11 Dec 2008
Romanesque Ornaments
I mentioned that one of the features of the Chapter Church in Quedlinburg is the decorative frieze that runs around the main nave. It does so on the outside as well. I got a good view at a piece of it from a window of the abbesses' Renaissance palace that today houses a museum.
Frieze on the main nave of Quedlinburg Cathedral
It is an architectural element that found its way from Italy into German buildings. While in Königslutter the monsters and figures are restricted to the apsis, and the other parts of the frieze (they can be seen on these photos) are merely patterned, Quedlinburg Cathedral shows a mix of monsters and ornaments all the way on the outside - the interior frieze has no monsters, though.
Frieze detail, showing some monsters and animals (partly restored)
Not all Romanesque churches have such friezes (the Weser abbey churches of Lippoldsberg and Bursfelde don't) whereas others take the ornaments a step further, like the Imperial Cathedral in Speyer with its decorative arcades running around the entire building. ¶ December 11, 2008
I mentioned that one of the features of the Chapter Church in Quedlinburg is the decorative frieze that runs around the main nave. It does so on the outside as well. I got a good view at a piece of it from a window of the abbesses' Renaissance palace that today houses a museum.
It is an architectural element that found its way from Italy into German buildings. While in Königslutter the monsters and figures are restricted to the apsis, and the other parts of the frieze (they can be seen on these photos) are merely patterned, Quedlinburg Cathedral shows a mix of monsters and ornaments all the way on the outside - the interior frieze has no monsters, though.
Not all Romanesque churches have such friezes (the Weser abbey churches of Lippoldsberg and Bursfelde don't) whereas others take the ornaments a step further, like the Imperial Cathedral in Speyer with its decorative arcades running around the entire building. ¶ December 11, 2008
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Those are really cool. You knew this of course, which is why you photographed them, but I'm glad you did.
# posted by 
: December 12, 2008
: December 12, 2008
Thank you, Jonathan. Yes,I'm always on the look out for cool monsters, though it's sometimes difficult to catch a decent shot inside those dimly lit churches. Outside ornaments and the cloisters are better hunting grounds. :)
Thanks, Alianore and Carla. They're fun, aren't they?
Thanks, Alianore and Carla. They're fun, aren't they?
Shelley, they did in on the margins of manuscripts, too. Weird sense of humour, maybe. Look at that discussion between Willian and Jorge in The Name of the Rose.
Thank you, Barbara and Stag. I hope that one's not a plotbunny. :)
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Thank you, Barbara and Stag. I hope that one's not a plotbunny. :)
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