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• Ceramic and pottery in the ancient art of India.

  Posted on September 20, 2013 3:11 pm by Elena 4 Comments

  

  Ceramics and pottery in the ancient art of India

  About the beginnings of the ceramic in the ancient art of India highlight the Neolithic period in which develops what may be called the first great civilization between 2500 and 1500 BC in the area which is known as “River Indus area” covering what is today Pakistan and also the northeast of India. This area was exploited widely by its inhabitants who developed a large number of items intended for the settlement and bearing capacity of the population.

  Since ancient times the Hindu River constituted an important trade route between the Mediterranean area and what is known as the Far East. From the Neolithic period have been found utensils made in materials such as quartzite and Flint which have been carved to adapt them better to more manageable and useful ways. Draw attention from this period the black and Red pottery in Adichanallur and also in the Brahmagiri area.

  Types of pottery of the Neolithic age in India

  – Red ceramic, area of the Rajasthan Banas (Hematite).

  – Grey pottery from the basin of the Ganges.

  – Polished black pottery found in the area of Jariana and Delhi.

  At the beginning of the 6th millennium BC were built in the Hindu River bank houses of adobe (mud bricks), the pottery in this period was obtained from materials that are naturally found in the area and was primarily aimed at practical applications to contain liquids such as water, oils and fats of animals as well as for the production of utensils for cooking and eating. Several containers to hold grain and small seed in unglazed ceramic clay with little or no decoration have been found as well.

   

  

   

  Others vessels from the collection obtained have geometric; animals and plants decorations that were apparently intended in some cases for rituals. There are also ceramics whose form seems to intend more everyday use as a personal object like some ceramic toys From Mohenjo Daro and Harappa.

  The Indo Valley ceramic’s style was extended by the whole area of South Asia and as the time was by influenced also the style of the entire region. Ceramics in the form of cups, dishes for serving food and also some vessels with inscriptions in Indian writing (as the one of Ras al – Junayz) clearly show how important the ceramic and pottery was in the everyday life of this ancient civilization.

  Ceramic with commercial porpoise was recovered as well, these objects include the jars, probably intended to contain wine for what have been suggested a specific production destined to satisfy the demand of these ceramics objects in viticulture.

   

  

   

  Cities of India that stand out in the production of pottery in this period

  – Sorath Harappa in Gujarat.

  – Mohenjo Daro.

  – Harappa.

  – Balakot.

  – Dholavira.

  – Miri Qalet

  – Nausharo

  – Sotkah Koh.

  Figurines of terracotta depicting female figures appeared in the area of Harappa and were more stylized than the old and bulky goddesses of fertility. Necklaces and inlays of precious metals were found in some of them.

  Other handicraft objects are preserved such as; reproductions of miniature carts; sculptures with figures of animals like for example: rhinos, tigers, monkeys, elephants and buffaloes. They have been recovered in fairly good condition despite been so old.

   

  

   

  Manufactured in a material apparently coming from the ground dirt steatite (also known as talc) were found in the form of tablets and their use is presumed could have been some sort of seal, the material they were made was molded and heated baked it to hardens and them cover with lacquer. They have representations of various animals and fantastic monsters in it, whose realism and detail reveals the influence of Mesopotamian culture.

  Since the destruction of the cities of the Indus around the 3rd century BC, practically has not been found anything in the ceramics of the India. It’s a gap in the history of art that is very difficult to clarify by scholars of the art of India, coincides with the so called Veda period.

  With progressing of time and constant cultural exchanges the ceramics in ancient India was enriched and evolved turning out to be very much appreciated. Its uses were expanded and their techniques were enriched up to the point of been consider great skilled. The great number of handicrafts, as well as varied designs found, showed that this ceramics industry was very important in agriculture or metallurgy in the 6th century. With the emergence of Jainism and Buddhism takes up again the ceramic a boom.

   

   

  

   

  India unglazed ceramic

  It is the oldest form of ceramic practiced in India, many of the evidence of these vessels were found even from the early days of the development of ceramics in this region and shows that it was widely used in different historical periods as well.

