Art History - Chap 15 - Images

15-14 Virgin and Child
from the Auvergne region, France. c. 1150-1200. Oak with Polychromy, height 31". The virgin holding the Christ child was a common statue in the Romanesque period. Painted wood sculptures were a specialty in the Auvergne region. The two figures are shown regally and rigid with Mary sitting on a throne-like seat that symbolizes the lion throne of Solomon (Symbol of wisdom and a king from the Old testament. She is holding the Christ child with both hands while he hold a small book (the word of God), his missing hand was raise in blessing. Mary in medieval times represented the church and Jesus the priesthood, humankind, and God.

15-15 Batllo Crucifix
from the Olot region, Catalonia, Spain, Mid-12th century. Wood with polychromy, height c. 36". the sculpture is Byzantine influences, in contrast to the suffering Jesus of the Ottonian period. Jesus is showed as with a deep sadness with , a bowed head and heavy featured. He is wearing royal robe( long, medallion-patterned tunic with psuedo-kufic inscriptions) to show his kingship.

15-18 Christ in Majesty
Detail of apse painting from the Church of San Clemente, Tahull, Lerida, Spain. c. 1123. Was in the curve of the half-dome of the apse from the Church of San Clemente. The painting shows the transformation from the Christ Pantokrator from the Byzantine period into the Romanesque. Christ is seated within a mandorla and the alpha and omega symbols beside his head. The figure is holdingthe gospel from John 8:12 "ego sum lux mundi"("I am the light of the world"). HE is surrounded by 4 angel with the holding the evangelist symbols, below him are six apostles, and the Virgin Mary holding a bowl. The painting was made by glazing or building up many thin coats of paint.

15-20 Page with The Tree of Jesse
Explanatio in Isaiam (Saint Jerome's Commentary on Isaiah), from the Abbey, Citeaux, Burgundy, France c. 1125. Ink and tempera on vellum, 15 x 4 3/4". A representation of the genealogy of Jesus. It was made to show that Jesus was divine and human. It emphasizes the importance of the the Virgin Mary in the royal line. Jesse, Mary's ancestor, was King David's father. Jesse, has a trunk growing from his body that branches out to Mary which is depicted way larger than Jesse. The Cistercians made the tree of Jesse popular because of their devotion to Mary.

15-21 Borgund stave church, Sogn
Norway c.1125-50. Not many wooden churches survived from that period, the ones who did are called the stave churches, with the Borgund the finest example of these. Four corner staves hold up the central roof, the additional supporting posts create a nave and side aisles, narthex, and choir. The rounded apse has a timber tower that is attached to the choir. The roof is shingled, the projecting roof protects the building from rain and snow. Crosses and dragons on the roof protect the church.

15-23 Castle-monastery- cathedral complex, Durham
Northumberland, England. C.1075-1100's with later alterations and additions. The castle is an example of a Norman fortress with the entrance being a drawbridge, controlled by a gatehouse. The Wear river acted as a natural moat to the fortress. Passing the gatehouse was a courtyard or bailey with a keep in the east. The great hall was where the bishops did buisness, that was located next to a cliff. The first stone structures on the compound was the Norman Chapel in 1075. The University of Durham was added in 1837 and later joined with the University of Newcastle

15-25 Nave of Durham Cathedral
early 12th century. Original apses replaced by Gothic choir, 1242-c.1280. Vault height 73'. Is located on the northern frontier with Scotland. The building is one of the most impressive medieval church with its massive vaults and vertical emphasis. Durham Cathedral has been in continuous use since its construction. Supporting the nave arcade are alternating piers and simple columns. The columns are decorated with chevron, cable, and diamond patterns. The capitols on the columns have a cushion shape capitols.


15-26 Church of Saint-Etienne, Caen
Normandy, France. Begun 1064; facade late 11th century; spires 13th century. It was began by William of Normandy or William the Conqueror, he was later buried there in 1087. The nave wall has a 3 part elevation w/ wide arches in the nave arcade. in the clerestory, a third arcade has four arches in front of the windows, making a passageway. On the wall it was alternating engaged columns and engaged columns attachers to piers. The roof is a masonry vault, but it was originally a timber roof. The Buttress on the west facade of the building divided the building into three vertical sections.

15-29 John of Worcester. Page with Dream of Henry I
Worcester Chronicle, from Worcester, England. c.1140. Ink and tempera on vellum, each page 12 3/4 x9 3/8" Earliest known illustrated English history. Made by a monk named John as an addition to a monk named Florence's work, The Chronicle of England. These pages illustrate dreams that Henry I had over a couple of nights, that his subjects wanted tax cuts. The first dream shows a farmer confronting the King, the second armed knights, the third monks, abbots, and bishop. The fourth picture depicts the the King at sea promising God to lower taxes.