Comparison of Romanesque Angouleme Cathedral and Gothic Amiens Research Paper

Comparison of Romanesque Angouleme Cathedral and Gothic Amiens Cathedral - Research Paper Example Angouleme illustrates the ideal 12th century renaissance that was typical throughout the western countries, and this influenced lateral derivation of the Romanesque artistic work from the antique. The cathedral was built under Bishop Gerald and represented the Pope’s authority; mainly in the archdiocese of Bordeaux, Auch, Tours, and Bourages (Tcherikover, 62). It was a symbol of or an instrument of control by the reform Papacy of the late eleventh century, and went beyond to Gerald’s time. This made the cathedral to represent the temporary rise of a secondary provincial cathedral due to the specific conditions available in the reform period. On the other hand, the Gothic cathedral of Amiens was built between 1220- 1269 and was built after the destruction of the old cathedral in 1218; with the nave chapels, west towers and the central steeple being built later on (Murray,12). Being governed by the commune Notre Dame, the cathedral was the seat of the bishop and was a spe cial center for the chapter of forty canons. As Murray (111) elaborates, the construction of the Cathedral of Amiens was contentious, with designs being altered and this made the cathedral to be built in several sessions, with the last being in 1269 when the cathedral was competed. The Romanesque architecture was derogatory term since the building of the Romanesque periods had elements and style that reflected the Roman culture. Hamlin (237) argues that the transition was not a smooth one, and there was thin line between the transition periods. However, the Romanesque architecture had created much ecclesiastical architecture in hick they imposed on believers in these cathedrals. Some architects in this age and especially Germans, the French and the Britons designed new approaches that slowly combined the Romanesque architecture into their cathedrals, but left some to include new design approaches. As Hamlin (237) argues, though many preferred the traditional Romanesque style, the ne w form slowly crept in as features were either omitted or changes were affected to the Romanesque style, and with time each cathedral was built in the new Gothic approach and this marked the transition from the Romanesque style into the Gothic style of architecture. Incidentally, the Notre Dame or Cathedral of Amiens was allowed to be constructed fully using the new gothic artistic work (Cecile, 41). The two cathedrals will hereby be compared to portray the difference in design and the decorations that include the sculptural works. Comparing the two cathedrals in design and decorations, the Angouleme cathedral portrays decorations that make the cathedral more spiritualistic, while the Amiens cathedral has more individualized designs and decorations that portray creativity and a move to modernity in architectural work. Design i. Arcs and naves As Davies (1998) argues, the remarkable feature that makes the cathedral of Amiens different from the cathedral of Angouleme and as a complete gothic artistic work was the design. Davis further elaborates that the cathedral’s complex grandeur in forms, spaces stone figures and the lifelike shapes makes the cathedral to portray an experience that embraced both the future and the past in its design. Cecile (42) further argues that the Cathedral of