  Ceramics without glazing.

  • The ceramic with thin layer, where the pottery is decorated with incisions of drawings.
  • The technique of Sgraffito, (a painting technique where the artist scratches into the top layer of the paint to reveal areas of the surface underneath). The vase is polished and decorated with Engobe (white or colored slip applied to pottery for decoration or to improve the surface texture). Liquid red and white ceramic along with intricate patterns are applied while the contour has incisions.
  • The third is the ceramic highly polished, with strong and deep incisions of stylized an intricate symmetrical design incorporating often curves, geometric patterns, leaves, flowers, and animal shapes patterns. The ceramic without glazing is practiced throughout the country; each region has its own specialty. The Black pottery is another form of unglazed ceramic which resembles the Harrappan ceramic style.

  India glazed ceramic

  The time of glazed ceramics in India began in the 12th century, when Muslim rulers encouraged potters from the East to settle in. Examples of fine glazed ceramics of Persian models with Indian designs have a great beauty and detail in the finish. This technique adopted since them by Indian potters was and still is very popular and very well commercially appreciated.

  This type of ceramic with the characteristic of a white background on which the designs are in colors such as blue and green constitute a true works of art. They also used figurative, geometric designs or combination of both.

  India Terracotta

  Terracotta is medium reddish clay used in pottery and construction of buildings. This is the most famous and common style of ceramic that has been practiced in the India since ancient times.

  The following areas are the ones to highlight in the production of Terracotta.

  – Bihar.

  – Bengal

  – Gujarat,

  Women are usually the one which prepare during the holidays the clay figures for the rituals to ask for favors’ of their gods and goddesses.

  Moela in Rajasthan area has its own distinctive style of pottery; here the local deities are created with clay molded on a flat surface, which is painted with bright colors after cooked.

  Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh area, here potters create individually the parts of an object on the pottery wheel and then join them creating a single piece. After this process they give the finished details with the application of colors.

  Two important Indian artists in Terra cotta:

  – The artist Potter Tamil Nadu which is famous for its terracotta figures of the deity Ayyanar.

  – The artist Potter Gujarat who makes votive figures like horses with riders among others.

  Paper Mache

  Indian craftsmen carefully created numerous motifs and designs with Paper Mache, intricate and beautifully they made a variety of hand-crafted items for decoration and devotion using this technique. Although invented in China was also widely used in India since the time it was adopted in this country during the Mughal dynasty (15 to 16 Centuries).

  The basis of this pottery is thick paper paste made mashed and mixed with copper sulfate and rice flour paste. The mold is covered with a thin paper and layer of this mixture. After drying the decorators outline designs and finally it is lacquered and polished by applying bright colors. A touch of golden color is always in them as reminiscent of the roots of Persian design. This type of pottery is very much appreciated in India and each region has native peculiar features.

  Red sandstone sculptures in India

  Red sandstone is a sediment rock composed of grains of sand (quartz) cemented together with other materials such as: silica, iron oxide, clay and calcite. In India this sculpture reach mastery skills by the artisans in the Budhist period, remarkable sculpture aimed to religious rituals and veneration crowd India’s regions and were exported to Asia as well.

   

  

   

   

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• The Egyptian Pottery.

  Posted on September 11, 2013 1:03 pm by Elena 2 Comments

  

   

  The Egyptian pottery

   

  The forms of ancient Egyptian pottery were numerous. Vases were made principally for practical use and not for ornament although the decoration in some of them is remarkable. The amphora, in Egypt as in all ancient countries was the most common and most useful vase, was made in all sizes, from the three-inch oil or perfume container to the immense jar of three or four feet in height, for holding water, wine, oil, or grain.

