Romanesque Art: The Romanesque Age

Romanesque art obtained its title as a result of the extensive usage of stone vaulting and stone sculpture within the architectural development of churches (Kleiner, 2012). The Romanesque age is the first era that earned its title as a result of an artistic style since Archaic and Classical Greece (Kleiner, 2012). In the 11th and 12th century European architecture embraced a medieval style that incorporated Roman design in which historians titled Romanesque (Kleiner, 2012). The ecclesiastical architecture of the Romanesque age resembled aspects of ancient Roman architecture, as well as that of earlier medieval structures (Kleiner, 2012). The construction of churches was predominant in the Romanesque age as the commencement of the era was also …show more content…
1120-1135, made of marble and 25 feet wide at its base depicts the souls of the deceased in line awaiting judgment from God (Kleiner, 2012). The sculpture portrays men with traveling baggage, whom are identified as pilgrims to Jerusalem who will be favored and have a place in heaven (Kleiner, 2012). The Last Judgment sculpture also portrays Christ presiding over the separation of those going to heaven and those going to hell, as well as an angel blowing a trumpet to announce the coming of the lord and another angel boosting the blessed into heaven (Kleiner, 2012). This stone sculpture is designed to frighten individuals guilty of sin to influence them toward changing their lives and finding salvation within the lord and the church (Kleiner, 2012). Gislebertus’s Last Judgment sculpture communicates both aspects of the era’s religious beliefs including the weighing of souls between demons and angels (Kleiner, 2012). Sculptures during this era presented not only beauty and portrayal of the heavens: but also that of demons and …show more content…
The sculpture is accurately placed, as with other sculptures during the Romanesque era, at the entrance of the church communicating the belief that God is the door to salvation (Kleiner, 2012). During the Romanesque era there is a great influence of medieval art which can be observed in the sculptures of beasts and demonic figures and Roman influence with barrel vaulted nave and other architectural components (Kleiner, 2012). Although stone sculpture was found throughout the architecture of churches within the Romanesque age it was more enticing and attention grabbing in the portals, columns, and