Lecture 5- Romanesque and Gothic Art

Romanesque Era (c. 1000–1150)

• Following centuries of instability, the 11th century brought renewed order to Europe.

• The Capetian dynasty (founded under Hugh Capet in 987) rose in France; in England, the Norman Conquest (1066) spread Romanesque architecture.

• Feudalism became the dominant political and social structure:

  • Land was exchanged for service and loyalty.

  • Society was organized hierarchically: kings at the top, followed by nobles, knights, free peasants, artisans, and serfs.

• The economy was rural, based on manors and agriculture.

• Art and architecture were centered on monasteries and pilgrimage churches.

• Romanesque churches were massive, with thick walls, rounded arches, and small windows—built to last and to teach faith through sculptural storytelling since most of the population (except some nobility and clergy) were illiterate.

Gothic Era (c. 1150–1400)

• As trade revived, towns grew, and feudalism declined, power shifted to monarchs and the Church in cities.

• The Gothic style began in France with the renovation of Saint-Denis under Abbot Suger.

• The focus moved from monasteries to cathedrals, which served as religious, cultural, and civic centers.

• Architecture emphasized height, light, and spiritual transcendence:

  • Key features: pointed arches, ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, and large stained glass windows.

• The Gothic period reflects a more urban and visionary worldview, blending religion, politics, and intellectual revival.