Equestrian statuette of Emperor Charlemagne

ninth century

• Original gone-smaller copy survives.

• Charlemagne depicted as jowly/pudgy. On his coin he is depicted as an emperor.

• Charlemagne is much too big for his horse. Horse is incredibly well done.

• Similar to equestrian statues of roman emperors

  he liked rome

Palace chapel, Aachen, Germany, late eighth to early ninth century Odo of Metz, “architect”;

Carolingian

• Covered walkway leads from palace to massive chapel.

• Centrally planned buildings= usually tombs, private chapels and baptistries.

• Columns taken from Rome.

• Similar to San Vitale in Ravenna?

• Dome shows vision of Christ in the heavens.

• Golden Altar and Lamps.

• Aachen is a simplified, geometric replica of San Vitale.

• Bronze doors to Chapel are Bronze, reminiscent of civic buildings in Rome.

Coronation Gospel,  

 Aachen, Germany

c.800-810

Carolingian 

Portrait page of St. Mathew.

Radiates dignity and humanity

Real sense of three dimensionality

Chair lecturn and leaves are roman accesories

Corvey façade (westwerk), church front

Germany

873-885

Carolingian

Two Towers ascending into the heavens and greeting entrants

Ebbo Gospels, manuscript, 

816-835

Carolingian

Louie the Pious, much more introverted than his father.

10x8 inch page.

Evangelist looks freaked out, frantic, possessed.

Impressionistic lines give the impression of wind

Symbol of St. Mathew present to identify figure

In stark contrast with coronation gospels but still employs classical style

Utrecht Psalter, manuscript

820-835

Carolingian

The text is reminiscent of early Christian Rome, with all capital letters and little to no spaces.

Images illustrate text of the psalm in a literal and vividly animated way

Lindau Gospels, Morgan Library, N YC, gold book cover, front, 870, (16-16)

(Three copies of the Utrecht Psalter were made at Canterbury Cathedral, Harley Psalter 1000, Eadwine Psalter 1150 and Paris Psalter 1200. Each psalter uses the images from the Utrecht Psalter but the style of its own time.)

Carolingian

over a foot tall, made of gold and covered with jewels.

Figures that surround Christ fall to their knees ( like the Utrecht Psalter)

Christ classical , heedless of pain

vivacity of Ulrecht psalter