ROMA NESQUF, SCULPTURE.
The low condition of sculpture during the centuries following the age of Justinian (sixth century) was somewhat improved during the period following the year t000. There was at least a first attempt to make it again a monumental art when this revival of the Romanesque' period took place throughout Europe, and national schools of art sprang up in every country. Sculpture followed after architecture in the race, though with a slower pace and at some distance. At first, as at Moissac, in France, the stonecutters did but enlarge and transfer to stone the ivory carvings of preceding centuries, but soon they obtained the right concep tion of monumental sculpture and began that gradual progress which was to terminate in the masterpieces of the Gothic period. Now, for the first time since the Christian era, sculpture became the handmaid of archi tecture and took an important place in the construction of the great churches that arose on all sides in increased numbers and magnificence through the new birth of civilization and that great revival of religious zeal Nyhich blossomed in the crusades. The Romanesque period lasted, roughly speaking, from 'Oa) to 1200 A. D., though it ended earlier than this in France. Before the close of the eleventh century its sculptors began to adorn both the outside and the inside of the churches. The facades were covered with a host of statues and reliefs; the large round arched portals sheltered apostles, prophets, saints, and allegorical figures, and bas-reliefs filled the tympana above the doors; carved pulpits, elaborate funeral monuments, and sculptured choir-screens filled the interiors. But this new departure achieved most unequal results in different countries. I:1 all of them the art cast itself loose from any connection with Byzantine models, and for this very reason became invested everywhere with national peculiarities. While in architecture the Romanesque style has not been surpassed by any other, in sculpture it did not reach a corresponding degree of excellence, there being always wanting a certain perfection of form that is present in Gothic sculpture.
//a/:an Romanesque.. Cathedral know that between 1000 and 1250 various contemporary schools existed in Venice, Lom bardy, Tuscany, and Southern Italy, each having special characteristics, but all tinged with mediocrity. Ariong the few exceptions during the
twelfth century are some of the statues and reliefs on the facade of the Cathedral of Ferrara (pt. is, 4, 5): here, in place of the wild and rude fancies of the Lombards, we see works that remind one both of contem porary sculptures in the South of France and of ancient Roman work. The frieze from which our illustration is taken figures the labors of the twelve months of the year—a subject very common at this time. We have here, probably, the month of November; before it comes October, represented by a double-headed Janus-like man who looks both ways, and thus well personifies a month that is part like summer and part like winter. In the figure of November, who holds a large cutlass in his hand, both costume and head are classic, though the execution is rude enough; in fact, the broad, massive head reminds one indis tinctly of sonic Roman emperor. The short tunic and the sandals on the feet keep up the illusion, and we are interested to note here (as in the entire series) the most realistic fidelity in all the details. There seems to be a fire on which stands a large caldron, while, above, a rope hangs on a pulley. This work is far superior to that of the Tuscan sculptors of the same period, like Biduinus and Bonnsamiens, whose barbarism is unre lieved by artistic excellence of any description.
Rilkfc on the Pap/cloy of Pisa. —In contrast with this native art one is interested in studying, for example, the reliefs on the Baptistery of Pisa, executed with great spirit in the Byzantine style. Even the South of Italy produced better artists, and some anthoritie.s hold that they were Nicola Pisano's predecessors and masters in his great revival of sculpture at the middle of the thirteenth century. Still, with some exceptions, it seems that, while in France and other countries sculpture flourished as a monumental art during the Romanesque period, in Italy alone was sculpture so subordinated to the smaller arts of ivory-carving and niello that it produced, for the most part, insignificant works. As an instance of this may be mentioned the bronze doors belonging to this period.