Cluniac Art

Daniel Morgan

Prof. Chamberland

Art 112

November 28th, 2011

Cluniac Art

The Cluniac orders's influence and power were exceptional for the time. The order possessed the power to call for crusades against their muslim enemies and had the authority to control papal elections. This was one of many monastic orders in the period of Romanesque art but by far the most significant.

The Abbey church of Cluny was one the most impressive pieces of architectural works produced during the Cluniac Era. With the original finishing construction in 910 it was replace only seventy five years later with a larger far superior version. The need for reconstruction after only seventy five years shows the extreme growth the Cluny's experienced. The dimensional proportions of the Abbey Church of Cluny was based upon the ratio of perfect numbers and musical harmonies. With musical harmonies being a major contributor to the design it reinforces just how important music was during these times.

The Sarcophagus of Doña Sancha is one of the finest pieces of artwork from this time. It was created in 1120 to be the resting place of Doña Sancha. On one side of the the sarcophagus we see three stories being told, all are relevant to the Cluny's afterlife beliefs. On the far left we see three clerics performing what is believed to be The Mass of the Dead. In the center we see a naked body framed in a mandorla being supported by two angles, this represents the deceased's soul being taken to heaven and on the right we see the Princesses sisters beside her. They are much smaller then her showing us that they did not posses as much power as she did. On the opposite site of the sarcophagus you can see a battle scene. The first is of two horsemen with swords about to engage in battle. The second is another warrior trying to take down a lion with his bare hands. The war like depictions were deemed appropriate for a females sarcophagus because during her time at the thrown her kingdom was involved in many battles in defending Spain, so I was seen fit that she could have these images upon her place of burial.

Cluniac wall paintings very rare due to the Cluny building being destroyed but the near by Berzé-la-Ville gives us the best depiction of what the original Cluny paintings would have looked like. Tokens of Cluniac paintings were elongated faces, the graceful manner in which the drapery was pulled across the body and the use of patterns and rhythmic concentric lines to indicated multiple folds in the drapery.

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