Centuries of Art: The Rediscovery of Sculpture in Romanesque France

The world didn’t come to an end in the year 1000, as some had predicted it might; and in the years after the millennium, a grand and beautiful style of architecture, decorated with astonishing sculpture, burst forth to meet the needs of the faithful and particularly the pilgrims who marched across France on their way to the shrine of St. James in northwestern Spain. Sculpture, disused since the fourth century, when apparently it was tainted with the suspicion of idolatry, was seized upon with enthusiasm in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Romanesque sculpture was meant to inspire, frighten, and entertain its viewers. It was, and is, an irresistible source of pleasure in which talented artists were not only employed in the service of religion but were also given freedom of expression that seems surprising to us today. In this lecture, we will survey the great sculptures on churches in Burgundy and western France through the mountains to the south, ending in the great cathedral of Santiago.

Presenter: Dr. Donald Schrader, adjunct professor of art history at the University of Mary Washington

An introduction by the VMFA will be followed by the 45-minute lecture, and then a Q&A session. Advance registration is required. Upon registration, a confirmation email with the Zoom link will be sent. Lectures will be recorded and can be viewed later by those who have registered. For more information and to register, visit the WCAC website.

This program is a part of the Centuries of Art series, brought to you in partnership by Williamsburg Regional Library, the Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.