Artistic Italy

 

Architecture of a Romanesque style also developed simultaneously in the north of Italy, parts of France and in the Iberian Peninsula in the 10th century and prior to the later influence of the Abbey of Cluny. 
Romanesque architecture was the first distinctive style to spread across Europe since the Roman Empire.
With the decline of Rome, Roman building methods survived to an extent in Western Europe, where successive Merovingian, Carolingian and Ottonian architects continued to build large stone buildings such as monastery churches and palaces.
 

 

The architecture of late antiquity (or early Christian) and the first centuries of the Middle Ages remained substantially faithful to the Roman tradition. 
 

 

The form, structure and decoration of churches and baptisteries (whether basilica or centrally planned) mostly derived from the adaptation of ancient buildings to the needs and customs of the new religion.
 

...and Ravenna, an important centre in the development of early Christian and early medieval art. Ravenna became the capital of the Western Empire in 402 AD and witnessed the construction of many buildings in keeping with this role, including the Battistero degli Ortodossi (or Neoniano), the basilica of St. Apollinare Nuovo, St Vitale and St Apollinare  in Classe and the mausoleums of Galla Piacidia and Theodoric. 

The style which became known as "Romanesque" developed initially in northern Italy from the end of the 11th century, with great achievements like the basilica of St. Ambrogio in Milano (the archetype of this style), St. Michele in Pavia, the cathedral and baptistery in Cremona, the cathedrals of Modena, Parma, Piacenza and Ferrara and St. Zeno in Verona.

Romanesque churches and abbeys are found everywhere, in the historic centres of cities and in the countryside.They are a characteristic feature of the Italian landscape.

Typical elements of the style are rose windows, ribs, cross vaults and rows of hanging arches.
Sculpture also played a mayor role in decoration; it was viewed as an integral part of the overall architectural project and often the architect and the sculptor are one and the same person.

 

 

 

Benedetto Antelami worked at the turn of the 12th century, in the period of transition between Romanesque and Gothic.
He made elegant and strikingly realistic sculptures influencing the work going on in Cremona, Venice and Vercelli.
Apulian cathedral (Trani, Molfetta) are also filled with superb Romanesque sculpture.
 

Painting and Mosaics 

Italian painting was dominated by the Byzantine tradition for the whole period between the fall of the Roman Empire and 1200.
Portrayal tended to become precious, elegant and highly stylized while realistic imitation of nature became increasingly rare.
Wall painting are almost the only ones which have survived from this period.
 

 

The magnificent mosaic cycles in Ravenna (St. Vitale, St Apollinare), in Sicily (Palermo, Cefalu' and Monreale), in Venice (St. Marco) and Florence (Baptistry) often date from different periods but, despite the fact that they sometimes have a decidedly original features, they are a demonstration of the long domination and the continuing vitality of Byzantine culture.

 

 

Milano-Basilica Sant'Ambrogio



Bari - Apulia  - The Cathedral



Cividale - Friuli - Lombard Tempietto
 


The Gospel according to Bonanno Pisano
​Bronze door - Monreale - Sicily 



Ravenna Mosaics


     

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Places you might consider visiting
if you are in the vicinity

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Lombardia


  Veneto


 

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​Emilia Romagna


   

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Toscana


 

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Umbria 


 

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Lazio


 

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Abruzzo


 

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Campania


 

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Puglia


 

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Sicilia

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Sardegna