Interior Design in Romanesque Style

Aesthetics of the Renaissance grew out of aesthetics and art of the Middle Ages. Medieval aesthetics is deeply theological, all the basic aesthetic concepts find their completion in God. For the aesthetics of the early Middle Ages is characterized by the influence of Aurelius Augustine (354-430). He clearly felt the beauty of the earth, the sensitive world, but at the same time, already being a Christian, was aware of the fact that a visible beauty has many differentiations than the beauty of the divine. Augustine drew attention to the relation of beauty and ugliness. Beauty for him always identified with the form. The beauty was a complete unity for him. The concept of unity that came to him from the Neo-Platonism, was replaced by Manichaeism in his enthusiasm, and became the basis of his aesthetics. In addition to the unity Augustine combined the concept of proportionality with beauty and order. Augustine drew attention to a proper aesthetic problem, as the distinction between visual and audio-visual arts (the composition “On Music”). The most interesting theory about rhythm that belongs to him is one of the most important aesthetic categories.

Architecture had the dominant role in the Romanesque style. As if responding to the views of the Church Fathers – the opponents of luxury facilities of this style (castles and temples) were strict and devoid of any frills. Everything was submitted to a harsh reality. The stone buildings in the period of civil strife played the role of fortresses. These buildings have solid walls, narrow windows, tall towers (for observing the approaching enemy). The main types of buildings were the knight’s castle, the monastery, the temple. Castles were built on high hills, the slopes of the rivers, enclosed with the wall and a moat. They contrasted unpretentious dwellings of the peasants. Locks are always built in places that were suitable for protection. Since the main concern was strength and solidity of the building, their architecture was not particularly elegant and tasteful. Normally castles consisted of large circular towers with serrated platforms, sometimes rectangular towers were made to put huge stones that were used for Belvedere (Belvedere was a tower overlooking the surrounding countryside, or the name of some court buildings). The towers were an integral identity of any of the castle and had a special sign of nobility. J.J. Roy, in his “History of chivalry” mentioned that when they wanted to emphasize the grandeur of a nobleman, they said: “He has a tower” cogged galleries joined the castle tower with each other, and they were with various windows. The thickness of the walls and parapet can be judged by their embrasures. The windows were not only round and square, but also took the form of eyes, ears, or trefoil. Shutters made of canvas. The entrance of the castle was defended by palisades, ditches, turrets and battlements on the walls. Everything in the castles was inspiring fear. It’s not by accident that many legends were composed about the castles. Roy notes that the locks would suggest that the people of this period enjoyed all the massive and overwhelming, that they didn’t have the slightest taste of the elegance. The monastery church, along with the castle is of Romanesque architecture. Romanesque churches were also very massive. Monastery in these centuries was the center of life. Master-craftsmen were working here, many pilgrims flocked here. Therefore, one of the main tasks of the architect of Romanesque style was a task to create a repository of the congregation, rather than dwelling of the Divine, which was important in antiquity. The construction of the temple dates back to the early Christian churches (Byzantine basilica): 1. The central nave and two on each side. 2. Cross aisle – transept.3. At the intersection of the central nave and transept, the tower was stood, but not the dome. 4. The western facade decorated with towers. 5. The eastern part was apse (decoration).

In an era of Romanesque art various types of painting developed: miniatures, mural painting, stained glass was developed. Portrait miniature was mostly represented in the art of miniatures in this period that had the meaning – a book doesn’t think without pictures. Monumental painting was developed as well. Unfortunately, that painting barely survived. It wore mostly didactic in nature and was closely connected with architecture: played an important role in organizing the interior of the cathedral. The subjects of Romanesque monumental painting were biblical.