Monthly Archives: December 2015
Malwiya Minaret of the Great Mosque
Date: 848-852 Material: brick Location: Samarra, Iraq This minaret is a representation of what is thought to be a Roman version of a lighthouse. It is several stories high with a spiral ramp increasing in slope the higher it gets. … Continue reading
Odo of Metz / Palatine Chapel
From 792 to 805 A.D. the Odo of Metz was in the process of becoming one of the world’s oldest and most awe-inspiring pieces of architect. From its’ 8 sided lobby to its low hanging chandelier, Eudes of Metz perfected … Continue reading
Baptistery of San Giovanni
Florence was an important city during the Romanesque period, and the flagship piece of architecture of Florentine Romanesque style is the Baptistry of San Giovanni. The building was dedicated to the city’s patron saint by the then Pope Nicholas II. … Continue reading
High Cross of Muiredach
High Cross of Muiredach, Monasterboice, County Louth, Ireland, 923. Approximately 16 ft high. The High Cross of Muiredach is a late representative of the standard of the form of sculpture. The form of the pillar consists of four sloped sides … Continue reading
Lindisfarne Gospel: Carpet Page
This ornate page, inscribed by Northumbrian monks on the island of Lindisfarne, is a prime example of the overlap of Christian and pagan imagery in northwestern Europe: here, a cross is decorated with the animal-interlace pattern characteristic of pagan cultures. … Continue reading
Last Judgment – Tympanum of Saint-Lazare
The Last Judgement is above the main portal to the Cathedral of Saint-Lazare in Autun France by the French Romanesque sculptor Gislebertus. The carving was created in the mid 12th century and it depicts Christ … Continue reading
Adam and Eve after the Fall (c.1015)
This piece of art is a panel from a bronze door that was commissioned for the church of Hildesheim, in Germany. The left door contains panels with depictions of the old testament, and the right door depicts stories from the … Continue reading
Animal -head
Animal head from Oseburg, Norway- Viking Ship Museum Oslo, Norway- 834 A.D. From 793 until the mid-eleventh century, Vikings were the terror of western Europe. One can imagine how far they could voyage using their fast, enormous ships and boats. … Continue reading
Justinian as world conqueror
This mid-sixth century piece of art that stands proudly in Louvre, Paris, shows Justinian the world conqueror riding his loyal horse as he is engraved in a 1′ x 1 1/2″ x 10 1/2″ slate of ivory. Justinian’s power is shown through this … Continue reading
Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy
The Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna dates back from the mid-6th century. This building arguably holds the best mosaics in the western world. All over the walls glistening in green and gold, mosaics of apostles, disciples, othe saints, Angels, … Continue reading
History of Western Art & Music 