ART105- Roman Empire--Romanesque Art

Augustus of Primaporta

• change in artistic conventions

• didn’t want to show his age

• project power and authority

• handsome and idealized in the prime of his life

• draws on greek tradition of youth and idealization of the body

• orator’s gesture- govern with reason and persuasion

• chest plate depicts diplomatic victory

Column of Trajan

• later became Trajan’s tomb

• when originally created it had libraries on either side

• you could climb up the libraries to see the detail on the column

• continous frieze

Detail of pontoon bridge from the column of Trajan

depicts the construction of a bridge over the Danube River during Trajan's Dacian Wars, showcasing Roman engineering and military prowess.

• many militant scenes but not a lot of fighting scenes

• lots of marching scenes

• lots of construction scenes

• about being really well organized and being technologically advanced

• civilized people vs “barbarians”

• dacians facial hair, dynamic, baggy pants

• roman tents depicted on columns

• romans had two wheeled carts, dacians had four wheeled carts— important because it allowed for more mobility

Pantheon Rome

• placed over temple where Anthony and Cleopatra were defeated

• classical temple style from Greek dedicated to all gods, featuring a large dome and oculus, symbolizing the heavens.

• reflects Hadrian’s interest in Ancient Greece

• stone imported from Egypt, showed Rome’s power over Egypt

Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurellius

A bronze statue commemorating the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, originally intended to symbolize his leadership and philosophical nature, showcasing the grandeur of Roman art and imperial power.

• bearded, wearing a toga, depicted like a philosopher, wanted to be seen as a benevolent philosopher

• divinity of the emperor, roman empire begins to shrink

Roman Dome and Arch

• series of arches— arcade

• roman arch, round arch

• solved important engineering problem with post and lintel

• shifts weight to supported by keystone at the top

• could build big space and be supported

• last a lot longer

coffers

• depressed square elements in the ceiling— utilitarian, lighter and less material

oculus

• circle in the top of the dome, totally open

• different colors of the marble from different parts of the Empire

• able to do this because of the creation of concrete

• architecture defines space

Greek v Roman architecture

Greek - more god oriented democracy

roman- shape space, empire oriented

Arch of Constantine

• free standing arch'

• process w/ military troops through the arch

• exhibit spoils to prisoners of war

• puts him in a powerful lineage w/ final emperors

• show the virtues that a good emperor should have— strength, piety, sacrifice

• movement away from naturalism and realism

spoila

• works of art recycled for a new monument

The Good Shepheard, Orants and the Story of Jonah

• central medallion

• four lunets

• orant pose— praying figure

• frontward, hands lifted, eyes upward

• christian art was slow in the making because of persecution

• based on greco-roman models

• time of experimentation

• goal is suggestion rather than depicting real life

• suggest supernatural quality of Christian belief

• narrative scenes —- symbolic figures

typology

• christian techniques that pairs Old Testament stories with New testament stories

• proves Old is foreshadowing

Cubiculum of Leonis, Catacomb of Comodilla Rome

• typology

• narrative

• story of St. Peter in prison

  -bearded Christ vs. beardless Christ

iconic image

• image of God

• image of Christ

• tangible expression of intangible expression of God

• sense of timelessness and eternity

• depicted with plain background

• all look very similar

• represents idea not a story

• depict as a philosopher

Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus

• roman pretorian

• higher up in society

• shows conversion rates of Christian in high society in Rome

• elements derived from classical architectures

• columns entablature spandrels

insular art

insular- island— roman, celtic, germanic fusion art

style produced inpost roman ireland and britain

interlace

rope braided interlacing on itself

goes hand in hand with animal style, follow the rope to the end and it leads to an animal head at the end that’s been abstracted

Belt buckle from the Sutton Hoo hoard

interlace style

insular style

demonstrates the person who is buried there is very wealthy and had a high social status

Helmet from Sutton Hoo hoard

• tinned copper helmet

• feature animals

• heroic warrior scenes

• helmet shaped for warrior to see or emulate dragon/bird soaring upward

• dancing men

• riding horses, trampling enemy

• from early 7th century

• dragon represents guardians

• strength and endurance emulated in visual elements

• golds foils on eyebrows

• animals- pagan symbols meant for protection

illuminated manuscript

written word with pictures

scriptorium

place where manuscripts were made inside monasteries

Gospel Book of Durrow

• one of the earliest surviving illuminated manuscripts

• first four books of the new testament

• needed a gospel book to start a monastery

• ALOE - matthew - angel- mark- lion, ox- luke eagle- john

• greater abstraction of form

• meant to be representation of the divine, not necessarily have to be a human form

