Identifier: historyofmedival00rebe (find matches)
Title: History of mediæval art
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Reber, Franz von, 1834-1919 Clarke, Joseph Thacher, d. 1920
Subjects: Art, Medieval
Publisher: New York : Harper & Bros.
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Public Library

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cer-tainly surprising. The representation of the Crucifixion upon theivory carving which forms the central panel is of a more indepen-dent design; yet, notwithstanding certain rude and stiff features ofthe details, its careful workmanship displays an honest endeavor toequal the figures of the border. Similar in style, and of about thesame date, are the rich covers of the Codex Aureus of Charles theBald from St. Emmeramnus, those of the codices of Henry II. inMunich (Cim. 57, 58, and 60), and some other bindings in Bamberg,Hildesheim, Essen (Fig. 283), Treves, and Darmstadt. None of thesespecimens, however, fully equalled that of Gotha. In almost allthe contrast is very striking between the skilful workmanship, butconventional design, of the elaborately ornamented bindings, and GERMANY. 463 the coarse and untrained execution of the miniature paintings whichthey contained—the illuminations being free from archaism and me-chanical imitation, and consequently having the important advan-
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Fig. 283. —Cover of a Codex of the Abbess Theophanu, A.D. 1039 to I054> in theTreasury of the Collegiate Church of Essen. tages of more marked individuality and more decidedly pronouncednational character. Although the painting and the sculpture of Germany, during 464 SCULPTURE OF THE ROMANIC EPOCH. the Romanic ages, were about equally important in artistic respects,it is yet to be remarked that the tendencies of these two arts, con-sidered from a historical stand-point, were decidedly different. Thepainters, in striving for a striking presentation of the subjects cho-sen, fell into the most undisciplined dilettanteism and the great-est tastelessness; while the sculptors, and especially the workers inmetal, still retained the traditional methods of their Byzantine mod-els, thereby securing at least a better training and a certain degreeof mechanical excellence. Hence, neither of the arts could attainto a higher importance until brought into more intimate relationswith each other.

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