ITALIAN ARCHITECTURE. 1 — III.
the middle ages. — (Continued. )
B
UT to return to Rome, where, in common with other parts of Italy, Lombard influence made itself more or less felt. The province of Rome possesses only a few examples of Lombard art; however, those remaining in the neighboring territory of Viterbo are so well preserved and so interesting that we may gain from them a good idea of the style. The city of Viterbo still exhibits in its cathedral, in Santa Maria Nuova and in Sant’ Andrea, numerous features of the primitive Lombard church.
At Vetralla we also note the church of San Francesco; at Corneto, that of Santa Maria di Castello, and at Toscanella, San Pietro and Santa Maria Maggiore, both of which have roused much interesting discussion. San Pietro, which seems to be older than Santa Maria, witnessed the consecration of its high altar in 1093. This date and the fact that there were a great many Lombards at Viterbo in the eleventh and twelfth centuries have given rise to the supposition that both edifices, which are very similar in style, as well as the other churches of the same type in the neighborhood, belong to the end of the eleventh century and the beginning of the twelfth. However this may be, Santa Maria di Castello, at Corneto, the basilican plan of which reveals the effect of Latin traditions, is much more Lombard in character than the churches of Toscanella. It was begun in 1121, on the remains of another older structure, and is not only remarkable on account of its architecture, but also on account of the works due to the Roman marmorai, to whom our attention must now be directed.
Before speaking of the Cosmati it may be well to recall the fact that the taste for Lombard art was carried into the Abruzzi, “ where the Lombards had for some time the exclusive control of constructive activity ” (Bindi ʽʽ Mon. st. e artistici degli Abruzzi, ” Naples, 1889, p. 584). See the Cathedral of Atri, by Raimondo di Poggio and Rainaldo Atriano (1285-1305), the
basilica of San Clemente in Casauria [twelfth century], the façade of Santa Maria Maggiore, at Lanciano [twelfth century], and the church of Santa Maria di Collemaggio [thirteenth century], at Aquila.
The Cosmati were a family of Roman artists who flourished from the twelfth to the fourteenth century, and who greatly developed the architecture of their native province, impressing upon it a singularly original character. At Rome and in its province we find in the monasteries and churches admirable specimens of what may be termed a mosaic architecture. These represent a Roman-Byzantine art of the twelfth to the fourteenth century. At Rome, the oldest mosaic marble-work dates back to the early part of the twelfth century, and, for this very reason, its relationship to similar work in the south of Italy seems to-day more than ever evident. Its origin is apparently Oriental. Moreover, it developed at Rome after the Byzantine artists, whom the Abbé Didier summoned to Monte Cassino from Constantinople, had executed there works of striking merit. This conclusion is not, however, universally accepted. Yet it seems to me that no one can seriously maintain that the Roman art in question was wholly unrelated to the art of Southern Italy. If the columns of the cloister of Monreale (about 1174) be compared with those in the two magnificent Roman cloisters of St. John Lateran and St. Paul, such a relationship will certainly be demonstrated.
Among the chief works executed in this manner, the cloister of St. John Lateran takes first rank. It had always been attributed to one of the Cosmati family until Signor de Rossi proved conclusively that it was by an artist named Vassalletto, working in connection with his father (Bull. d’Arch. Grist., 1875, p. 129). Of this little-known but very meritorious architect other works are still preserved; for example, the pulpit of Sant’ Andrea, at Anagni (1263). The Lateran cloister is supposed to have been constructed in the first-half of the thirteenth century.
The cloister of St. Paul’s without the Walls is another admirable monument of the same style. It was begun by Pietro of Capua and completed under Giovanni of Ardea, both abbots of the monastery. Its construction was then comprised between the early years of the thirteenth century and the year 1241, the date of the death of Giovanni of Ardea. The resemblance between the Lateran cloister and St. Paul’s is most striking.
The cloister of Sassovivo, near Foligno, is less known than it merits; it has been made the subject of an analytical study by Signor Faloci-Pulignani (“Del Chiostro di Sassovivo nell’ Umbria, ” Foligno, 1879), who has proved it to be the work of the magistro Pietro de Maria, a Roman. This appears from an inscription bearing the artist’s name and the date 1129. The cloister of Sassovivo was therefore already built when the two splendid cloisters of Rome were being erected.
