Romanesque Art

Rating:
Summary: Good material for the modern audience
Review: Romanesque Art by Andreas Petzold

It is worth emphasixing that the photographs are great. There are 165 pages but 121 color photographs. The interiors of cathedrals are well lit, the colors of the manuscripts are vibrant and gold is imperial, particularly the photograph of the Stavelot Triptych. But this is not just a picture book. The text flows easily and is well written. Rather than discuss the Romanesque era in terms of chronology, or regional variants, or in terms of modes of expression, the author chose a thematic approach. Although one may disagree with the particular themes chosen or the space devoted to any given theme, the organization is refreshing. As a general reader I appreciate the map and timeline as well.

For example, the first chapter is " The Romanesque Artist and the Patronage of the Arts". The Romanesque era was not driven by individual artists driven by personal expression, but as acknowledged by the author, by anonymous artists motivated by the glory of God. It is one thing to assert as does the author that it is a myth to claim that the Romanesque artist "left no trace of their identity" it is another to overly emphasize the force of the individual artist. Yes, certain individuals like Roger of Helmarshausen, and Master Hugo deserve mention in any discussion of this period, but to suggest they were the rule rather than the exception is misleading. The author seems to forget that the Middle Ages was a period when the influence of Christianity was pervasive. It was consistent for a Christian artist to strive solely for religious expression and subjugate any sense of personal expression. Indeed, this attitude survived even into The Baroque era with artists such as Bach. Just because we may have learned the identity or a little more information of the previously anonymous artists doesn't change the fundamental world view of the Romanesque world and its artists.

Another chapter is "Woman and Romanesque Art". The fact is that the Middle Ages provided few opportunities for women either as patrons or artists and to suggest otherwise skews the understanding of the period of time between 1050-1200. It leaves an impression that women were more influential than they really were and this is a disservice. In order complete the chapter the author includes a discussion of iconography of women. Specifically there is an examination of the depiction and representation of Eve, Mary and Mary Magdalen. The discussion of the Virgin Mary was particularly informative. The evolution from the mother of Jesus as a supporting figure in the nativity scene to a central role as Queen of Heaven was particularly good. Another example of the blatant appeal to modern multi-cultural thinking is the chapter "Romanesque Art and Alien Cultures". Classical Rome, Byzantium, Islam and Jewish culture are covered. No mention is made of the Eastern cultures beyond Constantinople. Since the author's introduction deals with the heritage of antiquity & Islam I am not sure why it was necessary to include it again in this chapter. Perhaps the author could have discussed the Persian culture instead. It also appears that the main reason Jewish culture was mentioned was to remind us that the poisonous anti Semitism that was prevalent during this time also was reflected in the visual arts of the time. Incidentally general readers who are interested in this topic and particularly the Cloisters Cross might want to read Thomas Hovings King of the Confessors

Finally the last chapter "The Legacy of the Romanesque" was disappointing. No one would appreciate the legacy of Romanesque architecture if they just read that chapter. I am sure more could have been said other than the influence on the Fauves.

There is nothing in this book that should not have been said. My objection is that some of these topics would have been better addressed in a more comprehensive treatment of the era. Devoting so much attention to them in a short (165 pages with a lot of pictures) means more fundamental aspects are overlooked. I thought more space should have been devoted to Romanesque architecture and how it influenced the other visual arts. In fairness to the author I realized the practical need to appeal to a modern audience and to distinguish one book from much that has been written before. Although the title gives one the impression that this would be a survey of the period it is not. In fairness to the author I note that it is from a "A Perspectives book from Abrams" and I was unfamiliar with the series. In essence this is full of good material repackaged for modern sensibilities.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully written, amazing photography!
Review: Some of his concepts are a bit revisionist but it is a volume which is well written and looks to many of the more 90's issues in art history (ie: women in the middle ages as art makers or directors of artistsans). He takes you though the eyes of teh people who lived in the era and writes in a manner than is easy to follow. I was introduced to this book via my Medevial art class and have added the Gothic and Byzantine volumes to my collection. The images are are superior to most academicly oriented texts on art. It was a joy to read.