Flemish and Romanesque Art: Painting, Architecture, Sculpture
Gothic Flemish Painting
Oil painting is a technique that allows for careful and detailed representation. Characters in the foreground are neatly represented, and the main thematic object of the work achieves extraordinary realism. The use of oil painting was key to this style.
Van Eyck
The most representative painter of this style, Van Eyck was the first to use the oil technique. He gave importance to detail and three-dimensional space. Notable works include the Arnolfini Portrait and the Ghent Altarpiece (Polyptych of the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb).
Key Examples of Romanesque Art
Church of San Martín de Frómista
This is a complete work of Romanesque architecture. We can see that this work is based on the architecture of Navarre. The basilica, built in 1066, has three naves with a transept and three unremarkable apses at the head. The naves are covered with barrel vaults on arches, and the crossing has a dome on squinches. On the outside, there is an octagonal dome and two circular towers. We can distinguish splayed windows with columns and corbels decorated with sculpted moldings and the “Jakes takeado” (a type of checkered molding) under the eaves.
Portico of Glory
This Romanesque work from 1188 is situated on the main facade of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, protected by bays. It consists of a portico with three arches. A kind of statue of Santiago, in the mullion, welcomes pilgrims. The iconographic program recreates the Apocalypse. In the tympanum of the main access is Christ in Majesty surrounded by the Tetramorph. In the scene, there are four angels with symbols of the Passion of Christ. The 24 Elders of the Apocalypse, with crowns and musical instruments, are on the jambs. The apostles are on the right pillar and the prophets on the left. The prophets represent the Old Testament, and the apostles the New. This work communicates the grandeur of Maestro Mateo. He gives movement and expression to his figures, representing a major step towards naturalism.
Cloister of the Monastery of Silos
This is an architectural work from the late 11th and early 12th centuries. The capitals represent varied themes: some with figurative decoration on various biblical topics, others with vegetal decoration. On the angles are reliefs depicting scenes such as the Doubting Thomas, the Deposition, Burial and Resurrection, Ascension, and Pentecost. The characters are staggered on three levels. Christ appears at the lower level and is the axis of the composition, as all the apostles look at him. To give the characters a sense of movement, the legs fit into the architectural framework. The treatment of drapery with harmony stands out. They are schematic figures, somewhat unnatural, and indicate movement and restlessness. It is a religious theme.
Frescoes of San Clemente de Taüll
This building showcases Catalan Romanesque painting from the year 1123. In the apse’s dome, the Pantocrator is depicted, escorted by the Tetramorph and angels. Christ blesses with one hand and holds a book in the other, in which we can read in Latin. At the sides of the head, we see the letters alpha and omega. Christ is sitting on a heavenly throne and rests his feet on the earth. At the lower level, the Virgin and the apostles are represented. Christ is of a much larger size than the other characters. The colors are very vivid, standing out from other mural paintings. The folds of the robes seek to give the work an aesthetic sense. It is characterized by the abstraction of the characters’ features, which are not related.
Burgos Cathedral
This cathedral belongs to the classical period of the 13th century. Its plan and elevation are inspired by the Cathedral of Bourges (France). The plan has three naves and a radiating chapels ambulatory in the header and a standard nave in the crossing. The central nave is divided into three sections: arches separating the naves, and a clerestory with stained glass windows. The western facade, the principal one, stands out. It has four bodies that are topped by slender pierced needles built in the 15th century. It consists of triple access, a large rose window in the second body, and on the third level, two arches with tracery.