Catalan Architecture, Sculpture, and Painting: A Detailed Analysis
Catalan Architecture
Catalonia marked the creation of a border territory in the Carolingian Empire. The situation weakened dependencies in 985 when Mansur sacked Barcelona and created a dynasty. The ancient part of the MRCA is the hipnoica cnde frma d bcn. 11th century > autochthonous style. Summary: Carolingian, Visigothic, and Islamic influences. Example: Monastery of St. Herod. Height superposition through central columns. Nave with barrel arches. Lombard style follows the Cluny order. Crews of masons were brought in. Example: Sant Vicenç Cardona: rostrum, window spill, arches, dome, cruise on horns, chancel altar, crypt, galleries. Example: Santa Maria Ripoll: 7 apses, 3 naves, large transept, dome over the crossing. Synthesis > link the two. 12th century > style with more precision, synthesis of techniques. 1) Collegiate, 2) 3 naves and 3 apses, 3) 3 naves with transept. Example: Sant Joan d’Abadesses. Example: Romanesque Valles. Example: Marcus Chapel, Example: Sant Taüll Climent, Example: Santa Maria Taüll. 13th century > transition from Romanesque to Gothic. Romanesque ends and Gothic begins.
Sculpture Characteristics
1) Facades and porticos are decorated, depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments. 2) Sculptures adapt to the architectural frame. 3) Law of symmetry. All capitals are used. 4) Metamorphosis: elements are transformed into reliefs. 5) Monstrosity: decorative forms include monsters. 6) Unnatural fear of idolatry. 7) Hieratic style. 8) Frontal sculpture. 9) Disproportion. 10) Painted sculptures. 11) Horror vacui.
Sculpture Carvings and Relief Carvings
Carvings in wood, three types: a) Virgin Theotokos: Virgin and Child, with a cloak, painted, trimmed, carrying a ball, blessing with the left and the right hand, holding a bible. The position of the child changes: 12 > center, 13 > sides. No relationship between the two figures. b) Christ in Majesty or 4 cloves: has a hand and foot chase. Example: Batlló Majesty: God triumphantly triumphs over death, crowned with thorns. No sign of pain, wearing the manicata attached to the waist. Slight movement in the head. c) Descents: a group of seven figures, the three crosses, the good and bad thief and Jesus, the Aldos John and the Virgin, and St. Joseph and Nicodemus. Example: Sant Joan Abadesses.
Relief
Architectural relief decorates capitals and porticos. Capitals are: inverted pyramid trunk. Example: scenes from the Old Testament, mythological scenes, harpies, animals, chimeras. Example: Cloister of San Cugat, Girona. Tympanum: within an almond shape, surrounded by the Pantocrator and tetramorphs. Europe: Portico of Moissac: Pantocrator. Ancien Bible. Jambs with lobes. Example: Sainte-Marie-Madeleine of Vézelay: the horoscope is narrated on its facade. Spain: late 11th century > Fromista corbels, capitals of the cemetery of San Isidro, Crismon. 12th century > Sanhuesa portico, Santa Maria Ripoll. 13th century > beginning of Gothic. 1) Shrimp of Oviedo decorated with statues of apostles, diagonal folds. 2) Annunciation of St. Vincent of Avila. 3) Portico of Glory of Santiago de Compostela, search for naturalism, musicians, orchestra, personalization of figures.
Painting Characteristics
1) Hieratic, lack of expression. 2) Stiffness and frontality. 3) Juxtaposed compositions. 4) Natural colors, not many mixtures, blue and red + earth tones. 5) Flat colors without gradation. 6) No volume, flat figures. 7) No perspective or luminous effects. 8) Parallel lines for folds. 9) No backgrounds. 10) Color applied over large areas with thick black lines. 11) Schematic faces. 12) Horror vacui.
Technique
Al fresco, plaster, and paint. 3 types: 1) Mural, usually indoors in churches, following a preset program. Example: Santa Maria de Taüll: entrance in the final trial, angel with scales, etc. To the right, Hell, New Testament, far left, Old Testament. 2) Painting on panels: plaster and painted in tempera or fresco. 3) Illumination of books for decoration.
Painting in Spain
3 types: 1) Franco-Romanesque: the Reyes of the Pantheon of San Isidro de León > horror vacui, many vaults with different motifs. 2) Romanesque-Byzantine. 3) Mozarabic: paintings of the czas. Example: San Baudelio de Berlanga.
Painting in Catalonia
Mural painting with Italo-Byzantine influence. 2 masters: Pedret: Pedret Quirze de Sant, Sant Maria de Aneu, acropolis, in the virgin vault, icofonia, heavenly hierarchy, cherubim (3 angel wings, eyes of God), theophany, worship of God. St: carrying the keys, Lucia appears. Mestre Taüll > Sant Climent and Santa Maria de Taüll > Epiphany, worship of the Magi, two triumphal arches, mystical lamb. Sant Climent: blue color predominates, red highlights, no volume, the vault is a theophany (Majestas Domini, sitting around, at the feet rests the earth, alpha right, omega left, blessing right, bible left, God of justice).