Medieval Europe - Romanesque Sculpture Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in Medieval Europe - Romanesque Sculpture Deck (17)
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1
Q

characteristics of Romanesque sculpture

A
  1. great unity between sculpture + architecture
  2. capitals, arches, tympana were main locations used for sculpture
  3. sculptural forms distorted to fit capitals + geometric design of arches
  4. mainly religious imagery (particularly death)
  5. used to teach illiterate pilgrims religious concepts
  6. narrative subject matter: stories about saints
  7. animal, vegetable, human forms distorted
  8. The Last Judgement is a common theme
  9. grotesque imagery is a feature throughout
  10. sculpture painted at the time
  11. art is quite abstract, v little realism attempted
  12. human forms sometimes blocky, often elongated
  13. foliage + drapery treated in a v decorative manner w/ swirling patterns
2
Q

The Last Judgement tympanum, St. Foy de Conques

A
  • over main portal
  • relief sculpture of The Last Judgement
  • can be divided into 3 sections
  • centre: Christ raising his hand in blessing
  • to right of Christ: depiction of heaven w/ realistic figures of apostles + a procession of saints
  • to left: graphic depiction of sinners tormented + condemned to hell.
  • upper level shows weighing of souls + beyond gates below are devils pushing the damned into snarling jaws
  • an inscription in Latin translates as “O sinners, if you do not mend your ways, know that you will suffer a dreadful fate”
  • sculpture originally painted at time
3
Q

The Last Judgement

A

judgement of humankind expected in some religious traditions to take place at the end of the world

4
Q

Mission of the Apostles tympanum, Basilica of St Mary Magdalene Vèzelay

A
  • depicts Mission of the Apostles, ie. to convert all nations to Christianity
  • centre: oversized monumental figure of Christ
  • either side: apostles, holding books
  • Christ stretches out his arms + sends rays of light from hands onto heads of apostles
  • folds of draperies wind-blown + stand out in high relief
  • lintel represents non-Christian peoples w/ pig snouts + covered in feathers + elephant ears + other deformities
  • > supposed to prove non-Christians were in need of salvation
5
Q

Mystic Mill Capital, Basilica of St Mary Magdalene Vèzelay

A
  • typical Romanesque format (circular base, rectangular top supporting arch above)
  • symbolises continuity between Old + New Testaments
  • Moses on left pours grain into a mill (represent Old T)
  • St Paul the apostle collects flour (Rep. Christ + New T)
  • Figures carved in high relief
  • windows light helps to show folds in their clothes
  • foliage in v. large, mill v. small in proportion to figures
6
Q

Death of Lazarus capital, Basilica of St Mary Magdalene Vèzelay

A
  • carved in lower relief than Mystic Mell
  • Depicts unhappy death of rich man Dives who refused food scraps to beggar Lazarus
  • snakes encircle Dives’ money bags under bed
  • demons torment Dives’ soul as it leaves his body
  • Lazarus’ soul ushered to heaven by angels on left side of capital
7
Q

Gislebertus - Bg info

A
  • first trained as sculptor at Cluny
  • worked on Basilica of St Mary Magdalene
  • worked for 10 years as master sculptor on St Lazare Cathedral
8
Q

Gislebertus - works

A
  • work expressive + full of variety
  • carved the west + north portals + sixty capitals
  • inscription “Gislebertus made this” under Christ’s feet on west portal tympanum -> unusual at time for artists to sign in prominent place
9
Q

The Last Judgement Tympanum, St. Lazare Cathedral, Autun

function/etc

A
  • educate illiterate w/ terrifying scenes of damnation + point to their need for pilgrimage + repentance
  • carved in high relief from large blocks
  • assembled using pulleys + scaffolding
10
Q

Dream of the Magi Capital, St. Lazarus Cathedral, Autun

A
  • shows Gislebertus’ dramatic style
  • Angel tries to awaken sleeping magi (kings)
  • Angel appeals to 3 to follow star (shown top right)
  • Story continued in further columns along nave
  • Upper block shows imaginative quality of his work
  • Placing of angel above 3 kings creates v. appealing composition
  • Angel’s halo + the star extend into flat upper moulding of the capital
11
Q

capitals

A
  • a capital forms the top of a column

- Romanesque capitals derived from ancient Roman examples

12
Q

decoration of Romanesque capitals

A
  • figurative forms distorted to fit shape of capitals
  • decorated with grotesque monsters, animals, birds, humans
  • figurative forms often combined with plant foliage
  • biblical scenes + legends of local saints
  • freq. work in sequence w/ other capitals to tell a story
13
Q

treatment of human figure vocab

A
  • serene
  • expressive
  • human qualities
  • tender
  • calm
  • distorted
  • elongated
  • grotesque
14
Q

Narrative functions of sculptures

A

tells a story

sequences to the stories

15
Q

decorative functions of sculptures

A

images of figures + goliage

heaven + hell

scaring people/illiterate

16
Q

Flight into Egypt capital, St Lazare Cathedral, Autun

A

located in nave opposite of Dream of Magic series

17
Q

The Last Judgement Tympanum, St. Lazare Cathedral, Autun

DESCRIPTION

A
  • massive oversized figure of Christ in centre presides over judgement process of separating saved from damned
  • On Christ’s right: Virgin Mary, Apostles, St. Peter guarding gate to heaven, Angel helping one of saved into heaven
  • On left: angel + devil weight souls of dead on weighing scales, prophets w/ halos
  • On right lintel: good ascend to heaven, 2 pilgrims w/ bads + scallop shells (symbolise pilgrimage to Santiago de C)
  • On left lintel: damned are tormented in hell
  • On outer arch: medallions w/ 4 seasons, labours of the months, zodiac signs