   

  

   

  Pottery provides a secure support for dating of all archaeological finds. The studies of their dating shed light on the proper period produced as well as the cultural affiliations and economic aspects around them. People start creating pottery vessels very early in time In order to have something were to keep wheat products and grains in them so it wouldn’t get wet and go moldy. Pottery was used for utilitarian tasks such as cooking, storage, and shipping. In Egypt artisan produced interesting shapes ceramic figures, vessels, and even sarcophagi which were very much a part of ancient Egyptian funerary practices.

  The earliest Egyptian pottery already had geometric designs on it. The Egyptians made two kinds of pottery:

  –          The ordinary made soft pottery.

  –          The coarse, gritty compound, lacking cohesion, sandy, easily crumbled, very white, but always covered with a strong glaze or enamel.

  The purpose of the ancient ceramic in Egypt as well as the one of their contemporaries cover; domestic use, funerary, festival, and ritual contexts. Egypt produced several varieties of unglazed pottery. The most common pottery was the ordinary red, cream-colored, and the yellow ones. The art of covering pottery with enamel was invented by the Egyptians at a very early date. They applied it to stone as well as to pottery. Enameled pottery was also used for inlaying purposes in ornamental work.

   

  

   

  Ceramic material allow be interpreted in its wider socio-economic context. The studies about this pottery derived from analyzing many sites in Egypt from the Delta in the north to Elephantine in the south, and covering a chronological range from the Old Kingdom to the Coptic period.

   

  The pottery with funerary purpose made in Egypt show a large numbers of smaller enameled potteries which were deposited with the dead; they are very well preserved and provide very important information. The most common founded were those now called Osirian figures, usually representing mummies. They are found both unglazed and enameled, in red pottery and in with a hard, gritty pottery.

  The pottery that corresponds with the pre dynastic Egypt was often of a surprisingly fine quality. The so called “Badarian” period pottery was made without the use of a potter’s wheel, and it was usually the woman who elaborated the pottery. These beautiful pieces were burnished to a lustrous finish. They were probably fired in either open bonfires or very primitive kilns, but remain some of the most astonishing pottery ever produced in Egypt.

  From the Naqada period (4,000 – 3,000 BC) until the dynastic period, paintings without guides, repetitive templates or fixed concepts were added to the pottery freely.  Animal’s figures, patterns, boats and human figures were depicted.

   

   

   

  The potter’s wheel in Egypt was invented in the Old Kingdom. At first this device was a simple turntable, but later evolved into a true potter’s wheel, requiring better preparation of the clay and more control during firing. These potter’s wheels were still hand turned. With the potter’s wheel more refined kilns were constructed, this new technique allowed pottery to be made in more abundance, but did not entirely replace all other forms of pottery making. For example, bread moulds continued to be handmade around a core known as a “Patrix”.

   

  

   

  After the pottery was formed, either by a potter’s wheel or more primitive means, it would have been left to thoroughly dry. If the surface was to be burnished, after drying the pottery would have been polished with pebbles and then painted or perhaps engraved and finally fired, probably in a not confined place during pre dynastic times, until the development of kilns.

  Egyptian pottery can be divided into two broad categories dependent on the

  type of clay that was used.

  –          The pottery made with Nile clay, and known as Nile silt ware. This potter after being fired, it has a red-brown color, been used for common, utilitarian purposes, though at times it might have been decorated or painted. Blue painted pottery was somewhat common during the New Kingdom (1,550-1,069 BC).

  –          The pottery made from ‘marl clay’. This type of pottery was usually thought superior to the common Nile mud pottery, often used for decorations and other functions. Was often burnished, leaving a shiny glaze like surface although it was not a truly glace process.

  Shaping Methods of Pottery Use in Egypt

  –          Hand-shaping,

  –          Hand-shaping pottery and finished with a turning device.

  –          Shaping on a wheel.

   

   

  

   

  Hand-shaping methods of pottery use in Egypt

   

  1) Forming a single piece of clay by the use of free-hand shaping,

  2) Shaping with a paddle and anvil,

  3) Shaping on a core or over a hump,

  4) Shaping with a mold.

  5) Building with a slab or coil.

