Carolingian Carolingian & Ottonian & Ottonian

Art & Art & ArchitectureArchitecture

Charlemagne• Charlemagne (“Charles the Great”) became king of the Franks in 768 (inherited from his father)• On Christmas day in 800 CE (Rome), Pope Leo III (not to be confused with the Byzantine emperor Leo III who began iconoclasm) crowned Charlemagne the first Holy (Christian) Roman Emperor.• Fittingly, Charlemagne was coronated in Old St. Peter’s basilica in Rome, built by Constantine (first Roman emperor to embrace Christianity).• Charlemagne consolidated the Frankish kingdom he inherited, and defeated the Lombards in Italy to lay claim to reviving the glory of the Roman Empire.• The word Carolingian comes from Charlemagne’s Latin name, Carolus Magnus.• Charlemagne admired classical Roman art and literature, and sought to create a classical revival.• In addition to architecture and artworks, Charlemagne sought to restore and copy many classical texts, as well as the Bible (which had been re-translated and copied so many times that the interpretation had become corrupted). • Charlemagne’s scribes developed a new, more compact form of lettering called Caroline miniscule (similar to what we use today).

The Carolingian Empire at the death of Charlemagne in 814

Equestrian Statue of CharlemagneEquestrian Statue of Charlemagne (or Charles the Bald)Metz, France, c. 800. Bronze (originally gilt), 9.5” high

• Charlemagne greatly admired Theodoric (the first Germanic ruler of Rome), and ordered an equestrian statue of Theodoric be moved from Ravenna to his capital in Aachen.• The statue of Theodoric (or the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, then believed to be of Constantine) may have been an inspiration for the bronze statuette at right of a Carolingian ruler on horseback.• Most scholars believe the image to be of Charlemagne, but it may also be his grandson, Charles the Bald.• In this statuette, the rider is proportionately larger than the horse, in order to draw the focus of the viewer to the rider.• The rider is holding an orb, representing world domination.• Instead of raising his arm in a gesture of clemency (like Marcus Aurelius), this figure appears to be proudly on parade.• Wears imperial robes and a crown, rather than a general’s cloak, although his sheathed sword is visible.

The Coronation GospelSt. Matthew, folio 15 recto of the Coronation Gospels (Gospel Book of Charlemagne)

Aachen, Germany, c. 800. Ink/tempera on vellum• Charlemagne was a sincere admirer of learning, the arts, and classical culture, and he placed a high value on books, both sacred and secular.• The classical Roman influence encouraged by Charlemagne is evidenced in the image of St. Matthew from the Coronation Gospels. • Notice how the artist has used variations of value and color to create the illusions of shadows and depth, as opposed to the flat, outlined figures in the Lindisfarne Gospels in Ireland.• Acanthus leaf border evokes Roman architecture.• The style of the chair, lectern, and clothing also evoke classical Roman styling.• The Frankish artist who painted this image clearly had studied classical Roman illustrations in books.

The Ebbo GospelSt. Matthew, folio 18 verso of the Ebbo Gospels (Gospel Book of Archbishop Ebbo of Reims)

Hautvillers, France, c. 800. Ink/tempera on vellum. • The Ebbo Gospel was a Gospel book made for the Archbishop Ebbo of Reims, France.• The artist of this illumination merged classical illusionism and the northern linear tradition.• The composition is highly energetic – Matthew (the winged man in the upper right corner identifies him) writes in frantic haste. His hair stands on end, his eyes are open wide, the folds of his drapery seem to move and ripple, and the landscape behind him rears up alive.• The focus is strongly on the figure in the foreground, as opposed to the more evenly balanced Coronation Gospels illustration.

CoronationGospels

EbboGospels

LindesfarneGospels

Book ofDurrow

Images of St. Matthew – Stylistic Comparison

CoronationGospels

Book ofDurrow

Images of St. Matthew – Stylistic Comparison

Landau Gospel

Crucifixion, front cover of the Landau GospelsSt. Gall, Switzerland, c. 870.

• Made of gold repoussé, inlaid precious stones, and pearls.• The costly materials used were to glorify the word of God and evoke heavenliness.• In the center is a youthful crucified Christ.• Above his head are personifications of the sun and moon.• In the upper right and left corners are four angels.• Immediately below Christ’s arms crouch St. John and the Virgin Mary (the bottom figures are unidentified). • The gems and pearls are attached using golden claw feet, which raises them up so that they better catch the light, and also protect the repoussé from denting.• This was made during the reign of Charlemagne’s son, Charles the Bald.

Monastic Life

Examples of cloisters

• Monastic life during Carolingian rule was affected by the “rule” written by Benedict of Nursia (St. Benedict), who founded the Benedictine Order in 529. • Benedict taught that idleness and selfishness in the clergy had lead to corruption. He believed the cure for this was communal association in an abbey under the absolute rule of an abbot or abbess. • The abbot or abbess would ensure the clergy spent each hour of the day in useful work and in sacred reading, instead of meditation or austerity, a significant change in philosophy.• This emphasis on hard work changed the negative stigma associated with manual labor (previously thought of as low-class) into a positive moral ethic (“work ethic”).• They ideal abbey or monastery was centered around a cloister (a central courtyard surrounded by a colonnaded walkway) in which only clergy was allowed. • Around the cloister were all the essential buildings for daily life: a dormitory, refectory (dining room), kitchen, storage rooms, infirmary, school, bakery, brewery, workshops, church, etc. This kept the monks separate from the public.• Because monasteries were the sole source of knowledge and literacy, they were also the only schools.

Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne, Aachen

Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne,

Aachen, Germanyc. 800 CE

• Charlemagne also encouraged the incorporation of architectural styles from Rome and Ravenna, which he visited often.• Charlemagne’s Palatine Chapel is based on San Vitale (he even imported some porphyry columns from Ravenna for it). • The architect (unknown) of the Palatine Chapel omitted the exedrae of San Vitale, replacing them instead with arcades.• They also directly aligned the atrium and entrance with the altar.• One of the most significant innovations on the Palatine Chapel was the addition of two cylindrical towers with spiral staircases on both sides of the entrance. This was the first step toward the great dual tower facades of western European churches from the 10th century to the present.

(San Vitale)

Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne, Aachen

Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne,

Aachen, Germanyc. 800 CE• On the second level, across from the altar, was imperial gallery,

from which Charlemagne could look down upon the altar from a marble throne. • From his gallery, Charlemagne could also walk outside to a balcony (on top of the entrance portal), to address the people in the atrium below.

Ottonian Art• After Charlemagne’s death in 814, his empire quickly dissolved. His successors fought amongst themselves, and eventually signed an agreement (the Treaty of Verdun) to split the Carolingian empire into three sections (see map). • Once divided into smaller, weaker sections, they were less effectual in fending off invaders (such as Vikings to the northwest and Saracen Muslims along the Mediterranean). • Within about thirty years, the Carolingian rule was over.• In the mid-10th century, the eastern part of the former empoire consolidated under the rule of a new Saxon line of German emperors called the Ottonians. • The Pope crowned the first Otto (r. 936 – 973) in Rome, and Otto assumed the title Emperor of Rome.• The Ottonian line ended in 1024 with the death of Henry II.• The Ottonians preserved and continued the Carolingian culture and traditions.• They also lead a great monastic reform in the 10th century to combat the disorganization and corruption that had been happening in the Church.

St. Michael’s

St. Michael’sHildesheim, Germany,

c. 1000

• Beginning in the late Carolingian era, and continuing through the Ottonian era, favor shifted toward basilica plan churches instead of central plan churches. One such example is St. Michael’s, a church patronized by Bishop Bernward.• Bishop Bernward was the tutor of Otto III, and was a eager scholar, lover of the arts, and an expert craftsman and bronze-caster. He made St. Michael’s into a center of learning.• Bishop Bernward accompanied Otto III on a trip to Rome, and studied the ancient Roman architecture while there.• Although fundamentally a basilica-plan church, St. Michael’s has a number of unusual additions. It features:-A double-transept plan-Six towers-A westwork (a type of façade in which a pair of towers flanks either side of the entrance, usually on the west side)-Lateral (side) entrances from the north and south-Double apses (one at each end)

(This is not St. Michael’s.Its just an example

of a westwork.)

Bronze Doors of St. Michael’s Bronze Doors of St. Michael’sHildesheim, GermanyBronze, 15’ 6” high

• Possibly inspired by the carved wooden doors of Santa Sabina. • Each door was cast as one solid object.• The doors are not the main front doors, but rather are located in the entrance from the cloister to the church, so the monks see them every time they enter.• The left door panels depict highlights from Genesis, beginning with the Creation of Eve (at the top) and ending with the murder of Adam and Eve’s son Abel by his brother, Cain (bottom).• The right door panels depict the life of Jesus (reading from the bottom up), starting with the Annunciation at the bottom and terminating with the appearance to Mary Magdalene of Christ after his resurrection.• Together, the doors tell the story of original sin and ultimate redemption, showing the expulsion from the Garden of Eden and the path back to Paradise through the Church.

Bronze Doors of St. Michael’sHildesheim, GermanyBronze, 15’ 6” high

Column of St. Michael’sColumn of St. Michael’s

Hildesheim, Germany

• Also known as Bernward’s Column, as it was ordered by Bishop Bernward.• Depicts 28 scenes from Christ’s life (read from bottom to top).• Probably influenced by Trajan’s column.

Gero Crucifix• During the Ottonian period, free-standing statuary (which had been exceedingly rare for the previous 500 years) revived. • This cross, commissioned by Archbishop Gero, is a rare example of large-scale statuary from the period.• Materials: carved in oak, then painted and gilded• Functions as both a statue and a reliquary, as there was a compartment in the back of the head for the bread of the Eucharist.• According to one story, a crack developed in the wood which then miraculously healed.• This depiction of Christ is different from the youthful, powerful Christ of the gold cover of the Landau gospels. • This depiction is more similar to the bearded, suffering Christ of the Byzantines (whom the Ottonians were symbolically allied with through the marriage of Otto II to the Byzantine princess Theophanu). • The halo behind his head my foretell his later resurrection.

Gero CrucifixCologne Cathedral,Cologne, Germany

c. 1000Painted woodFigure is 6’ 2”