What Is the Difference Between Romanesque and Gothic Art
Introduction
Architectural styles are an important feature of any building. In the early on years, most buildings were synthetic for a particular role and consisted of piffling or no decorative features. In the heart ages, starting from the 11thursday century, the Romanesque style was introduced. In the 12th century, information technology was abandoned and the Gothic architecture was adopted.
Despite the destruction of some structures put upwardly during the early years, these two styles are even so beingness employed to this day. Both styles take similar and different characteristics.
The focus of this essay is to report the stylistic characteristics of the St. Sernin Cathedral (built using the Romanesque architecture) and the Notre Dame Cathedral in Chartres, what they symbolize and their advancement. Moreover, a comparing is made between the 2 artworks.
Cultural context
Romanesque compages (Saint Sernin in Toulouse)
The Romanesque artwork sprang due to the move of rulers, craftsmen, peasants, and etcetera to trade their skills and nourish crusades caused past feudalism. To create homogeneity, the artwork was ready.
A combination of the Roman and Byzantine styles was used in its creation. The St. Sernin Cathedral in Toulouse, France was constructed in the early eleventh century.
Information technology was put upwards betwixt 1080 and 1120, to host people who stopped by to pray on their way to Santiago de Compostela as well trading with other pilgrims thus, the church get wealthy.
Fig. i: The St. Sernin Basilica showing the bell tower and crypt
Gothic architecture (Notre Dame Cathedral)
The Gothic architectural fashion (perpendicular style) started in France in the 12thursday century and extended to other regions till the sixteenth century, i.east. 1200 – 1600 AD. Information technology is characterised by iii distinct periods. These are:
- 1200 to 1300- termed as the Lancet catamenia, the Gothic styles began during this time and information technology aimed to shift trends from the Romanesque style to realism.
- 1300 to 1400- termed as the decorated Gothic way, many aesthetic decorations and sculptures were introduced.
- 1400 to 1500 – termed as the perpendicular catamenia, pointed arches and thin walls were introduced and used.
This architecture was initially used to link the Romanesque and Renaissance architectures and was introduced purposely for religious purposes. The Chartres cathedral was synthetic and used equally Marian pilgrimage center ("Chartres Cathedral" 4).
People travelled far and wide to come up honor it and pray to the omnipotent God. It was made to look like sky with its soaring height.
Fig. 2: Notre dame cathedral Chartres showing flying buttresses and south wall
Stylistic characteristics
Stylistic features of the St Sernin Basilica
The St. Sernin Basilica in Toulouse was erected between 1080 and 1120 to host pilgrims. Since the pilgrims were many, a large building was needed.
Therefore, the St. Sernin cathedral is much larger in size than the before basilica. Bricks were used for its construction. Some of its features include vaulted ceilings, radiating chapel, convalescent (for observing the radiating chapels) and thick walls to prevent collapsing of the roof.
The interior of the Basilica is 115 past 64 by 21 meters. This large size comfortably accommodates the large influx of pilgrims. In addition, vaults are brilliant at the central nave and the isles. The vaults were used and aided in stone roof erection. The isles take rib vaults and supported/sustained by buttresses. A marble alter is also present.
The exterior of the Basilica has a bell tower with arches and is partitioned into 5 tiers. Furthermore, there is a chevet comprised of radiating chapels, apses and transepts.
Stylistic features of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Chartres
The Notre Dame Cathedral in Chartres was constructed and completed in 1260. Almost of its features are borrowed from the Romanesque way.
The cathedral consists of aisles, transept, ambulatory and radiating chapels. In addition, the exterior has flying buttresses (for pressure displacement) with niches decorated using sculptures, pointed arches (for increasing stability and strength), ribbed vaults and large windows with stained glass which allowed a lot of light into the cathedral. Thinner columns were used to back up its walls and the soaring tiptop conveyed a sense of divinity.
The due south, north and west portals of the Notre Dame Cathedral has sculptures curved out of the various Biblical themes such as the New attestation, Old Testament and Jesus Christ ("Chartres cathedral" 15).
Subject thing of the artworks
The two artworks accept experienced changes and advancements equally the years progressed. With the introduction of the Gothic architecture, the Romanesque architecture took a back seat equally many builders adopted this new way.
Notwithstanding, some buildings were still constructed using information technology, such equally the Natural History Museum constructed in 1879 in London. Moreover, revival churches erected using this compages are also in beingness and were put upward from 1830 onwards.
The Gothic style has been widespread due to its forcefulness and flexibility in structure and almost of the buildings erected using this architecture yet stand up to appointment.
For example, the Chartres cathedral has maintained its original design, stained glass windows and sculptures with several additions over the years. In the sixteenth century, an ambulatory was created and contained sculptures portraying Christ'southward life ("Chartres cathedral" xiii).
Symbolism and iconography of the artworks
The Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles acted every bit symbols of civilization among the pilgrims in the 11th and 12th centuries ("Romanesque and Gothic Architecture" iv). Buildings constructed from the Gothic were tall with pointed arches and had a lot of light streaming into the cathedral and these symbolized divinity or getting closer to God.
Similarities and differences of the artwork
The Gothic architecture succeeded the Romanesque architecture and inherited most of the stylistic features of Romanesque. Despite this, some differences are clear due to the changes in people'south lifestyle as the years progressed.
Similarities
One of the major coordinating features of these 2 artworks is the purpose of the buildings. Both served every bit religious or worship places where the poverty stricken people and pilgrims went for prayers and adaptation on their fashion to crusades. Moreover, both artworks involved employ of stone materials for building. Some of the features included in both styles are: vaults, apse, niches, convalescent and radiating chapels.
Differences
The Romanesque and Gothic styles differ in a variety of features. The Romanesque type of building was mainly used for protective purposes while the Gothic cathedrals were used for artful purposes due to its ornate and delicate decorations. The difference in the ii artworks is shown in table 1.
Table 1: Comparison between the Romanesque and Gothic artwork
Conclusion
The Romanesque and Gothic architectures both started in France with the former preceding the latter in the 11th and 12th centuries. The artworks have different characteristics but the Gothic style borrowed most of its features from the Romanesque style and introduced expansions.
Both styles symbolize the civilization of the centre age (medieval age) and provided a sense of divinity and a way of reaching to God and were primarily used for religious purposes. The St. Sernin cathedral and Notre Matriarch Cathedrals accept been used as illustrations for the artworks.
The ii buildings share some similarities and differences. The similarities include the part of the buildings and some of their features. The major differences are the kind of arches used, the thickness of the walls and the flying buttresses. Moreover, the Gothic mode has more decorations and sculptures.
Both artworks are still in utilise today with the Notre Dame Cathedral still possessing some of its original designs and sculptures. Despite this, more advanced architectural styles have come up and overtaken them.
Works Cited
"Chartres Cathedral." Sacred destinations, 30 July 2010. Web.
"Romanesque and Gothic Architecture." Art history, arquitectonic styles, eye ages, Cathedrals, stained glass, 1998. Spider web.
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