   

  It can be said in a summary that the pottery production in ancient Egypt was a significant industry that produces a variety of goods that serve well to resolve the basic needs presented to this culture of counting with  appropriate containers for liquids and solids. For us today these potteries are serving another different purpose but not less important because they are providing us with a wide range of answers to multiples questions still unresolved about this ancient civilization history, their religious dogmas and their social life.

   

  

   

   

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• Sculpture in India

  Posted on August 12, 2013 9:02 pm by Elena 1 Comment

  Sculpture in India

   

  

   

  Sculpture in India suitable the ideal medium to represent the image of gods and demigods and at the same time embodied in a tangible way their traditions, philosophical and religious beliefs with an artistic medium allowing to be appreciated from different visual angles. This feature of volume and mass that provides the three-dimensionality of sculpture is very useful not only to decorate temples and places of worship but also offer the advantage of those materials such as bronze that they could be loaded and displayed in the religious procession’s and be appreciated by believers who find an appropriate way to show their respects and worship their deities.

  The characteristics of the physical composition of the materials witch this sculptures are made  such as stone, marble, sandstone, clay and bronze among others, offers the possibility to be durable and preserve for the times been. They can be placed both in the outer areas of the temples as well as in the indoors space dedicated to the worship area. Many sculptures were preserved occulted in secret chambers to save them from the destruction that invaders enemy’s delivery, and only just recently were found; the majority of them in very good condition.

  From the times of Dravidians and even more in the Vedic period religious sculptures were use with worship purpose to serve their sectarian and polytheist believe but these were not at that times as important or have the magnitude that religious sculpture rich with the Hinduism between the years 300 B.C. and 500 A.D. approximately.

   

  

   

  Hinduism: polytheist and pantheistic religious believe, that God and the material world are the same thing and that God is present in all things; was also sectarian and promoter of personal worship but they do not promote sacrifices, rites and prayers made by a severe elite priestly caste that were far for been popular. With Hinduism this practices were reconsidered in a new light more approachable to the all the rage worshipers; been from that time until today the most popular and massive religious cult in India.

   

  

  The sculptures in India perform in this transition a very important role to publicize the images corresponding to the new creed. To these most ancient Vedic deities, which personified forces of nature and the divine celestial world, was assigned new functions, other deities lost importance or disappeared, while some minor deities were elevated to religious prominence.

  These sculptures are represented in possession of the attributes of the deity or semi deity and in the case of some of them holding in their hands elements related to moments or scenes from the legend that corresponds to them. To the Hindus who paid utmost attention to the cycles of the universe, new forms and names were assigned to the deities.

  New forms and names assigned to the deities in Hinduism:

  –          Brahma, the creator.

  –          Vishnu, the preserver, who maintains the harmony and order.

  –          Shiva, the destroyer, who at annihilate of the universe it’s allow to be reborn in the next cosmic era.

  Major sects of Hinduism:

  –          The Vaishnavismo.

  –          Shaivismo.

  The Hindus offered their devotion in sculptures and other artistic media representing the deities who responded to these two sects been Vishnu and Shiva the two more important gods represented. All the temples both North and South in India were decorated on the outside and also internally. The shrines and chapels contained statues made of stone or bronze, dedicated entirely to the cult, and in the courtyards that bypass the temples several pavilions housed monumental effigies representing animals which have been gives divine connotation. Among these representations we find:

  –          The bull Nandin of Shiva.

  –          Vishnu Garuda bird.

  –          Wild boar Varaha, representation of Vishnu.

   

  

   

  Sculptures showing multiples arms, contorted movements, pleasure in the forms of the body, some standing and other sit-ins have been preserved from some regions of the India. Others sculptures however belonging to different region are more contained and quiet, less contorted and devoid of movement or emotion. Both trends show the most relevant characteristics and philosophical concepts that represent each one with incredible detail and masterful technique allowing today identify the one who correspond to each region.

