Visigothic and Carolingian Art: Early Medieval Europe
The Visigothic Kingdom
The Western Roman Empire succumbed to barbarian invasions. The Germanic tribes divided the land, becoming the seed of the future states of Europe. The Visigoths arrived in the Iberian Peninsula in the 5th century and established their capital in Toledo. Their kingdom disappeared with the Muslim invasion in 711.
Church of San Juan de Baños, Palencia
This church is the oldest Visigothic monument in Spain. The Visigothic basilica presents the following structure: three naves separated by horseshoe arches on robust columns, an apse, and a square transept. The naves have wooden roofs, and the apse has a barrel vault. The exterior presents a perfect ashlar. The portico, an unequivocal access feature, exhibits the horseshoe arch as a characteristic of Visigothic art, and its keystone has a carved cross with flared ends inspired by goldsmith works.
Votive Crowns
The highlight in Visigothic goldsmithing is the crowns that the monarchs offered to the church at their coronation. The technique of the crown of Recesvinto, from the Treasury of Guarrazar, is Byzantine, but its design makes it genuinely representative of the barbarian luxury of the Visigothic period, set with sapphires, pearls, and almandines.
Pre-Romanesque Art
Pre-Romanesque art responds to the artistic expressions arising from the fusion between different cultures and the invading Roman heritage. Visigothic architecture is inspired by early Christian and Byzantine buildings. Stone was the main construction material, and the most original features were the use of horseshoe and stilted arches and the stone vault.
Horseshoe Arch
Its origin in art goes back to the Byzantine Empire. The Visigoths of the Iberian Peninsula first used it frequently. When the Arabs invaded the territory, they adopted it for their construction and not only used it but gave it an unexpected diffusion, making it one of the main characteristics of buildings from the 7th century.
Capitals of San Pedro de la Nave
In Visigothic Romanesque Europe, sculpture was predominant: reliefs and capitals, executed with a bevel, with a rough and calligraphic technique, whose main interest lies in its theme. In Zamora, the capitals of the Church of San Pedro de la Nave have an iconography that refers to early Christian history.
The Carolingian Empire
The barbarian invaders adopted Roman culture and converted to Christianity, potentiating a reunification process that culminated with the birth of a new empire in the West. In the year 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne emperor in a new attempt at the restoration of the Roman Empire. The Carolingian rule established a brief but significant period of drive and centralization in Western Europe between 750 and 850. Charlemagne felt he was the legitimate heir of Constantine. His dream was to create a new Rome with its center at Aachen.
Palatine Chapel at Aachen
The imperial Palatine Chapel in Aachen, Germany, does not have a centralized plan layout like the Byzantine church of San Vitale, but its massive dome and pillars reflect a Roman execution.