Romanesque Art. Spiritual Paintings of The Medieval Era.

Romanesque Art. Medieval art.

Romanesque Art

The term "Romanesque literally means 'Ancient Roman like". In the period 1050-1150 there was a building boom of churches with typically thick-walled, with large entrances with three great arches and a dome projection at the end of the monuments. This encouraged a proliferation of sculptures, stained-glass and paintings. This encouraged a proliferation of sculptures, stained-glass and paintings.
Art was a powerful tool used to educated the masses on religion. The images were created to illustrate the divinity of God, and this is done with purposeful stylized figures and putting emphasis on the hands and eyes to impart the significance of their expressions.

Eve, Fragment of the Lintel from the Portal of the Cathedral of St. Lazare, circa 1135-40 Giclee Print
Gislebertus
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"Eve" by Gislebertus, a genius sculptor who carved around 1150 of the sculptures of the Cathedral in the French Village of Autun. This Sculpture created c. 1130 is especially expressive in portrayal of greed and betrayal, as well as tempting sensuality. This portrayal of Eve was a novelty of the time

c.1125 Maiestas Domini, Tempera on Panel. Altar Piece from the Bishopic of Urgell. This is a typical representation if Christ in that time. The figures are strictly 2d with geometric patterns to support the composition. This is accompanied by vibrant colors of red and greens. Art in Spanish Monasteries tend to be very colorful, perhaps as a result of influence from Islamic art culture.

Romanesque Illuminations

A Page from the St Albans Psalter 1120-1130

Rome, Cluny, Salzburg an Cantebury were important centers for Romanesque art. These schools adopted the traditions of Byzantine art and late antiquity. The Romanesque painting style is described as simpler and more spiritual than previous styles.
With the expansion of the Church, new religious orders were set up and hence the need for new books and Bibles. Other types of books on ethics were also created, including stories about animals and texts on moral lessons.

c. 1115 Parchment form Vita Mathildis of Donizo. The Vatican Biblioteca.	The depiction of excommunicated Emperor Henry IV, kneeling before the abbot, Mathilde and abbot Hugo. Notice the typically flat stylize figures and a lack of perspective in the image.
c. 1140 the Melisende Psalter	c. 1140 the Melisende Psalter

c. 1150 The Mouth Of Hell from The Psalter of Henry de Blois. This is a depiction from the Book Of Job.

Romanesque Art Mural Paintings

Church walls and ceilings were painted extensively; basically to teach the public who were mostly illiterate about religion and to create an ambience of prayerful meditation. Together with the bright colors of light emanating from the of the stained-glass windows, these images have overwhelming power over the worshipers.
archangel gabriel weigher of souls

c1150,Archangel as weigher Of Souls, Museu Episcopal, Barcelona

c. 1090 Tower Of Babel And the Division Of Languages. Fresco in Nave, St. Savin-Sur-Gartempe, France. Large frescos are found on the walls of the Church Vaults depicting scenes from the Old Testament

c. 1100 Christ Enthroned. Monastery Church Berzé-la-Ville, France, Fresco Mural