DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0541
Chap. I.
INTRO D UCTION.
477
proposed to describe the styles of Christian art, and the principal
names to be applied to them.
The first is most properly designated Eomanesqne, or modified—in
this instance unfortunately debased—Eoman. From the time of Con-
stantine to that of Justinian it pervaded the whole empire, and no
distinction can be drawn between the East and West sufficient to war-
rant their separation. Minute differences may be observed, consti-
tuting varieties—these are easily marked by secondary titles.
With Justinian a distinct separation takes place, the limits of wliich
may be generally defined as follows :•—If a line be drawn from the
shores of the Adriatic to the shores of the Baltic, say from Fiume to
Konigsberg, it will divide Europe into two nearly equal portions; of
these the eastern half is inhabited by Slaves, Fluns, Servians, and
other races, differing considerably from those to the westward, gene-
rally adhering to the Greek Church, and practising a style of archi-
tecture correctly called the Byzantine, whicli neither influenced nor
was influenced by that of the West after the age of Justinian. To the
westward of this line the case was very different: in those countries
which had been the most populous and were most completely civilised
under the Eoman rule, the Eomanesque style continued to be practised
to a much later date than the 7th century—in Eavenna and Yenice
down to the 10th or l'lth century, with the solitary but important
exception of St. Mark’s of Yenice, the design of which certainly
belongs to the East, with which that city was at that age more closely
connected than with Eome. On the west coast, at Florence and Pisa,
it continued to at least- as late a date, and in the south of France it
was practised till the 12th century at least, though with a difference
sufficiently marked to obtain for it the distinguishing name of Eo-
mance or Provengal. In Spain too it continued, I believe, along the
Mediterranean shore to as late a period; but that land is still archi-
tecturally almost unknown.
With the age of Charlemagne a new form of art arose, to whicli
the general narne of Grotliic may be correctly applied, meaning thereby
all those styles which were introduced by the barbarians who over-
threw the Eoman Empire. Acting at first under the direct influence
of Eome, and afterwards guided by their own experience, they brought
this style to that pitch of perfection which we still admire.
It has been objected to the name of Grothic that it was first used as
a term of reproach, and is still often so used in common parlance; but
it is never now so applied to architecture—it is therefore needless to
regard this. Another and more important objection is that, though the
Goths were one of the first invading tribes, they were insignificant in
extent, and disappeared from the scene before the style attained any-
thing like perfection. This would be fatal were we inventing a totally
new system of nomenclature; but the term being in general use, and
sufficiently expressing what we desire to express, it is better to take
it than to supply an entirely new name. We would be understood
therefore to apply architecturally the term Goth to all those Teutonic;
tribes of barbarians who overwhelmed the Eoman Empire, and in the
INTRO D UCTION.
477
proposed to describe the styles of Christian art, and the principal
names to be applied to them.
The first is most properly designated Eomanesqne, or modified—in
this instance unfortunately debased—Eoman. From the time of Con-
stantine to that of Justinian it pervaded the whole empire, and no
distinction can be drawn between the East and West sufficient to war-
rant their separation. Minute differences may be observed, consti-
tuting varieties—these are easily marked by secondary titles.
With Justinian a distinct separation takes place, the limits of wliich
may be generally defined as follows :•—If a line be drawn from the
shores of the Adriatic to the shores of the Baltic, say from Fiume to
Konigsberg, it will divide Europe into two nearly equal portions; of
these the eastern half is inhabited by Slaves, Fluns, Servians, and
other races, differing considerably from those to the westward, gene-
rally adhering to the Greek Church, and practising a style of archi-
tecture correctly called the Byzantine, whicli neither influenced nor
was influenced by that of the West after the age of Justinian. To the
westward of this line the case was very different: in those countries
which had been the most populous and were most completely civilised
under the Eoman rule, the Eomanesque style continued to be practised
to a much later date than the 7th century—in Eavenna and Yenice
down to the 10th or l'lth century, with the solitary but important
exception of St. Mark’s of Yenice, the design of which certainly
belongs to the East, with which that city was at that age more closely
connected than with Eome. On the west coast, at Florence and Pisa,
it continued to at least- as late a date, and in the south of France it
was practised till the 12th century at least, though with a difference
sufficiently marked to obtain for it the distinguishing name of Eo-
mance or Provengal. In Spain too it continued, I believe, along the
Mediterranean shore to as late a period; but that land is still archi-
tecturally almost unknown.
With the age of Charlemagne a new form of art arose, to whicli
the general narne of Grotliic may be correctly applied, meaning thereby
all those styles which were introduced by the barbarians who over-
threw the Eoman Empire. Acting at first under the direct influence
of Eome, and afterwards guided by their own experience, they brought
this style to that pitch of perfection which we still admire.
It has been objected to the name of Grothic that it was first used as
a term of reproach, and is still often so used in common parlance; but
it is never now so applied to architecture—it is therefore needless to
regard this. Another and more important objection is that, though the
Goths were one of the first invading tribes, they were insignificant in
extent, and disappeared from the scene before the style attained any-
thing like perfection. This would be fatal were we inventing a totally
new system of nomenclature; but the term being in general use, and
sufficiently expressing what we desire to express, it is better to take
it than to supply an entirely new name. We would be understood
therefore to apply architecturally the term Goth to all those Teutonic;
tribes of barbarians who overwhelmed the Eoman Empire, and in the