Carolingian art

The Carolingian Art extends over one 120 years period between 780 and 900, during the reign of Charlemagne and its heirs direct, usually known as a Carolingian Renaissance. For the first time, the kings of Northern Europe played the part of Mécène for Roman art , mixing traditional and Germanic forms, and insufflating innovations in the drawing of the figurines, which will be used as model for the advent of the Romanesque art and Gothic in the West.

The Carolingian era is one of the periods of the medieval Sacred art known under the name of “pre-novel”.

History

See also: Carolingian Rebirth

At the 8th century, the fall of the Royaume Visigoth during the invasion of the Iberian peninsula by Sarazins pushes many intellectuals and ecclesiastics to join the court of Pip the Brief. Haven of peace in the Occident since the end of the 6th century, Spain is the academy of the ancient culture; the library sévillane is then the center more shining under the impulse of Léandre then Isidore of Seville. The priority is granted there to the Christian great writers of, in particular Augustin (354-430), Cassiodore (485-580), Gregoire Large the (540 - pope 590-604) but also with the older Latin fathers: Tertullien (155-222), Cyprien de Carthage (200-258), Hilaire of Poitiers (315-367), Ambroise (340-397). The collapse of their kingdom largely explains the surge of Visigoths great minds like Théodulf of Orleans or Benoît d' Aniane at the court of Charlemagne. Same manner the monachism developed very strongly in Ireland in Northumbrie since the 6th century. The invasions Vikings make come from the Irish scholars and northombriens which will contribute with the introduction of the rêgle of Saint Benoit (thanks to Benoît d' Aniane) to Carolingian monastic vagueness. Lastly, Rome is in conflict with Byzance and fights against the iconoclasts. Many artists took refuge there, but Rome is threatened by the Byzantine and Lombards and is placed under the protection of the Carolingians. Italian well-read men and artists thus come. The creation of a new Roman empire (to replace the Roman kingdom Visigoth) and the Carolingian rebirth rise logically from this surge of knowledge towards the only space of stability in an occident shaken by the great invasions.

The Carolingians acquired the taste of Mediterranean art when Charlemagne decided to compete with splendors of the Lateran in Rome where it had been crowned Empereur of Occident (Empereur of the Saint Germanic Roman Empire) in 800. It contributed to the renovatio (rebirth) of knowledge and the Roman culture of the West, and thus became the patron par excellence Arts of his time. It wished to be established like heir to the large emperors of Antiquity, to support and bind the artistic achievements of the Art paléochrétien and the Byzantine culture with the achievements suitable for the franque culture.

That however went beyond from a desire conscious of wanting to make revive the culture of old Rome. During the reign of Charlemagne, the controversy Iconoclaste divided the Byzantine Empire. Charlemagne was placed in the center, not allowing the complete destruction of the human images (Iconoclasme), but not going either until allowing their veneration (Iconodulie). This decision not to be Iconoclaste in theory, and to make it possible to use the human figures with moderation, had immense consequences, since it is by Carolingian art that the Romanesque art of the West and the Gothic art developed - if Charlemagne had adopted the Iconoclasts, the history of the art of the West would have been very different.

The manuscripts enluminés, the metalwork, the Sculpture on Ivory, the mosaic S and the Fresque S of this period remain.

The intense development of the monachism with common rules (see Benoit d' Aniane), the introduction of a single writing (the Caroline) more readable, will facilitate the transfer of knowledge and prepare the cultural, technical and demographic push of the 11th century (see Ordre of Cluny).

Towards the end of the reign of the Carolingians, towards 900, the artistic production stopped during three generations. The movement of reform clunisienne during the 10th century, and a renewed spirit of the idea of the Empire, made it possible the production of art to begin again. The new styles pre-novels appeared in Germany with the dynasty Otton ienne, in England with the Anglo-Saxon , like in France, Italy and Spain.

Enluminés manuscripts

The majority of many works of the Carolingian Rebirth having survived consist of enluminés Manuscrits. Under the direction of Charlemagne, new Gospels and liturgical works were copied, like were it of the documents of type the historical, literary and scientist of old authors. Carolingian art was spread in various monastic workshops through the Empire, each workshop having developed its own style. The first among them was that of the School of the Court of Charlemagne; then a style rémois, which became most influential of the Carolingian period; a style tourangeau; a style Drogon; and finally style of the School of the Court of Charles the Bald person. They are the most important centers, but of others existed, characterized by the works of art which were produced there.

The School of the Court of Charlemagne (also called School of Ada) produced the first manuscripts, including the Évangéliaire de Godescalc (781 - 783); the Gospel of Lorsch (778 - 820); the Gospels of Ada (image of St.Matthieu); the Gospels of Soissons; and the Gospels of crowning (picture: St.Matthew). The manuscripts of the School of the Court were decorated, sumptuously decorated, and inspired by the Ivoire S of the 6th century and the mosaic of Ravenne in Italy. They are the first Carolingian manuscripts and, by them, was installation a rebirth of the Roman classicism, although the Art mérovingien and the hiberno-Saxon Art were maintained in their linear traditions of representation, without preoccupation of volume and a fitting in space.