  Polychrome sculptures in the temples of South India are placed abundantly but in perfect harmony in the external walls offering a set very beautiful and balanced despite the apparent clutter that leaves us speechless with the perfection of these sculptures. Bright colors, intense facial expressions, dynamism and sensuality in feminine forms of the figures represent the Joie de vivre of the Indian people. In those sculptures they are offering tribute to nature, their gods who protect them from the evil and injustice and in general to the harmony of the universe.

   

  

  There were also made in ancient India small polychrome sculptures but just a few have been conserved.

   

  

   

   

  In general on the sculptures in India, the male and female figures of the temples alternate with other animals such as monkeys, elephants, rhinos, birds, tigers and various other animals. In the medieval period numerous sculptures in the exterior walls of the temples contributed to effective propagate the religious messages to the worshipers.

  Female representations prevail in earlier styles, with elegant and well-balanced forms in those figures, whose silhouette undulates gracefully as the tribhanga (triple Flex canonical). Are also well represented themes containing trivial daily events and divine matter.

   

  

   

  Later the style varies a bit when the silhouettes lengthen and bodies representation become more sensual and voluptuous, female figures with breasts are emphasized more fillings, thinner waist, wider hips; and the features of the face are stylize and exaggerate, lengthening the tearing of the eyes. These changes occur approximately between the 11th to the 13th, which is added to the boom that acquires the realization of sculptures representing erotic groups.

  The presence of these sculptures in the outer walls of the temples in Khajuraho seems to be due to the dominating influence of Kaulakapalika sects whose main objective was to achieve mystical union with the divine. This intention was translated into the realization of sexual intercourse between same sect insiders call mithuna by which groups of lovers are represented in sculptures in different positions suggested by the Kama sutra, but without being grotesque scenes, on the other hand it found fervent hugs, sensual contortions, loving expressions of affection. This is the way in which they believe they can best achieve this communication with the divine.

   

  

   

  The figures and scenes have a great dynamism, realism and attention to detail of anatomical representation and postures that are almost hypnotizing to the viewer. This contrasts with the representation of worship’s images located in the shrines and chapels. In this case a more static, immutable representation of the sculptures can be apreciate as well of the frontality and rigidity of its attitude and gestures.

  Buddhist and Jain religious sculpture representation.

  As opposed to the sculptures of Hinduism are simple Buddhist and Jain sculptures whose serenity, sobriety, meditative protective and relaxed posture, fulfilled its educational and worship function in correspondence to the teachings of the creators of these religious sects. These sculptures were produced mainly in marble, predominantly straight lines in simple clothing and folds in the figures. Anatomical details are very stylized.

   

  

   

  In the run-up to the first centuries and second B.C the figure of Buddha is never represent in his human form in sculpture. Until that time they represent the creator of this religion only by symbols. When they then start represent his figure was developed an extensive iconography in statuary in the teachings and passages about the life of Buddha. They were propagated mainly through sculpture representation, although in paintings and manuscripts as well. The Gupta period was in many ways a golden age of Indian history and culture, were took a big special place the sculpture . It saw an extraordinary florescence of all the arts this period, and the national genius was perhaps never more fully and typically expressed. Sculpture flourished, at Mathura and Sarnath as well as in the northern Deccan and at Ajanta and Ellora.

   

  

   

  Unfortunately with the time many valuable sculptures were destroyed due to violent internal clashes and stages in history where the India was subjugated by foreign invaders who disregarded these symbols and culture. The same destruction occurred by the step of time mainly in the outside sculptures.

  Sculpture in ancient India; play a fundamental role transmitting their history, culture and philosophical thought. Today is still appreciated by their high technical and artistic value for millions of people visiting every day its monuments.

   

  

                         

   

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• Romanesque Painting

  Posted on January 8, 2013 3:23 pm by Elena 2 Comments

  

                                                                                Romanesque painting

  Painting in Romanesque period has a notable development, because the vast space of smooth walls were appropriate to the pictorial decoration; therefore, the painting was also a subordinated art to the architecture. The need to get a quick religious impromptu in the spectator as soon as they approach the interior of this buildings  made the use of painting a valuable resource.

