerged across Europe. This attempted to revive the styles of the art of classical antiquity, and yet it also drew heavily on ancient Christian Celtic and Byzantine arts.
A combination of masonry, arch and piers is the basis of the Romanesque style. The main concept for buildings was the addition of pure geometrical forms.The new concept of
stone vaulting required stronger walls for support. Because of the lack of knowledge of the building statics it was necessary to build strong, thick walls with narrow openings.
The
Pier (an upright support generally square, or rectangular in plan) is a better solution for masonry walls, than the column. Columns are subsequently replaced by piers, or transformed to better support the masonry arches. Geometrisation and rigidity in Romanesque architecture is evident in the transformation of column capitals from corinthian to cubic capitals, as found in the church of St.Michael, Hildesheim.There is also one new element in the capitals developed during Romanesque period - the
impost. It's a trapezoid form which stands between capital and arch.
Two types of alternation of supporting elements appeared during the Romanesque:1. Simple alternation - 1 column (circular) is followed by 1 pier (rectangular)2. Double alternation - 2 piers stand between every column
France
Romanesque architecture expands in France through monasteries. Burgundy was the center of monastic life in France - one of the most important Benedictine monastery of medieval Europe was the one in Cluny. The pilgrimage also contributed to expansion of this style. Many pilgrims passed through France on their way to Santiago de Compostela.
French Romanesque schools of architecture, which are specific for every region, are characterized by the variety of stone vaulting.
Spain
Romanesque first developed in
Spain in the
10th and
11th centuries and before
Cluny`s influence, in Lérida, Barcelona, Tarragona and Huesca and in the Pyrinees, simultaneously with the north of
Italy, into what is been called "
First Romanesque" or "Lombard Romanesque". It is a very primitive style, whose characteristics are thick walls, lack of sculpture and the presence of
rhythmic ornamental arches.
The plain Romanesque Architecture arrived with the influence of Cluny through the
Way of Saint James, that ends in the
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The model of the Spanish Romanesque in the
12th century was the Cathedral of
Jaca, with its characteristic apse structure and plan, and its "chess" decoration in stripes, called
taqueado jaqués. As the Christian Kingdoms advanced to the South, that model spread throughout the reconquered areas with some variations. Spanish Romanesque also shows the influence of Spanish pre-romanesque styles, mainly
Asturian and
Mozarabic. But there is also a strong influence of Moorish architecture, so close in space, especially the vaults of
Córdoba's Mosque, and the polylobulated arches. In the
13th century, some romanesque churches alternated with the gothic.
Aragón,
Castile and
Navarra are some of the most dense areas of Spanish Romanesque.
*
List of Romanesque architecture*
Renaissance of the 12th century*
Medieval architecture*
Pre-Romanesque art*
Ottonian architecture*
Gothic architecture *
Romanesque Churches in Southern Burgundy*
Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland*
Illustrated history (French)*
Overview of French Romanesque art*
French Romanesque art through 150 places {fr}{es}{en}*
Italian, French and Spanish Romanesque art (it) (fr) (es) (en)*
Spanish and Zamora´s Romanesque art, easy navigation{es}
