Notre Dame Cathedral and St. Peter's Basilica

Catholics around the world usually recognize two architectural landmarks in Europe; these are the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and St. Peter’s Basilica within the Vatican City in Rome. They each have their own architectural style; one is Early Gothic and the other is Renaissance and Baroque. Even though they differ in style, they are both excellent examples of living art museums.

Bishop Maurice de Sully started the construction of Notre Dame in 1163 after ordering the original Cathedral to be demolished. The Cathedral was to be built in the new gothic style and had to reflect Paris's status as the capital of the Kingdom France. It was the first cathedral built on a monumental scale and became the prototype for future cathedrals in France. It took until 1345 before the cathedral was completed, partly because the design was enlarged during construction. The result is an overwhelming building, 128m long with two 69 meter tall towers (420 x 226 ft).

While the reconstruction of Notre Dame took almost two hundred years, St. Peter’s Basilica took about one hundred years. The reconstruction begun under Pope Julius II in 1506 and it was completed in 1615 under Paul V. Emperor Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, ordered to build the original basilica on Vatican Hill. The location was symbolic: this was the place where Saint Peter, the chief apostle, was buried in 64 A.D. A small shrine already existed on the site but it was now replaced by a new building church completed around 349 A.D.

In terms of the arts, Notre Dame and St. Peter’s Basilica have original designs which make them stand out in the art world. Notre Dame is one of the best-known Gothic cathedrals in the world. It was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress, even though it was an accidental creation to support the outside walls as the stress fractures began to occur and the walls pushed outward. Notre Dame is also known for its beautiful stained glass windows, especially the “rose" window made in the 13^th century used to tell bible stories. Although Notre Dame is considered a Gothic structure, it incorporates remnants of the earlier Romanesque style.

At the same time, the interior of St. Peter's Basilica is filled with many masterpieces of Renaissance and Baroque art. Among them is Michelangelo’s work. He served as main architect for a while, designed the dome, as well as the famous frescos on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Bernini designed the great St. Peter's Square that is outlined by a monumental colonnade and its open arms symbolically welcome the world into the Catholic Church. At the same time Bernini also designed the famous baldacchino, which is a monumental canopy that shelters the papal altar and the holy relics of St. Peter.

Even though these have been masterpieces some people have not respected them as they should have. In the right aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica, the first major sight is Michelangelo's beautiful Pietà that he completed when he was just 24. After it was vandalized with an axe in 1972, the sculpture was placed behind protective glass. However, just like in St. Peter’s Basilica, Notre Dame’s art has also suffered. During the French Revolution, many of the cathedral's sculptures, gargoyles and interior was removed or demolished. Even the gallery of Kings was severely damaged. It wasn't until the 19th century before the Cathedral was fully restored by a Parisian architect, Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. It was restored again between 1991 and 2001.

Overall, these two famous worldwide Catholic landmarks, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and St. Peter’s Basilica within in the Vatican City in Rome, continue to store Early Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque art. Even though each building has undergone vandalism and reconstructions, much of the art has survived and continues to amaze us everyday.

Examples of Architecture

Europe is full of amazing examples of architecture. Here are some of them...

• POST & LINTEL: It is a simple construction technique, also called “post and beam”, where a horizontal member (the lintel) is supported by two vertical posts at either end. This very simple form is commonly used to support windows and doors.

St. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL, LONDON

· COFFERS: It is a sunken panel in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault.

PANTHEON, ROME

· ARCH: An arch is a structure capable of spanning a space while supporting significant weight.

EIFFEL TOWER

· PEDIMENT: It is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure (entablature), typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice mouolding. The tympanum, or triangular area within the pediment, was often decorated with sculptures and reliefs demonstrating scenes of Greek and Roman ,mythology or allegorical figures it also consisted of many bright colours suitable to the nature of the building being adorned.

PANTHEON, ROME

· BAROQUE ARCHITECTURE: Starting in the early 17^th century in Italy, it took the humanist Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical, theatrical, sculptural fashion, expressing the triumph of absolutist church and state. New architectural concerns for color, light and shade, sculptural values and intensity characterize the Baroque.

LES INVALIDES, PARIS

· DOME: A dome is a common structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere.

DUOMO, FLORENCE

· OCULUS: (plural oculi) It is the Latin word for eye and the word remains in use in certain contexts, as the name of the round opening in the top of the dome of the Pantheon in Rome and in reference to other round windows and openings.

PANTHEON, ROME

· BARREL VAULT: It is also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve (or pair of curves, in the case of a pointed barrel vault) along a given distance.

