Professional Documents
Culture Documents
19th-century art historians who coined the term Romanesque thought the weighty stone
architecture and the stylized depiction of the human form did not live up to the standards of the
classical ideas of humanism (manifested later and powerfully in Rennaissance Humanism), but
Page | 1
we now recognize that Romanesque art and architecture innovatively combined Classical
influences, seen in the Roman ruins scattered throughout the European countryside and in
Byzantine illuminated manuscripts and mosaics, with the decorative and more abstract styles of
earlier Northern tribes to create the foundation of Western Christian architecture for centuries to
come. While an immediate precursor to the Gothic style, the Romanesque would see revivals in
the 17th and 19th centuries, as architects (masons) came to appreciate the clarity and formidable
nature of the Romanesque façade when applied across a range of buildings, from department
stores to university buildings.
19th-century art historians who coined the term Romanesque thought the weighty stone
architecture and the stylized depiction of the human form did not live up to the standards
of the classical ideas of humanism (manifested later and powerfully in Rennaissance
Humanism), but we now recognize that Romanesque art and architecture innovatively
combined Classical influences, seen in the Roman ruins scattered throughout the
European countryside and in Byzantine illuminated manuscripts and mosaics, with the
decorative and more abstract styles of earlier Northern tribes to create the foundation of
Western Christian architecture for centuries to come. While an immediate precursor to
the Gothic style, the Romanesque would see revivals in the 17th and 19th centuries, as
architects (masons) came to appreciate the clarity and formidable nature of the
Romanesque façade when applied across a range of buildings, from department stores to
university buildings.
Page | 2
allowing for more windows on the upper level of the structure. The ribbed vault would
be more fully developed and utilized during the subsequent Gothic period, but important
early examples in the 11th century set the precedent.
During the Romanesque period, the use of visual iconography for didactic purposes
became prevalent. As most people outside of the monastic orders were illiterate,
complex religious scenes were used to guide and teach the faithful of Christian doctrine.
Architects developed the use of the tympanum, the arched area above the doors of the
church, to show scenes such as the Last Judgment to set the mood upon entering the
church, and other biblical stories, saints, and prophets decorated interior and exterior
doors, walls, and, capitals to shepherd the worshippers’ prayers.
CHURCHES
Page | 3