PPT presentation

1. Romanesque Sculpture

2. Santo Domingo de Silos, Nothern Spain, 11th-12th century
Monumental sculpture also reappeared during the Romanesque period

3. Santo Domingo de Silos, Nothern Spain, 11th-12th century
While architecture drew on the influence of Roman architecture, the expressive
style of Romanesque sculpture drew on other sources

4. The exaggerated gestures, and expressive style of Romanesque sculptural
decoration drew instead on the story-telling genius of Medieval manuscript
illumination
Plaque with Journey to Emmaus and Noli Me Tangere, 1115-20, Spain, Metropolitian
Museum

5. Carved pier representing Abbot
Durandus, St. Pierre at Moissac, 1100-
1115
And the flat, frontal, linear style of Byzantine art can also be seen as an
influence

6. Portal Entrance to the Church of
St. Foy, Conques
The portal entrance to
Romanesque pilgrimage
churches were often
decorated with sculpture

7. Portal Entrance to the Church of
St. Foy, Conques
This is where the church
communicated its message
to a largely illiterate
population

8. This diagram illustrates the components of a typical Romanesque portal

9. The portal takes the form of a Roman arch

10. Major parts of
the portal
include the
tympanum (the
semi-circular
area beneath
the arch), the
lintel (the
horizontal beam
above the door),
the trumeau (the
center post
supporting the
lintel), and
jambs (the side
posts of the
doorway).

11. Theophany (Christ in
Majesty), relief in ambulatory
of Saint-Sernin. c. 1096
A common theme in portal decorations was the image of the Theophany, a
vision of Jesus Christ from the heavens

12. Theophany (Christ in
Majesty), relief in ambulatory
of Saint-Sernin. c. 1096
In the center is an image
of Christ enthroned in a
mandorla — an almon
shaped body halo,
or glory

13. Theophany (Christ in
Majesty), relief in ambulatory
of Saint-Sernin. c. 1096
In the corners are the
symbols of the
Evangelists
Mark
MatthewJohn
Luke

14. Bamberg Apocalypse,
Ottonian, c. 1000-1020
Wikipedia
The Theophany is an image of the second coming of Jesus Christ, as seen
here in an illustrated manuscript from the Ottonian period

15. It is based on the vision of St. John, as recounted in the Book of Revelations
– or, the Apocalypse

16. Bamberg Apocalypse,
Ottonian, c. 1000-1020
Wikipedia
Chapter 4 begins with the sounding of trumpets, and a vision of Christ
It goes on to describe 24 ancients in white robes and crowns of gold, and the
“four living creatures”

17. Bamberg Apocalypse,
Ottonian, c. 1000-1020
Wikipedia
It goes on to describe 24 ancients in white robes and crowns of gold, and the
“four living creatures” that became the symbols of the Evangelists

18. The portal entrance to Saint-Pierre at Moissac is based directly on the text of the
Apocalypse

19. South portal of Saint-Pierre,
Moissac, France, c. 1115-
1135
As we approach the deep porch we are greeted by a fearsome vision of the second
Coming of Christ – a reminder that entering the church is a pathway towards
salvation

20. The trumeau is decorated with carved creatures that recall the snarling beasts of
the migration arts

21. n the side of the trumeau is a carved image of
e prophet; tall and slender, with his legs
ossed and feet dangling, he appears to float in
idair

22. With his head titled to the side, and his heavily lidded eyes, he seems absorbed in
in the spiritual vision that appears above his head – like a cartoon thought bubble

23. The carved relief on the tympanum depicts Jesus Christ, seated on a throne, and
wearing a crown. He raises his right arm in a gesture of blessing, while he holds a
Bible in his left

24. His body is enclosed in a star-studded mandorla, and a halo surrounds his head

25. Impassive and remote, he seems to float in a state of suspended animation -- while
the linear patterns of the drapery suggests a kind of electrified energy that contrasts
with his stillness

