Romanesque Art and Architecture
1) Define the defining element of Romanesque Architecture. What role did Charlemagne play in the development of church building in the Romanesque style?
2) Define the “cult of the relic.” Why did Christians go on pilgrimages during the Romanesque period? How did the churches respond to this in the commissioning of reliquaries? Use an example of a specific reliquary in your answer.
3) Describe the architectural significance of St. Sernin as an example of Romanesque architecture. What type of vault in the central nave did the architects use? How is this vault different from those used in Gothic cathedrals?
4) If you were describing this to a friend who had never seen it before, how would you describe the style of the tympanum sculpture and the Lions and Old Testament prophet from south portal of Saint-Pierre, Moissac, France? Use art historical terms learned in class as much as you are able.
5) The Last Judgment Tympanum Sculpture at the Cathedral of St. Lazare, Autun tells a particular story. What is it and what is the message of the sculptor to all who enter?
6) The Reliquary of Sainte-Foy and The Virgin and Child from Auvergne are two very different reliquaries. Compare and contrast them keeping in mind the relative wealth of each congregation that commissioned them.
7) What is the Bayeux Tapestry, where does it live and what makes it unique to the Romanesque period? In your answer include descriptions of at least 2 vignettes from the tapestry.
Intro to Romanesque Architecture: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/romanesque-art/beginners-guide-romanesque/a/a-beginners-guide-to-romanesque-architecture
Pilgrimage Routes and the Cult of the Relic https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/romanesque-art/beginners-guide-romanesque/a/pilgrimage-routes-and-the-cult-of-the-relic
St. Sernin, Toulouse, France https://smarthistory.org/saint-sernin/
Saint-Pierre, Moissac, France https://smarthistory.org/saint-pierre-moissac/
The Last Judgement Tympanum Sculpture, Cathedral of St. Lazare, Autun: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/romanesque-art/romanesque-art-in-france/v/tympanum-of-the-last-judgment-autun
Reliquary Statue of Sainte-Foy https://smarthistory.org/church-and-reliquary-of-sainte‐foy-france/
Virgin and Child from Auvergne, France https://smarthistory.org/framed-by-the-body/
The Bayeux Tapestry: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/romanesque-art/romanesque-art-england/v/the-animated-bayeux-tapestry
Gothic Art and Architecture
1) Using the ambulatory at St. Denis and the Cathedrals of Chartres, Amiens and Sainte-Chapelle as examples, describe the stylistic development from the Early Gothic (St. Denis) to the High Gothic cathedrals (Chartres and Amiens) to the Rayonnant Style (Sainte Chapelle).
2) How does the illuminated manuscript page of Blanche of Castile and Louis IX express the architectural advancements of the Gothic period? What was the relationship between the two main characters (Blanche and Louis IX)?
3) The Virgin of Jeanne d’Evreux is sculpted in a style that is looking back to an earlier culture and represents a cultural shift in style. Explain this statement using specific descriptions of the sculpture of the Virgin.
Birth of the Gothic: Abbot Suger and the ambulatory at St. Denis https://smarthistory.org/birth-of-the-gothic-abbot-suger-and-the-ambulatory-at-st-denis/
Cathedral of Chartres https://smarthistory.org/cathedral-of-notre-dame-de-chartres-part-1-of-3/
Amiens Cathedral https://smarthistory.org/amiens/
Sainte Chapelle Paris https://smarthistory.org/sainte-chapelle-paris/
Blanche of Castile, Louis IX, dedication page of Saint Louis moralized bible https://smarthistory.org/saint-louis-bible-moralized-bible-or-bible-moralisee/
The Virgin of Jeanne d’Evreux https://smarthistory.org/virgin-jeanne-devreux/