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The Influence of Ancient Art on Churches
The ancient art always fascinate and has been a source of inspiration. This is
well depicted in the pattern and system of environments we dwell in. such source
of inspiration are Christian churches. In this discussion, we would be
discussion about two types of trend, the time of Christianity during the Gothic
period (in Lithuania) and the influence of ancient Eastern Orthodox Church (the
Ireland). Lithuania adopted Christianity during the Gothic period. The earliest
pieces of Christian art were brought into Lithuania chiefly from Central Europe;
Poland, Germany. The imported art and artists who ornamented the churches in
Lithuania brought with them new iconography principles and Christian aesthetics.
These were shortly taken over by the native artists who increased the foreign
heritage by their own knowledge. Beyond western influence, the Lithuanian
Christian art was also obliged to Byzantine heritage, which expanded from the
Slavic lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Christian art prospered in the
time of Baroque. Churches and monastery built in the period are multitude; most
of them were luxuriously decorated. The heritage of the Baroque age in Lithuania
is extensive and varied.
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The other that I mentioned above is the ancient Eastern Orthodox Church that
disregarded realistic tendencies of Western Christian art and had more firm
requirements for portraying religious themes. It consummated in a more abstract
and spiritual visual language. The artistic inclinations of the Eastern Orthodox
Church were chiefly spread in Russia. The bright Russian religious painting,
which chiefly prospered in the 14-16th century, was much obliged to the early
Byzantine icon. The most sacred subjects of the Bible and the scenes of the
Miracles of Christ were mostly wide spread. Progressively more subjects were
acquainted. Most preferred with the believers were images of patron saints
escorted by the scenes of their lives and martyrdom. The Lithuanian Art Museum
conserves about 600 icons, most of them from 13th to 20th century. They were
imported from unlike places in Russia. Later, the local artisan started painting
icons that were near copies of canonical models.
All over Western Europe there is a continuation of churches from the beginning
to the newest, and a study of the art gives the scholar an intuition into the
culture at the time that they were painted. But, such art did not survive in
Ireland. During English Reformation in 1534, title to the minister properties
returned to the Crown. Long before this happened nonetheless, the title to the
village church was in the hands of the local landowner.
The Catholic Encyclopedia notes, "Some blame the loss of many (church structures
and decorations) on the Reformation, but in fact, the Reformation under Henry
VIII simply took over the churches and preserved their structure and art, since
they were now state property. It was not until Cromwell that the Puritan
concepts required the destruction of traditional church art in Ireland and Great
Britain." In mid 17th century, Puritans accomplished influence in England and
started their own catharsis campaign. In 1643 Parliament enacted an ordinance
"for the utter demolishing, removing and taking away of all monuments of
superstition and idolatry." These covered images of God, Mary, and saints;
inscriptions such as "pray for me" on tombs; and such items as candlesticks,
crucifixes, stone altars, and communion rails.
Like the Scandinavian the early Irish church was of wooden construction. Both
Irish and Norse raiders used fire as the simplest means of destruction. Further,
in 1186, the Archbishop of Dublin forbade the use of the wooden altar to serve
Mass, a practice now common in Ireland. The link with Scandinavia is evident by
the use of stone or brick. Furthermore still existing are three Danish churches
built during the 11th century in Dublin, Howth, and Waterford. Turning to the
architectural detail and decoration, further relationships are found. The
narration of a wooden church in Ireland, St. Brigid's at Kildare, includes
narrations of painted interior walls. The painting in the stave church at Urnes
in Norway is styled "Irish-Nordic" by Deitrichson dates about 1100. Also Ireland
had close relations with a section of Germany that had close relations with the
Danish church. The activity of Irish clergy, which instituted the Irish
monasteries from the Rhine to the Danube, was two-way. While the Irish were
moving to the Continent, the Continental scholars were coming into Ireland. It
was at that time that the Romanesque architectural style emerged in Ireland.
Among the Romanesque remains in Ireland is the Cormac's Chapel at Cashel.
At that time the Danish Church was under the See of Hamburg-Bremen, and Hjort
calls application to the art at Hildesheim, in Germany, and adjoins them with
those in the church at Kirke-Hyllinge in Denmark. It is believed that the early
Romanesque architecture showing Byzantine impacts are derived from the Italian.
This belief mounted from the fact that Denmark is poor in stone, and those
interested in building churches imported bricklayers and other artisans to build
the first brick churches in Denmark.
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In short, a number of consanguinity suggests that the churches of Ireland and
Denmark had innumerable features in common. During the time of the wooden church
in Ireland, the stave building and decorations were common to both cultures.
Afterwards, the masonry churches built by the Danes in Ireland greatly preceded
the Scandinavian heritage and presumably influenced the Irish. The uninterrupted
association between Ireland and the Rhineland affected the development of a
common church style. In turn, the Rhineland had predominance on Danish church
decoration.
Demus notes churches with Romanesque art in Italy, France, Spain, England,
Germany and Austria, where as Saxtorp lists 77 churches in Denmark with
architecture from the same time. The primeval Romanesque churches were of
masonry, and, as the inhabitants grew, the authorities built annexations to the
original structures to render for the growth of the congregation. It is not
unusual to find in village church three architectural styles. The Romanesque
architecture in Denmark displays the common themes, flanked by saints, his feet
upon the ball of Earth, the Bible in his left hand, and his right raised in
blessing. The Gothic architecture, capping the spaces created by the ribs of the
Gothic arch, is less firm. In the Gothic time, the Judgment scene gets alive
with action
There can be wee doubt that the churches of Ireland were adorned with art
similar to those found in the churches of the Continent. Inasmuch as the early
Celtic church had richly labored altar vessels and the pontiffs had finely
wrought crosiers and decorated. Denmark has 77 churches with Romanesque frescoes
and hundreds of churches with Gothic artistic scenes. From the same two periods
Sweden is known to have a number of churches with frescoes.
Works Cited
Brian De Breffny, The Churches and Abbeys of Ireland (New York: Norton, 1976) p.
9
From the Catholic Encyclopedia. The URL is www.newadvent.org/cathen/05431b.htm
Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol.4
"The Journal of William Dowsing" Parliamentary Visitor of Churches, Etc., within
the County of Suffolk in the Years 1643 to 1644. See www.digiatlas.net/dowsing.html
Dietrichson, De norske Stavekirker (Copenhagen, 1892), p. 225.
Peter Anker, The Art of Scandinavia (London: Paul Hamlyn, 1970, 215.
Maire and Conor Cruise O'Brien, A Concise History of Ireland (New York: Beekman
House, 1972), p. 41.
Oystein Hjort, Kalkmalerier Fra Danske Landbykirker (Copenhagen: Rhodos, 1969)
Neils M. Saxtorp, Jeg Ser Paa Kalkmalerier (Copenhagen: Politikens Forlag,
1970), p. 12.
Saxtorph, p.8
Aron Andersson, The Art of Scandinavia (London: Paul Hamlyn, 1970), II, 232.
De Breffny, p. 57.
Otto Demus, Romanesque Mural Paintings (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1970)index.
Lithuanian Art Museum, Fund of Samogitian Culture, Institute of Mathematics and
Informatics
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