Book of Kells - Manuscript

gospel book

canon tables— charts that compare the content of the four books of the gospel

images of the four evangelizers

christ in triumph at the top, grabbing the tongues of demons — interlace style

very flat, large color blocks

very abstracted, heavy line work

creating this would be an act of worship by the monks to God

Chi Ro Lata Page- the book of Kells

• Matthew 1:18

• move from Latin to Greek

• Chi Ro means Christ in Greek

• express divinity of God through beauty of the words

• references to Christ in the images

• fish

• moths- rebirths

• hosts and chalices

• the word becoming Christ

• two cats with mice fighting over wafer— could be a struggle between good and evil or maybe it’s just a little joke

apse

• most holy place, at the end

nave

the central part of a church building, intended to accommodate most of the congregation

transept

long arms in front of the apse

latin cross plan

• the plan for basillica churches, sorta looks like the cross

colonnade

• series of columns

clerestory windows

windows at the very top floor to allow in natural light

Byzantine Empire

• splitting of the Roman Empire 395

• part of Roman split, Eastern

• very Greek culture

• viewed as an uninterrupted continuation of Roman Empire

• Golden Age under Justinian I- recover lost things from invaders—- reconquest of former western terriroties

• Nika Riots

• Destroyed Church of Theodosius II

Anthenius of Tralles and Isidorius of Miletus, Hagia Sophia

• diverted from standard basilica church plan

• big dome in center flanked by two half domes

• centrally planned church

• similar to Pantheon

• dome was meant to look like it was floating and give a sense of divnity because people would be like how the hell did you get that to float??

pendentive

triangle curving parts resting on peers which are like columns

San Vitale Ravenna

• centrally planned church

• dedicated to St. Vitales- martyer

• raised octagon allowed for more windows and more light

• most important mosaics on each side of apse

Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora - 6th century mosaic

• exerts power over Ravenna because he’s never visited that church and never did but his face is in it

• Justinian depicting himself as military leader but also spiritual leader— wearing a purple cloak but also a crown

• surrounded by clergy but also soldiers

mosaic

• a picture or pattern produced by arranging together small colored pieces of hard material such as stone tile or glass

encaustic

layers of pigmented wax

icon

• active image -interact to communicate with saint or god

Christ Pantocrater icon, Byzantine encaustic on panel

• large eyes - commune w/ whoever is being depicted

• not a lot of diversity in icons

• eliminate personal expression in any way

iconoclasm

destruction of images

kaaba

The most sacred site in Islam, known as the sacred bayt Allah (House of God). — built by Abraham and Ismail

Dome of the Rock

• octagonal shrine in Jerusalem

• wooden dome

• mosaic faience marble

• lots of colorful mosaics outlining the walls and golden dome at the top

• oldest standing Islamic structure

• large rock in the center

• no figurative art

• located on temple mount

• not a mosque

• shrine to celebrate the rock inside

• uses central plan and the architechture builds around the rock

• feels divine and or majestic

Great Mosque- Cordoba Spain

hypostyle hall mosque- building that has a grid of columns inside

based on Muhammad’s home

also have a courtyard common to islamic architecture

spolia- architecture or materials taken from other buildings and put in a new place

Qibla

direction facing Mecca- the one facing Mecca has most columns

minaret

fin shaped tower where the call to prayer happens

mihrab

• tells you where the Kaaba is

muqarnas

tiny carved niche shapes layer on each other

Characteristics of Romanesque architecture

• basilica plan

• massive thick walls made of masonry stone

• barrel vaults

• rounded arches in vaults, arcade doors, small windows

What were the influences of Romanesque architecture?

• international sty;es

• monasticism— building of monasteries

• explosion of building activity as there was a sense of relief because the world didn’t end when the calendar hit year 1000

• pilgrimage- people would go to these huge churches and then go back home and tell their people about these awesome churches they saw so the people there were like we gotta make something cooler. and that’s why all the churches look fairly similar even though they’re widespread

• roman, insular, byzantine.

transept

(in a cross-shaped church) either of the two parts forming the arms of the cross shape, projecting at right angles from the nave.

choir

more space between the transept and the apse

Archivolts

ornamental molding or band following the underside of an arch

tympanum

1. a vertical recessed triangular space forming the center of a pediment, typically decorated.

The tympanum, church of St. Foy

• large romanesque low relief of last judgement

• Christ in center as judge

• on right heavens order

• Christ has one arm up towards the heaven side, and the other arm down toward the hell side

• salvation and morality super important at this time

• hierarchic composition- Christ isa lot bigger than the other figures

• includes seven deadly sins depicted

• purpose of sculpture is to warn masses coming to coming to church of what would happen to them if they sinned

reliquary of St. Foy

• part of skull of St. Foy inside

• associate St. Foy with the Roman Empire which is so large and powerful

• lots of jewels, inlaid eyes, wearing a crown

• pilgrims would bring jewels to the church to add to the reliquary so that’s why there’s so many in there