romanesque architecture Flashcards
church of saine-foy
who made it? what year was it made? why was it important? what art style was it in? where can it be found?
was built in france in 1050-1130 CE. was built on the pilgrimage route santiago de compostela that leads to spain. church was devoted to the maytr saint faith. the location along the route allowed for many pilgrims to visit which emphasized the spiritual significance and contributed to the church
s prominence and aconomical wealth of the town. prime example of romanesque architecture (sturdy construction, barrel vaults, thick walls, semi-circular arches - designed emphasized spiritual awe) sculptures narrated biblical stories. massive facades and ball towers: facade is dominated by massive spiritual sculptures such as the last judgement tympanu, depicting christs surrounded by angels (last judgement tympanum,is the main entrence masteriece) houses the reliquary of sante foy, a golden statue adnorned with jewels and metals. pilgrims made offerings to the relic’s which contributed to the wealth and expansion of the church. presence of th relics was a central theme in medieval christian peity, pilgrams believed that proximity to such relics would bring spiritual benefits, healing, or foregiveness of sins. interior features romanesque crypt and ambulatory. ambulatory allowed for pilgrims to circulate around the choir without disrupting the ongoing services and the crypt house the relics. lots of frescoes and paintings inside which added to the rich visual environment. architectural emphasis on the choir and the arrangement of the ambulatory and radiating chapels reflect the priorities of christian worship. design was made to create a cpiritual experience for worshippers
frontispiece with hildegard
who made it? what year was it made? why was it important? what art style was it in? where can it be found?
medievil mystic, theologian, composer, and abbess. she experience mystical visions throughtout her life and documented them in work suchs as schivas. her visions are considered diveneli inspired, and she become a prominent figure in the medievl christisn world. the flames represents how at one point she recieved the flash of knowledge. shes shown wearing a blue scribe symbolizing her connection to the divine; and was a nun and allowed to conduct scientific experiments and write poetry when normal women couldn’t. volmer (monk and chaperone) volmer was hildegards chaperone and would watch over hildegard while she was writing because there was still a misogynistic mindset about women’s intelligence/truthfulness; would also help her transcribe her visions; image of power: hildegard was shown larger thn the monk but the monk being there shows that she is still being objectified. Impact of WWII: hitler was in role of nazi germany and when the imperial powers joined with russa and invaded by double front they destroyed the manuscript
last judgement tympanum
who made it? what year was it made? why was it important? what art style was it in? where can it be found?
narrative: depicts the last judgement; portrays the second coming of christ, where the souls of the deceased are judged, and the righteous are separated by the damned. served as a reminder of the consequences of one’s actions in the afterlife. key eschatological teaching, emphasized the ultimate accountability, of every individual before god. tympanum functioned as a didactic tool, visually communicating the theological narrative of judgement, redemption, and eternal life. Iconography and symbolism: era of the illeterate; visual representation in chruches played a crucial role in religious education. the portrayal of virtuous acts leading to salvation and sinful behavior leaving the domination refinforced the ethical teachings of the church, encouraging a virtuous life. christ is depicted in the middle of the figure as the judge, surounded by angels, apostles, and other deities. use of winged symbols such as angels and demons, emphasized the transcendent and supernatural nature of the last judgement. fear and hope: diipictions of te damned faces in etrnal tournment and the blessed enjoying celestial bliss invoke both fear and hope, encouraging viewers to reflect on their past decisions. its placement above the main entrance is strategically placed and served as a symbolic threshold between the earthly realm and the divine. pilgrims passing through the portal were meant to experience a spiritual transition, reinforcing the transformative journey of faith