St. PETER’S BASILICA

· STAINED GLASS WINDOWS: the term stained glass refers either to the material of coloured glass or to the art and craft of working with it. Throughout its thousand-year history the term "stained glass" was applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches, cathedrals and other significant buildings.

NOTRE DAME, PARIS

· STEEL CONSTRUCTION: It is a generally hard, strong, durable, malleable alloy of iron and carbon, usually containing between 0.2 and 1.5 percent carbon.

PYRAMID DU LOUVRE

· THREE ORDERS OF COLUMNS:

COLISEUM, ROME (all 3 orders)

1- DORIC COLUMNS: They stand directly on the flat pavement (the stylobate) of a temple without a base; their vertical shafts are fluted with 20 parallel concave grooves; and they are topped by a smooth capital that flares from the column to meet a square abacus at the intersection with the horizontal beam that they carry.

COLISEUM, ROME (Bottom)

2- IONIC COLUMNS: They normally stand on a base which separates the shaft of the column from the stylobate or platform. The capital of the Ionic column has characteristic paired scrolling volutes that are laid on the molded cap ("echinus") of the column, or spring from within it.

COLISEUM, ROME (Middle)

3- CORINTHIAN ORDER: It is one of the Classical orders of Greek and Roman architecture, characterized by a slender fluted column and an ornate capital decorated with acanthus leaves and scrolls.

COLISEUM, ROME (Top)

Walking through the museum with Jean-Auguste-Dominique INGRES

As I entered the Louvre in Paris I encountered an artist which had been criticized once as a true rebel in terms of form and content. He was staring at his art work of La Grande Odalisque done in 1814, which is the one art work that had created such criticism. I approached him and said, “Raphael or David, which do like more?” He immediately turned around and said, “Raphael-no doubt!” From that moment forward we spoke for hours and he answered several questions I had as we walked around the Louvre. Here is a part of our conversation:

Apotheosis of Homer

(We walked by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’ Apotheosis of Homer, 1827)

Diana: I have noticed your different odalisques, your female nudes, are executed with great delicacy and are placed in exotic, foreign surroundings, and your "troubadour" paintings present equally romantic moments in the history of French kings. Your drawings are the most purely classical of your works. I can see in this painting (Apotheosis of Homer) how you have been greatly influenced by Raphael, especially how his School of Athens served as an inspiration for you.

School of Athens by Raphael

Ingres: Indeed it was. Raphael is my idol! Ever since I moved to Italy…

Diana: What do you mean you were not born in Italy?

Ingres: No way. I am a French painter and I did not move to Italy until I was about 26 years old.

Diana: Could you tell more about your life in France: your first art lessons, your French influences at the time and so on?
Ingres: Definitely. My father, Joseph Ingres, was actually my first art teacher. I took classes from him and then when I turned 11 years old (1791) I entered the Royal Academy of Arts in Toulouse. Then when I turned 17 years old (1797) I was awarded first prize by the Academy so I was sent to study the principles of composition and human anatomy in Paris at Jacques-Louis David’s studio. However, we had different opinions and styles that led me to look somewhere else for an inspiration. After winning the “Grand Prix de Rome” for Ambassadors of Agamemnon, I moved to Italy in 1806 and continued my studies, as required of every winner of the Prix. My interest on Raphael’s style increased and he became my idol.

Ambassadors of Agamemnon

Diana: So then you moved to Rome but did you ever come back to Paris?
Ingres: I did go back in 1824 and was celebrated throughout France after my Vow of Louis XIII was exhibited at the Salon.

Vow of Louis XIII

Diana: But I thought you had been scorned by artists and critics when you first came out with La Grande Odalisque.

La Grande Odalisque

Ingres: Yes, the combination of precise classical form and Romantic themes created some confusion and criticism when La Grande Odalisque was first exhibited in 1814. However, it all changed gradually. In 1825 I was awarded with the Cross of the Legion of Honor and then in 1826 after the publication of a lithograph of La Grande Odalisque I had become widely popular. The public suddenly perceived that my art, despite my deviations, still contained many elements that adhered to the official Neoclassicism.

Diana: So you stayed there for the rest of your life?
Ingres: No, I got outraged by the criticism of my Martyrdom of Saint Symphorien and left Paris to go to Rome again and became the Director of the French Academy of Arts in Rome (1835-1841).

Martyrdom of Saint Symphorien

Diana: So, do you think your art work should be exhibited in Italy instead of here at the Louvre?

