Week Five - Romanesque/Islamic

                                                                Romanesque Period

   The Romanesque Period began around 800 AD when Charles the Great, also known as Charlemagne, was crowned emperor of the Roman Empire. During this period, Charles the Great encouraged lots of learning by building schools and preserving Roman literature. He also encouraged the arts and building using the technology of Roman structures. Before 1000 AD, little architecture was built, but as the religious movement grew, the construction of churches began. There wasn’t much of a focus on furniture at this point in time, but more on the architecture and design aspect of buildings. Churches were a very large part of the Romanesque period. Some of their typical features included semicircle arches and vaults. The main floorplan of the churches came from the Early Christian basilicas. This included things like the nave, which is the central aisle where the congregation sits. Pieces like the nave, apse, and transept were slightly changed to provide better space. A side chapel was also added in the wider transept. The Romanesque churches also had other advancements like vaulted structures, multiple aisles, and better illumination. They grew larger to allow more worshippers and added things like choirs. The roofs were masonry and not wood, and the walls were usually painted blues, greens, purples, and gold. The churches were also filled with rich tapestries and beautiful sculptures. There were three main types of churches: The Urban Pilgrimage, Rural Monasteries, and Modest Parish Churches. One famous Romanesque church was the Pisa Baptistery in Pisa, Italy. It has three free-standing buildings: a cross-shaped cathedral, a cylindrical baptistery, and a tall campanile (which is better known today as the Leaning Tower of Pisa). 

Another example is the Cluny Abbey in Burgundy, France. This is known as the most famous Abbey during that time. It spread Romanesque design all around the world. It contained stone carvings and a sculpture of Christ draped in swirled clothing teaching to the people. 

A Romanesque Tympanum

   The Romanesque period was also known for its residential design. Their homes were made of wood, mud, and twigs with dirt floors. This provided little light and little warmth. They were often dark and wet. Many did not survive because of the wood structure of the houses. The nobility at this time lived in castles made of stone. 

Islamic Design

   Islamic religion is the foundation of Islamic design and Mohammed is the leader of the Islamic religion. Mohammed lived from 570 to 632 CE. Although Islamic design was in Africa, Europe, and Asia, there was a great variety of the design depending on each region. One of the most famous Islamic designs is the mosque. The first Mosque was Mohammed’s farm and was a prototype for all of the mosques to come. It contained a perimeter wall, a covered hall with columns, and a courtyard. The mosques were very important to the people because they were where many people came to pray to God facing Mecca. One famous Mosque is the Great Mosque of Kairouan. It was located in Tunisia North Africa and contains a beautiful prayer hall.

Prayer Hall of the Great Mosque of Kairouan

Another famous mosque was the Mosque of Sultan Ahmed. It is also known as the Blue Mosque. It has one main dome, six minarets, and eight secondary domes. It also contains patterns in architecture that were seen in textiles like carpets. It contained over 20,000 handmade tiles and over 50 different tulip designs. It had 200 stained glass windows and the walls were beautiful designs like carpets. The decoration in the mosque was mainly geometric and didn’t represent something specific like other mosques did.

   The Alhambra is a large palace and fortress in Granada, Spain. It was built by Ibn Ahmar. It has a lot of Arabesque design which includes Acanthus leaves and vines. The building’s most notable features are the muqarnas-filled arches and domes found throughout the palace.

This is my favorite picture from the Alhambra. I think it is so beautiful and it reminds me of a mandala which is a design concept I love. 

Current Applications:

These pictures are both from Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. They both include Romanesque designs on the ceilings. I personally love ceiling designs. I think it is a part of buildings that often gets overlooked. Many buildings have plain ceilings and only include designs on the walls. Adding designs to the ceiling of a building adds so much more character and interest. 

These are both current stone sculptures. Although stone carvings and sculptures are not as common as they were in the Romanesque period, they are still seen today. I think that stone sculptures are very beautiful and unique. 

One Step Further:

Kelly Wearstler is a very well-known American interior designer. She was born on November 21, 1967, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Her father was an engineer and her mother was an antique dealer. Both of their eyes for design caused her to love design as well. She started out studying fashion design, but later studied interior and graphic design at Massachusetts College of Art. She started out mainly designing hotels, but today her business has grown into residential, commercial, and retail design. She has designed for many famous celebrities and has even judged designs for various competitions. She has written five books and begun releasing her own furniture and lighting fixtures. She has won numerous awards for her designs.

Extra Links:

-The Leaning Tower of Pisa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ-r8a9C4fE

-The Exquisite Alhambra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEseJViidy8