The Roman Tradition in Art - Assignment Example

Art History Comparison – Exam 3 Image Comparison Set Unknown artist, Equestrian Marcus Aurelius, 2nd Century A.D. (180), Roman. Unknown artist, Emperor Charlemagne, 742-814 A.D., Carolingian Both of these equestrian statues were created following the Roman tradition as it was Charlemagne himself who introduced cultural reforms based upon the Roman works. Similar movement can be noticed in the stances of both horses, as muscle tone is defined along the chest and one front hoof is raised in preparation for the next step. However, the horse under Charlemagne seems almost too small for the larger body and one of the back hooves remains slightly raised. There are two possible reasons for this. The first is that Charlemagne was a physically larger man in a time when horses were traditionally smaller; however, this also functions to increase the perceived importance of the man as his larger proportions demand attention away from the features of the horse onto the figure. This difference is especially noteworthy when it becomes clear that the overall size of the Marcus Aurelius statue is more than life-sized, the status of Charlemagne is only 27 cm high. Both men hold one hand to the side and one hand extended in some form, indicating both their right to judge as well as their ability to feel and distribute compassion. While Marcus Aurelius’ hands remain empty, though, Charlemagne holds an orb in one hand. Mixing the world of the Mediterranean with the world of the nomadic Celtic-Germanic traditions, it was especially important for Charlemagne to appear as an equestrian ruler. This placed him on a more equal level with his subjects, indicating he was able to see the world through their eyes as well as able to travel the distances of his semi-barbaric empire to rule over the various regions under his rule. Image Comparison Set 2 St. Sernin of Toulouse, Toulouse, 1080-1120 A.D., Romanesque Notre-Dame, Amiens, 1220 A.D., French Gothic St. Sernin Church of Toulouse and Notre-Dame Cathedral of Amiens share a similar basic footprint in that they are both based upon the figure of the cross, but there remain some significant differences that emerged between the Romanesque and the Gothic styles. While both styles were based upon the cruciform pattern for their basic design, the Romanesque church was based upon the Latin cross and the Gothic church was based upon the handled cross, which has a rounded upper section. The types of ceilings that were used in each of these styles differed as well, which created an ability in the later Gothic styles for even more changes to be made. In both cases, the vaults were created using heavy stone works and arches, which made certain features necessary within the construction of the walls, yet the ways in which these vaults were built had significant influence upon the features that could be included. For example, the rounded arches and barrel vaults of the Romanesque churches tended to push the walls outward. The pressure was so great that there could be few windows included in the outer walls, making the interiors often dark and gloomy and necessitated a shorter wall than can be seen in the later Gothics. A change to pointed arches in the Gothic churches had the effect of distributing the weight a little better, taking some of the pressure off of the walls and allowing more room to include windows and elaborate stained glass. This had the effect of bringing additional light into the interior of the church and allowing the inclusion of more artwork and other features. As has been mentioned, in both cases, the weight of the vaults had a tendency to push the walls outward, making the use of buttresses necessary if the church was to remain standing, but here, too, changes were made from one style to another. Buttressing in the Gothic period became highly stylized skeletal additions to the buildings that heightened the overall effect. In addition, the Gothic churches were able to capitalize on their stronger construction with an emphasis on verticality, including many tall spires and towers pointing parishioners attention to heaven. Image Comparison Set 3 Annunciation and Visitation Portal of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Reims, 1211-1311 A.D., Gothic West Portal of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Chartres, 1145-1155 A.D., Romenesque The emergence of the west entrance to the church occurred during the Romanesque period, quickly establishing itself as “The bible of the people.” This was because these entrances to the church typically included sculpture that illustrated important Bible stories that were supposed to help the illiterate make the connections between the royal lineage of Christ and the royal lines of the land. As such, they typically told of the entrance of Christ into the world with images depicting the Virgin Mary, the ascension of Christ into the heavens and the Last Judgment in which the souls are separated into those who are allowed entrance to heaven from those who are forced to go their separate direction into hell. In this respect, they differ from earlier iconography in that they include images of Mary. These entrances typically featured three doors, but the architectural shape of these doors changed to reflect the changes that were made between Romanesque and Gothic design. For example, the doors of the Chartres Cathedral reflect the rounded arches at the top of the doors that comprise the vaults. The doors of the Reims Cathedral, on the other hand, reflect the pointed arches that allowed the Gothic churches to reach their height. Sculpture included in the Romanesque period was created in a more stylized, columnar representation, complete with stone haloes encircling the heads of the figures while the sculpture included in the Gothic cathedral reflected a more naturalistic portrayal, completed with body movement, full expression and well-detailed, free-flowing clothing. Image Comparison Set 4 St. Ambrogio (St. Ambrose), Milan, 1099 A.D., Lombard Romanesque St. Etienne, Caen, 1067-1120 A.D., Norman Romanesque/Early Gothic St. Ambrogio Basilica and St. Etienne are considered Romanesque churches. However, while St. Ambrogio, built on the remains of a much older church reflects the original plans, St. Etienne has many features that can also be considered emerging Gothic. Aspects of St. Ambrose that were kept true to the original design included an apse and two aisles, a portico with semicolumns supporting rounded arches and pilasters just in front of the entrance. The rounded arches that are characteristic of the Romanesque style can also be seen in St. Etienne. However, St. Etienne features a changed floor plan to one based on square modules and the ribbed groin vaults that became one of the primary characteristics of Gothic churches. These ribbed vaults allowed the builders of St. Etienne to include more and larger window openings thanks to the additional strength of the walls. This allows for an open and spacious interior that encourages visitors to look up toward the heavens. This is opposed to the low light and somewhat oppressive feel of St. Ambrose despite a similar ribbed vault used for this church. The construction of St. Ambrose has a deliberate hut-like outer façade and two loggias, which are characteristic of the Lombard style. The open central courtyard enabled mass to be spoken to large crowds at a time. Finally, towers were added to both churches following their construction that highlight the differences in their construction. The bell towers of St. Ambrose are of unequal height, are strictly rectangular and feature flat tops. The towers of St. Etienne, on the other hand, are decidedly Gothic in nature as they feature high-reaching spires. Read More