  A clear Eastern influence through the art of Byzantium  can be seen in the lack of perspective, plain colors, symmetrical composition, rigidity of the figures and the blankness and expressiveness’s in faces, always showing their amazed eyes.  Another element is a marked frontality of the figures  that strengthens the communication with the spectators.

  

  The technique used is that of the Fresco, notable examples are:

  • The Catalan Romanesque churches that use effulgent colors and abstract motifs of symbolic meaning.
  • The Italian churches, where painted religious scenes already shown true commitment to copy nature with fidelity.

  These are paintings created to decorate and as means of dissemination of religion; therefore topics revolve around those themes.  The images of these paintings become an intellectual communication vehicle.

  

  The paintings destined to illustrate the religious and idyllic passages and reinforce the clear understanding through the narratives; use a simple images representation supported by intense and contrasted colors, as well as black out liner contours against the simplest background possible.  

  Romanesque painting has therefore two important features one is its symbolic nature and the other is itsnarrative sense.

  

  Romanesque painting general characteristics

  • It is used to accentuate  religious message with anti naturalistic representation of reality.

  • Clear intent to represent the facts through the simple explanation of the sacred Word.

  • It has strong religious content through gestural representation.

  • Intensifies expressive representation through the frontality of the figures.

  • Bright and intense colors are used.

  • It uses the spatial hierarchy of  topics.

  • Apply conventions in painting that allow a clear reading of  images.

  • Reiteration in the use of two important themes: The Virgin and the Christ Pantokrator (In Christian iconography, refers to a specific depiction of Christ) and narratives of the old or the New Testament.

  • Symmetrical composition.

  • Perspective of Tolomeo (divergent lines).

  • Hieratic and rigidity of the figures that intensifies the formality or seriousness of the religious theme.

  

  

                                                                                                                                           

  Treatment of the figures in Romanesquepainting:

  • Flat
  • Elongated
  • Without perspective or with false perspective.
  • Gradually Stepping of characters with different sizes according to their relevance or hierarchy.
  • Eyes and hands with dimensions disproportionate to emphasize spiritual expression.
  • It uses a range of bright colors (red, yellow, orange and blue)
  • Contiguous stripes of colors intensive contrasted between each other.
  • Use of the color black to outline the figures against the background.
  • Simplicity in the details.
  • Profiles with thick strokes.
  • Formal outlining.
  • “V” shaped feet.
  • Perspective of divergent lines.

  

  Glass Painting in Romanesque Art

  The glass painting was in this period also a format used to support the religious propaganda, making good use of the possibility to narrate the passages of the bible with a potent vehicle; using the strong power that the light aport coming from the exterior of the buildings through the decorated glass windows. This colored and beautiful  windows were definitely an eye cashing element that produce and overwhelm feeling in the spectator; at the same time that give a direct to the point messages, driven to efective represent the fervor and adoration of the religious characters’.

  The use of barrel vaults made possible the construction of huge interior spaces; built entirely of stone, but since the roofs were extremely heavy, the walls had to be tremendously thick to prevent buckling. Strong walls also meant fewer windows, so the insides of Romanesque churches often look dim and feel like fortresses. It is for this reason that the only sources of natural light become so important and since they were so intense colored it is hard to miss them.

  

  Early Romanesque style stained glass was influenced by the linear patterning, abstraction of the form and severe frontality also found in Byzantine Art. Most church windows exhibit individual monumental figures with few tiers (a row placed one above and behind another row) in lozenge shaped groupings.

  The stained glass technique in the Romanesque period give some significant work of art; been the predecessor of the magnificent glass windows of the ghotic period. their beauty; that can still been appreciated in the buildings dated from those early times in the Middle Ages show the talent of the glass blower artisan’s who use important skills passed from the Byzantine period and passing them enriched to next generations.

  A strong or sudden change in political, social and religious conditions trough times jeopardized the survival of stained glass beginning in the sixteenth century; making decline and destruction of a high quantity of those magnificent glasses that unfortunate had been loss.