At the beginning of the 9th century, the Archevêque Ebbon of Rheims gathered with Hautvillers artists and transformed Carolingian art into something entirely again. The Évangiles of Ebbon (816 - 835) are painted with blows of fast, fresh and vibrating brushes, evoking an inspiration and an energy unknown factors in the Mediterranean forms of art (see the image of this page and image of St.Matthieu). Of another books associated with the School with Rheims of which the Psautier with Utrecht (image of the psautier), which was perhaps most important of all the Carolingian manuscripts, and the Physiologus of Bern , the first Latin edition of an allegorical Christian text on the animals. The productions of the School of Rheims, in particular Psautier of Utrecht with its drawings naturalists with the expressive feature, would have had an influence on the medieval art of North at the century following until the Romance period.

Another style developed with the Monastère Saint-Martin-of-Turns, where large Bible S was illustrated with the imitation of the Bibles of the late Antiquité. Three large tourangelles Bibles were produced, the most beautiful last and, called Bible of Vivien having been realized towards 846 for Charles the Bald person, on the ordering of the Abbé Vivien. The Invasions Vikings put an end to the activity of the School Turns in 853, but its style had already left a durable trace on the other workshops of the Carolingian Empire.

The Diocèse of Metz constituted another center of Carolingian art. Between 850 and 855 a Sacramentaire was copied for the Archevêque Drogon: the Sacramentary of Drogon. The initial one decorated and “historiée”, represented here, had a great influence on illumination: it offered a harmonious union of the traditional reference letter and figurative scenes.

During second half of the 9th century, the traditions of first half perduré. Many richly decorated Bibles were copied for Charles the Bald person, mixing the forms with the late Antiquité with styles developed with Rheims and Tours. It is as for this period as a free-Saxon style appears in the North of France, integrating the Hiberno-Saxon entrelac , and who will survive all other Carolingian models in the century to come.

Charles the Bald person, like his grandfather Charlemagne, has creates a School of the Court. Its site is dubious but several manuscripts are allotted to him, of which the Codex Aureus (870) (image of the Crowning of Charles the Bald person) is oldest and the most remarkable example. It contains elements turoniens and rémois, but was amalgamated with the more formal style of the School of the Court of Charlemagne.

With the death of Charles the Bald person, the patronage of the manuscripts declined, announcing the end, even if work continued during a certain time. The Abbaye of Saint-Gall created the Psautier de Folchard (872) and the Psautier gilded (883). This style Welsh was single, but lacked a level of control present in other areas.

Painting

By written sources, we know that Fresque S were present in the church S and the Palais, although the majority of them disappeared. In the palate of Charlemagne, there was a fresco having for topic the Liberal arts, as well as scenes telling its campaigns of Spain. In the palate of Louis the Piles, one could see murals representing of the scenes drawn from the Ancien and the New Testament.

Fragments of paintings survived Auxerre (crypt of collegial the Saint-Germain), Saint-Pierre-the-Churches, Coblentz, Lorsch, Cologne, Fulda, Corvey, Trier, Müstair, Malles Venosta, Naturno, Cividale, Brescia and Milan.

Sculpture and objects out of metal

The Carolingian sculptors created covers of books in Ivoire, comprising topics largely inspired of paintings of late Antiquity. For example the first and the fourth of covers of the Évangiles of Lorsch are imitated triumphs imperial of the 6th century and adapted to the triumph of Christ and the Virgin.

Charlemagne largely gave again life with the art of the Bronze when it has creates the foundries with Aachen where the doors of the vault of the palate were carried out, with the imitation of a Roman model.

More the good example of work of Carolingian goldsmithery is the gold furnace bridge (824-859) (image of the furnace bridge), also known as a Paliotto, which is with the church of San Ambrogio to Milan. The four sides of the furnace bridge are decorated with images pushed back gold and silver, bordered of filigrees, invaluable stones and of enamel.

Mosaic

Mosaic were installed in the dome of the palatine vault of Charlemagne to Aachen, pointing out those of the primitive Christian churches of Rome. There remain nothing of these mosaics, but remainders of the Abside of the oratorical of Germigny-of-Meadows (806) present the Ark of the Covenant adored by Ange S (image of the mosaics of Germigny-of-Meadows), discovered in 1820 pennies a layer of Plâtre.

Despoiled

The despoiled is the Latin term for “re-employment” and is used in reference to the use or the appropriation of elements of old monuments integrated into new monuments or works of Article Of many marbles and columns were thus brought back from Rome for this period.

One of the examples of despoiled Carolingian most known is the history of an equestrian statue: in Rome, Charlemagne had seen an equestrian bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius with the Palais of Lateran. It was about the only statue remaining of a Roman emperor préchrétien because he had been confused, by error, to be that of Constantin, and thus held in high regard. Charlemagne thereafter brought back an equestrian statue of Ravenne, which was then presented like that of Théodoric Large the, to Aachen, in order to compare itself with that of Constantin in Rome.

See too

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