The Romanesque style

The Romanesque Style

The Romanesque style is a form of art that dates back to ancient times in places like Italy, and it entails the construction of distinctive buildings with elements that express the beliefs of the local communities. Additionally, Romanesque art includes the creation of buildings with windows and entrances in the shape of domes to support the roof constructions. An analysis of buildings with Romanesque-style architecture reveals that the builders preferred to utilize wood in the construction of the ceilings since they lacked the necessary abilities to bridge stones. Romanesque structures also featured sculptures that portrayed important historical moments in the culture. One of the reasons why viewers are interested in the Romanesque style is the manner in which the art represents the religious beliefs of some personalities in the society. In particular, the Christian community uses the Romanesque art to portray the events that occurred during the times of Christ or the predictions of the activities that will happen in the future (Hillerbrand 329). A typical example of the manner in which people use the Romanesque art is in the tympanum portal, an innovation that has a significant representation of the religious beliefs. An examination of the tympanum portal indicates that it depicts the images of Jesus, Peter, Adam and Eve, Satan and some personalities who are undergoing judgment. The nature of images that tympanum depicts significantly manifests the beliefs that Christians exhibit concerning the activities that will happen in the future (Hillerbrand 329). Therefore, it is evident from the tympanum portal that the Romanesque architecture is essential for the viewers as it provides opportunities for representing the beliefs that people have concerning the future events.

Interpreting Faith and God’s Guidance

Viewers are also interested in the Romanesque styles because the art provides them with the opportunities to interpret their faith in the activities that God undertakes in the society (Harries “God’s Guidance”). One of the major Romanesque styles that significantly indicate the beliefs of the Christians is Gislebertus’ epiphany of ‘an angel appears to the three kings in a dream,’ which depicts the images of the wise men and the guiding star. According to Harries (“God’s Guidance”), the curving above is a work of art that significantly aids in the interpretation of God’s work in the lives of the humankind. One of the themes that are evident from the epiphany by Gislebertus is that God guides the ways of humanity. In particular, the presence of a star in the epiphany ‘An angel appears to the three kings in a dream’ is an indication that God uses various symbols to direct the ways of the Christians and ensure that people attain their goals. However, the attainment of the goals that one has requires that an individual exhibits adequate faith in the Lord.

God’s Communication with Humankind

The Romanesque style such as Gislebertus’ ‘Angel appears to the three kings in a dream’ also shows the religious practitioners that God works through various means to communicate with humankind. For instance, God can use dreams to reveal the secrets and offer directions to the humanity thus improve his relationships with the latter. Besides, the Gislebertus’ epiphany described above helps the viewers in understanding that the Holy Spirit works through humans’ unconscious elements such as dreams. Therefore, from Gislebertus’ epiphany, it is deducible that God is a unique figure that supersedes the comprehension of humankind (Harries “God’s Guidance”).

Depiction of Historical and Biblical Events

An examination of the Benedetto Antelami’s deposition, which is a representation of Romanesque style, also exhibits the manner in which people perceive the historical and biblical events. Notably, the art mentioned above depicts an image of a marriage that occurs between Christ and the church (Gardner & Fred 357). The Benedetto’s deposition has a picture of a female figure that carries a banner of victory and a chalice thereby showing the commitment of the Christ to serve humanity. Through the deposition described above Christians deduce that it is necessary to help others and make changes in people’ lives in a manner, which is similar to Jesus’ practices. Besides, the Antelami’s deposition reinforces the viewers’ perceptions of the need to love and care for other personalities in the society. Therefore, it is evident that there are significant connections between the Romanesque style and the religious beliefs that people exhibit.

Perceptions of Romanesque Style

The perceptions that religious personalities hold towards the use of Romanesque technique significantly differ with the views of other figures in the society. Precisely, some people perceive the Romanesque styles as one of the strategies that an architect can use to enhance the aesthetic value of a building. The unique features of the carvings that develop from the use of Romanesque techniques are attractive thus increasing the interest of the viewers in the premises. A majority of the buildings that use the Romanesque methods are churches, which need to be decent and show the appreciation humankind exhibits towards the kindness of the Lord. In summary, an analysis of the Romanesque technique indicates that the style significantly serves to depict the religious beliefs that people exhibit.

Works Cited

Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardner’s Art through the Ages: The Western Perspective. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2014. Print.

Harries, Richard. “God’s Guidance.” Artway visual mediation, 2013.Web. 7th Oct. 2017.

Hillerbrand, Hans J. A New History of Christianity. , 2012. Internet resource.