Other excellent examples of this mosaic style in architecture and decoration may be seen at Civita Castellana, in the porch of the cathedral, which is very beautiful in design and workmanship. The name of the celebrated Cosmati family is connected with this work. The activity of the Cosmati in the thirteenth century was wonderful. Two different periods may be distinguished in the progress of their development. In the first, Roman elements predominate; in the second, the Gothic system makes its appearance. In the first, there are but few
traces of the Lombard manner and in some of the decorative features a southern influence manifests itself; in the second, local traditions give way to foreign influence. Whether they are the productions of the Cosmati or not, to the first of these periods belong the façade of the cathedral of Fallen, the porch of Civita, Castellana, the cloisters of St. John Lateran and St. Paul at Rome, and of Santa Scholastica at Subiaco; to the second, may be referred the ciboria by Adeodatus, in St. Paul’s and Santa Maria in Cosmedin, and the tombs in Santa Maria sopra Miuerva and Santa Maria Maggiore by Giovanni, brother of Adeodatus.
By the side of the Cosmati family, must be placed the Oderisi, who worked in the same manner, both in Italy and abroad. At Rome, San Niccolo di Prefetti and at Viterbo, the monuments of Clement IV († 1268) and of the Prefetti di Vico, in the church of San Francesco, recall the Oderisi. The monument of Clement IV bears the name of one Petrus Oderisii, who had already signed the tomb of Edward the Confessor (1269) in Westminister Abbey. The time of this Petrus Oderisii corresponds with that of the “Pietro” and of the
“Oderico ” who worked in London. We have not space to devote to this family, for details concerning whom one should
1 From the French of Alfredo Melani, in Planat’s Encyclopédie de l’Architecture et de la Construction. Continued from No. 830, page 113.
The Vierrohren-Brunnen Wurzburg, [The Figures by W. v. d. Anvera. ] From Archi
tektonische Rundschau.
the middle ages. — (Continued. )
B
UT to return to Rome, where, in common with other parts of Italy, Lombard influence made itself more or less felt. The province of Rome possesses only a few examples of Lombard art; however, those remaining in the neighboring territory of Viterbo are so well preserved and so interesting that we may gain from them a good idea of the style. The city of Viterbo still exhibits in its cathedral, in Santa Maria Nuova and in Sant’ Andrea, numerous features of the primitive Lombard church.
At Vetralla we also note the church of San Francesco; at Corneto, that of Santa Maria di Castello, and at Toscanella, San Pietro and Santa Maria Maggiore, both of which have roused much interesting discussion. San Pietro, which seems to be older than Santa Maria, witnessed the consecration of its high altar in 1093. This date and the fact that there were a great many Lombards at Viterbo in the eleventh and twelfth centuries have given rise to the supposition that both edifices, which are very similar in style, as well as the other churches of the same type in the neighborhood, belong to the end of the eleventh century and the beginning of the twelfth. However this may be, Santa Maria di Castello, at Corneto, the basilican plan of which reveals the effect of Latin traditions, is much more Lombard in character than the churches of Toscanella. It was begun in 1121, on the remains of another older structure, and is not only remarkable on account of its architecture, but also on account of the works due to the Roman marmorai, to whom our attention must now be directed.
Before speaking of the Cosmati it may be well to recall the fact that the taste for Lombard art was carried into the Abruzzi, “ where the Lombards had for some time the exclusive control of constructive activity ” (Bindi ʽʽ Mon. st. e artistici degli Abruzzi, ” Naples, 1889, p. 584). See the Cathedral of Atri, by Raimondo di Poggio and Rainaldo Atriano (1285-1305), the
basilica of San Clemente in Casauria [twelfth century], the façade of Santa Maria Maggiore, at Lanciano [twelfth century], and the church of Santa Maria di Collemaggio [thirteenth century], at Aquila.