  This effective format of painting was widely use further by the Gothic style with such profusion, beauty and perfection in cathedrals and Church that is hard to think this days in those religious buildings without the images of the glass painting windows come immediately to our minds. Since this glass painting use the possibilities that light itself offer to this format so effectively, they were continued used trough times to moderns day; although the stain glass as a technique become a loss art; been substituted for new techniques of  glass window painting in the renaissance period.

   

  Romanesque Manuscripts

  These manuscripts contained some of the best painting from the Romanesque period of art, as they were not restricted by the fresco medium; that were usually applied over the thick walls. The manuscripts offer the possibility that could be highly detailed and the pictures were important; as many of the people who looked at the books could not read or write, so the images contribute to communicate the messages.

  The majority of illuminated manuscripts are of a religious nature; usually bibles are is the case of the rest of the painting theme in the Romanesque painting art. Miniature in many cases using intense and eye cashing colors were sometimes wrapped up by the text or accompanied by Initials or small text. Vivid colors in the figures clothing; contrasting with the simple backgrounds in wich they are setted, help to get the messages  with more effectivity.

  The embellishment of text with gold or silver; gave the impression that the page had been literally illuminated, most books were produced in a team rather than by an individual. They were extremely expense and only the clergy could afforded.  Those manuscripts in Romanesque period have a distorted and very flat perspective and the feet are turned to the side, but the body is flat as well, similar to Egyptian hieroglyphs.

  In the early Middle Ages nearly all illustrated manuscripts were produced by monks. However, by the 15th century artists in the towns were commissioned to do this work. Although they rarely signed their pieces, tax records suggest that these artists were often women.

  

  Illustration from Christine de Pizan’s “The City of Ladies,” written in the 15th century, representing woman’s working in the illustration of manuscripts process. 

  

  I highly recommend visiting this link that offer very good and detailed information about Manuscripts in this period of Art. http://share.ehs.uen.org/system/files/manuscripts.pdf

  or click in the picture below to go to this presentation.

  

   

  Romanesque paint over wood board and crucifixes

  Paintings over wood surfaces also have the same themes and characteristics as the rest of the painting that was made in the Romanesque periods. Influenced by Byzantine elements and culture the Romanesque use vibrant colors figures over a simple background, linear patterning, abstraction of the form and severe frontality. The forced perspective and unnatural representation of the figures respond to the symbolic characteristics to carry the messages more effective.

  

  

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• Romanesque Sculpture

  Posted on January 1, 2013 7:07 pm by Elena Comment

   

  

   

                       Romanesque Sculpture

   

  It is subordinate to architecture, which determines the places and spaces that must be covered with reliefs or statues, the porticoes of the entrance and in the capitals of the cloisters (place of religious retreat).

  The pilgrimage that took place using the shrine dedicated to St. James from the 8th century destined to paid tribute to this Saint in the Romanesque Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela; became the most renowned medieval pilgrimage and favors an increase in the production of sculpture. Under the Organization of the order known as “The order of Cluny”, were carried out in the places of passage constructions with the purpose of welcoming the pilgrims on their way to the Cathedral and also to display religious relics that contributed to exalt religious fervor.

   

  

   

  An increase in the use of applied sculptures with exclusive religious thematic to architectural structures can be seen above the Northern Europe. These images are mostly carried out in wooden polychrome and in some cases covered with metals such as bronze or silver.

  Other sculptures carves in the stone to decorate specific spaces in this buildings are; as in the case of the paint very stylized, been a mere idealization of the reality. They have to serve as a religious propaganda vehicle efficiently and for that purpose a forced perspective to fix this figures in the space destined in the building is imperative.

   

  

   

  The sculpture although not as outstanding as the Romanesque architecture, applied the same pre-established codes and artistic scheme to provide a clear and educative religious message about the sacred word. The sculpture and the architecture both used the Northern Roman elements.