Ingres: No, I think having my work at the Louvre in Paris is perfect. I was born in France and even though I might have spent many years in Italy this continues to be the place where it all started. It went from my studio lessons from David in here in Paris to my amazing welcome in 1841. When I came back to France, there was a great welcoming parade held in my honor and the king himself invited me to the Versailles.

Diana: That is something extraordinary. You are a superb master of physical exactness and of psychological understanding. Like Raphael influenced you, you have also influenced nineteen-century sculpture and artists such as Renoir, Degas, Modigliani, Seurat and Picasso, in their use of form and line. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, you are truly a universal artist because of your basic belief in "art for art's sake," your rich color, and your brilliant drawing abilities.

Ingres: Well thank you!

WORLD CLASS ART MUSEUM

....LOUVRE MUSEUM: PARIS....

The Louvre, one of the world's finest art museums is located in Paris, France along the Seine River. It houses many significant works of art including the "Victory of Samothrace" and Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa." Initially it was a royal fortress and many years later turned into a palace for Philip II, King of France. The halls of the building were so big that the king and his son use to ride on horseback, galloping in and out of its many hallways.
The Louvre is a tremendous compound of buildings constructed in Paris over a span of three hundred years. It has been constantly enlarged and decorated by French kings. Since 1848 when it became the holdings of the state, the Louvre has continued to broaden its collection. Many people leave valuable items through a generous gift or bequest. In 1981 President Francois Mitterrand brought forth a new plan called the "Le Grand Louvre" project. This project included an extension and the complete remodeling of the museum. Today, the illustrious Pei glass pyramid marks the new entry to the museum.

MONA LISA by da Vinci

THE WEDDING FEAST AT CANA by Caliari

RAFT OF THE MEDUSA by Gericault

LIBERTY LEADING THE PEOPLE by Delacroix

OATH OF THE ORATII by Jacques-Louis David

GRANDE ODALISQUE by Ingres: The reclining nude figure resembles Titian's figure, but it is giving her back to the viewer rather than facing them. Her head is turned towards the viewer keeping eye contact. The CONTRAST of the pale COLOR on her body with the darker background colors creates a strong emphasis on the woman. The LIGHT shines all over the form or POSITIVE SPACE, especially on her back. This elongated SHAPE seems to be out of proportion with a longer back and smaller feet. It is composed of soft curved LINES in a SPACE that is diagonally composed. Overall is it a nice COMPOSITION that conveys an exotic setting and far off places as the satins next to her might suggest.

Principles and Elements of Design

· Leonardo da Vinci' Virgin of the Rocks broadened the COMPOSITION from a triangle to a pyramid

· Michelangelo's David exemplifies the idea of contrapposto, or the appearance of WEIGHT shifting in sculpture by the depiction of counter-positioning.




· Caravaggio's Conversion of Saint Paul is a great example of his famous stark use of LIGHTs and darks (Dark manner/Tenebrism)




· Titian's Venus of Urbino uses COLOR to organize the placement of forms

· Bernini's David seems to be moving through time and SPACE

· Monet's Impression: Sunrise uses a series of horizontal LINES on the water that represent the waves as well as the shadows and reflections on the water. There are also vertical and diagonal ones in the background.

· In Manet's Le Dejeuner sur l'Herbe the two-dimensional elements, or SHAPES that stands out are the nude women as the lighting creates a strong contrast.

· In Jan Van Eyck's Man in a Red Turban the form itself (POSITIVE SPACE) seems to be just the head and the Turban. The body seems to blend in with the background as part of the spaces in and around the form (NEGATIVE SPACE)

Who am I? Why am I taking Art 388 (Art in Europe)?

I am a Colombian eager to take off. I was born in MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA and in 2000 my family and I moved to the United States. I have not been able to travel outside of the country since then because I was waiting for my green card (permanent residency card) to come through. I finally got it in Fall 2007 and I could not be happier to be able to travel to Europe! (And of course COLOMBIA! in July).

I am an ART MAJOR, as well as International Studies and French, at High Point Uniersity . Taking the course Art in Europe is a great way to study Art first hand and pracitce my French :S. I am a visual learner, and even though it does help to look at the pictures in the book, it is even better when the Art is right infront of you.

I am looking forward to visiting ENGLAND, SWITZERLAND, FRANCE, and ITALY. I am especially excited about seeing the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Vatican, the various David statues, Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix, and the different masterpieces by Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne...if we have time to see them all.

The moment I saw BERNINI's DAVID I was drawn to its expansive and dynamic features. It seems as if the Artist caught David in a snap shot; in the middle of his throwing the sling shot. It is very realistic, even how David bites his lip and brings his eyebrows forward as he squints his eyes a little.