26. The flat, frontal style, and the use of linear pattern reflects the influence of
Byzantine art

27. But the use of expressive line and distortion also recalls medieval manuscript
illuminations

28. Jesus is flanked by the four Evangelists, and on either side are two tall angels
Mark
Matthew
John
Luke
Angel
Angel

29. Surrounding the central image are 24 men, wearing crowns, and holding musical
instruments

30. They re the 24 Elders of the Apocalypse described in the prophets vision of the
Apocalypse

31. The 24 ancients have animated poses and expressions

32. They recall the expressive
use of pose and gesture of
Medieval Manuscript
illumination

33. So in Romanesque sculpture, we see the expressive art of
storytelling translated from manuscript illumination to sculptural
decorations

34. The Last Judgment Portal
Autun

35. Cathedral of St. Lazare, Autun, early 12thc
The cathedral of St. Lazare at Autun was another major pilgrimage destination

36. A Romanesque style church, it held the relics of Saint Lazarus, who Christ miraculously
raised from the dead

37. The West portal entrance provides an especially gripping image of the Last
Judgment

38. We know the name of the artist because he signed his name: Gislebertus hoc
fecit (“Gislebertus made this”)

39. This time the imagery is based on Saint Matthew’s account of the Last Judgment
that will take place when Jesus Christ returns

40. Here is Matthews description:
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He
will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and
He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep
from the goats, and He will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the
left.
Matthew 25:31-36, 40-43, 45-46 NRSV

41. “Then the king will say to those at His right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by
my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
. . . . Then He will say to those at His left hand, “You that are accursed, depart
from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels . . . . And these
will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Matthew 25:31-36, 40-43, 45-46 NRSV

42. In the carved relief, Christ appears in the center, surrounded by a mandorla

43. The flat, frontal pose derives from Byzantine art

44. But the expressive use of line in the patterns of the drapery suggests the
influence of manuscript illumination

45. The drapery patterns are full of energy and movement, as if energized by some
unseen mystical force

46. The swirling energy of
the patterns contrasts
with the stillness of the
figure, who seems
remote and aloof

47. The story of the Last Judgment unfolds to Christs right and left, and on the lintel
below

48. To his right are the Blessed –
or those who will be “saved”
from the punishments of Hell
The inscription reads: “Everyone whom
no impious life has betrayed will rise
thus, and the light of day will shine for
him without end.”

49. On the side of the Blessed we see tall, elongated angels helping souls into heaven

50. In this touching scene, a little
soul hugs an angel,
expressing gratitude for his
salvation

51. On the lintel below, we see souls being raised from the dead

52. As they emerge from their coffins, their body language expresses joy and
exultation

55. In this scene we see a pilgrim, identified by the cockleshell badge which
indicates that he made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

56. Beside him is another pilgrim, wearing the emblem of a cross, indicating that he
made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem

57. The message is that pilgrims will be amongst the Saved on the day of Judgment!

58. To Christ’s left are
the damned
The inscription reads: “May this
terror terrify whomever earthly
error binds, for the horror of the
figures here shows that it will
come true.”

59. On this side, we see a “weighing of the souls"

60. An angel has placed a little soul on the scale, but the devils are trying to unfairly
tilt the scales in their favor

61. Meanwhile, Devils rounding up the damned

62. While two little souls try] to escape their fate by hidin
in the Angel’s skirts

63. The artist made the difference between Angels and Devils visually clear through
their contrasting style

64. The angles are tall, slender, and softly curving, while the the patterns on their
robes are also soothingly curvilinear

65. The Devils, on the other hand, are sharp, angular, and jagged

66. They recall the demonic creatures that lurked in the imagery of Hiberno-Saxon
manuscript illumination

67. Right below Christ’s feet we see Saint Michael, who is dividing the Blessed from
the Damned

68. Their body language, again, tells the story vividly

69. As these souls rise from their coffins, they react to the terrible news of their
damnation

70. They cover their faces, grasp their hands together, grimace, and scream

71. In this scene, a pair of disembodied hands clutches the head of a screaming
soul, while next to him a woman has serpents biting at her breasts

72. The message to the visiting pilgrim would have been clear: Judgment Day is
coming, and entering the doors to the church is your only path to salvation!