  Were also seen in Romanesque style the presences of the Byzantines and Persians elements as well as some Arabs decorative characteristics. The Romanesque sculpture between the XI and XII centuries mimics artificial models establishing a particular routine of decoration.

   

  General Features of the Romanesque Sculpture

   

  • · Non-artistic didactic purpose; (Catechism and religious instruction).
  • · Stylization and disproportion of the figures (not portray of the natural proportions).
  • · Wrong perspective, illogical relationship between size of the figure with the depth of the background.
  • · In the reliefs, the size difference of the figures means the importance of character.
  • · Symmetrical composition; the scenes are made up, observing this principle of proportion.
  • · In the eardrums, composition always has the figure of Christ as the axis.
  • · Some rigidity of forms.
  • · There is lack of expression suitable in figures or sometimes this is very exaggerated.
  • · Forget the sculptural muzzle in the human form.
  • · Imposed symmetry in the folds of the cloths that resembles the Greek archaic period.
  • · Occurs a repetition and monotony in the elements of the scene being rendered.
  • · Stiffness and Coarseness can be seen in the execution of the work.
  • · They often adopt the theme of flora and represent it stylized.
  • · Represent fauna but sometimes as monstrous.
  • · The heads represent all at the same height in some figures of sets.
  • · Marked polychrome with vivid colors when they take place in materials that allowed it.

   

  

   

   

  Among depictions of biblical scenes that are found in many of these Romanesque buildings sculptures are the one called “Bestiaries” as well as personifications of the signs of the zodiac. There is also a frequent use of peculiar diptychs of ivory, crucifixes made in both ivory and bronze and also statues in which it represents the Virgin Mary.

   

  

   

  Decoration of caskets for both jewelry and relic showed great mastery in the finish, careful detailed figures against the background manage to fix very well adapted to the shape of the container.

   

   Fundamental schools in the development of Romanesque sculptures that stand out:

   

  • Irish and Anglo-Saxon school. Since the 7th century. (Interlaced and calligraphic ornaments)Elongated figures.

   

  • German school. From the 9th century. With the momentum of Carlo Magnum. (Works of bronze and Byzantines classical tendency).

   

  • The Italian school. Since the end of the 11th century until the middle of the 12th century  (Italic-Byzantine)  than is guided by Constantinople models.                                                 (Bronze doors with relief in several cathedrals).

   

  • The French school. Since 12th century. With 6 outstanding schools:

  –          The Isle of France School.

  –          The School of Normandy.

  –          The school of Poitou and Saintonge.

  –          The Auvemia School.

  –          The School of Toulouse and Languedoc.

  –          The Provence and Burgundy School.

   

  As well as in the case of the Romanesque paint (that will be explained in a separated post) the use of the” Isocefalia” (disposal at the same height of the heads of a group of characters in a painting or a relief) is portrayed in numerous Romanesque sculptures to decorate capitals, walls, and porticos responding to the ecclesiastic propaganda and their standard codes of decorations pursuing to establish a hierarchy of the character represented.

  A derivation occurs in the representation of designs towards the 13th century that can be called as a transitional phase towards the Gothic period. Imitated in a certain way the reality of nature, permeating the sculptures with greater dynamism but in which the artist cannot be complete separated from previous codes of decoration. Some figures made almost as exempt sculptures are the prelude to the next and new period in with these elements of movement, details and perfection rich a high level of execution in some of the artistic work in the late period of the Romanesque sculpture and evolve in accentuated way if they are compared with some of the previous sculptures of the Romanesque period.

   

  

   

  The resulting amalgam of this transition produces very good works but others with no artistic value whatsoever even in the same region; since they are a mix between the old rigid style and the new pushing to establishes. In this transitive time some of the rigidity of the figures is loss as was mentioned before; as well as the symmetry and exaggeration of the straight and vertical line; gaining in delicacy and realistic movement. Some new decorative elements in this Romanesque sculptures such as the use of abundant narrow tiny folds in the clothing are incorporate that were not used before with such detail.

   

  

   

   

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