The Cosmati were a family of Roman artists who flourished from the twelfth to the fourteenth century, and who greatly developed the architecture of their native province, impressing upon it a singularly original character. At Rome and in its province we find in the monasteries and churches admirable specimens of what may be termed a mosaic architecture. These represent a Roman-Byzantine art of the twelfth to the fourteenth century. At Rome, the oldest mosaic marble-work dates back to the early part of the twelfth century, and, for this very reason, its relationship to similar work in the south of Italy seems to-day more than ever evident. Its origin is apparently Oriental. Moreover, it developed at Rome after the Byzantine artists, whom the Abbé Didier summoned to Monte Cassino from Constantinople, had executed there works of striking merit. This conclusion is not, however, universally accepted. Yet it seems to me that no one can seriously maintain that the Roman art in question was wholly unrelated to the art of Southern Italy. If the columns of the cloister of Monreale (about 1174) be compared with those in the two magnificent Roman cloisters of St. John Lateran and St. Paul, such a relationship will certainly be demonstrated.
Among the chief works executed in this manner, the cloister of St. John Lateran takes first rank. It had always been attributed to one of the Cosmati family until Signor de Rossi proved conclusively that it was by an artist named Vassalletto, working in connection with his father (Bull. d’Arch. Grist., 1875, p. 129). Of this little-known but very meritorious architect other works are still preserved; for example, the pulpit of Sant’ Andrea, at Anagni (1263). The Lateran cloister is supposed to have been constructed in the first-half of the thirteenth century.
The cloister of St. Paul’s without the Walls is another admirable monument of the same style. It was begun by Pietro of Capua and completed under Giovanni of Ardea, both abbots of the monastery. Its construction was then comprised between the early years of the thirteenth century and the year 1241, the date of the death of Giovanni of Ardea. The resemblance between the Lateran cloister and St. Paul’s is most striking.
The cloister of Sassovivo, near Foligno, is less known than it merits; it has been made the subject of an analytical study by Signor Faloci-Pulignani (“Del Chiostro di Sassovivo nell’ Umbria, ” Foligno, 1879), who has proved it to be the work of the magistro Pietro de Maria, a Roman. This appears from an inscription bearing the artist’s name and the date 1129. The cloister of Sassovivo was therefore already built when the two splendid cloisters of Rome were being erected.
Other excellent examples of this mosaic style in architecture and decoration may be seen at Civita Castellana, in the porch of the cathedral, which is very beautiful in design and workmanship. The name of the celebrated Cosmati family is connected with this work. The activity of the Cosmati in the thirteenth century was wonderful. Two different periods may be distinguished in the progress of their development. In the first, Roman elements predominate; in the second, the Gothic system makes its appearance. In the first, there are but few
traces of the Lombard manner and in some of the decorative features a southern influence manifests itself; in the second, local traditions give way to foreign influence. Whether they are the productions of the Cosmati or not, to the first of these periods belong the façade of the cathedral of Fallen, the porch of Civita, Castellana, the cloisters of St. John Lateran and St. Paul at Rome, and of Santa Scholastica at Subiaco; to the second, may be referred the ciboria by Adeodatus, in St. Paul’s and Santa Maria in Cosmedin, and the tombs in Santa Maria sopra Miuerva and Santa Maria Maggiore by Giovanni, brother of Adeodatus.
By the side of the Cosmati family, must be placed the Oderisi, who worked in the same manner, both in Italy and abroad. At Rome, San Niccolo di Prefetti and at Viterbo, the monuments of Clement IV († 1268) and of the Prefetti di Vico, in the church of San Francesco, recall the Oderisi. The monument of Clement IV bears the name of one Petrus Oderisii, who had already signed the tomb of Edward the Confessor (1269) in Westminister Abbey. The time of this Petrus Oderisii corresponds with that of the “Pietro” and of the
“Oderico ” who worked in London. We have not space to devote to this family, for details concerning whom one should
1 From the French of Alfredo Melani, in Planat’s Encyclopédie de l’Architecture et de la Construction. Continued from No. 830, page 113.
The Vierrohren-Brunnen Wurzburg, [The Figures by W. v. d. Anvera. ] From Archi
tektonische Rundschau.