CHAP. L] WORKS OF THE GOTHIC AND LOMBARD KINGS.

Fig. 1. Ivory Chair of St. Maximian, at Ravenna. VIth century.

endeavoured, under Agilulph and Theodolinda, to follow the

example of the nations they had conquered, and are not therefore likely to have introduced any changes in the practice of arts with which they were unacquainted. They would probably be satisfied to take as their models the many monuments of Roman greatness still existing, and those which more recently had been erected by Theodoric;__and although, to judge by the fragments still remaining at Pavia and Monza, these productions fell far short of those which had served them for guides, they possess, notwithstanding, no sort of originality. As to Gaul, which had been civilised by the Romans, and conquered by a warlike people unused to the cultivation of the arts, all leads to the belief that under the Merovingian Dynasty, works of art in this country retained the character of the noble monuments raised there by the Romans. It follows, that the objects for domestic use of this first portion of the middle ages would be stamped in like manner with the style of antiquity.

Towards the close of the eighth century, the restoration of the fine arts was zealously promoted by Charlemagne, whose noble efforts in the cause

Carlovingian epoch.

cmulated by those of Adrian I. and Leo III. in Italy; but still

the artists of this period adhered to the

models of the antique. The admirable manuscripts, adorned with miniatures, bequeathed to us by this age, the fragments of mosaic extant at Rome, some remains of architecture such as the wall of the Abbey of Lorsch (Fig. 2), on the road from Manheim to Darmstadt, and the capitals from from the

castle of Ingelheim, to be seen in the museum of Mayence,*

* De Caumont, Cours d'antiquités monumentales, t. iv. p. 101.

CHAP. L]

CARLOVINGIAN EPOCH.

5

are all so many proofs of their striving to retain, with tolerable fidelity, the style of ancient Rome. It cannot, however, be denied, that a certain Byzantine influence (Figs. 3 and 4) began from that period to be felt; a circumstance easily explained by the intercourse of Charlemagne with the empire of the East.

Fig. 3. Martha and Mary advancing to the Saviour. Sculpture of Xth or XIth century from Selsey, now in Chichester Cathedral.

The oriental style, admitting as it does of that profuseness of ornament which men in almost all ages have preferred to grandeur and simplicity, could not fail to exercise an extensive influence over all the branches of art employed in the production of arms, jewels, furniture-in short, of every article of luxury. A convincing proof of this is afforded by the crown of Charlemagne, preserved in the imperial treasury

of Vienna, the form of which is sacrificed to the richness of the material, and the fuller display of the huge precious stones with which it is overloaded.

These remarks on the epoch of Charlemagne apply with equal force to the reigns of his sons and grandsons. The impetus given by this great man did not cease on his death, but, until the end of the reign of Charles the Bald, the arts continued to receive encouragement.

Fig. 4. The Raising of Lazarus. Sculpture IXth or Xth century, Chichester Cathedral.

Though the earlier centuries of the middle ages have bequeathed to us such scanty relics of monumental sculpture, they afford us numerous specimens of the art in its application to mobilia, to which our attention must at present be confined. These consist chiefly of the tablets of ivory obtained from diptychs, or the covers of rich manuscripts.

CHAP. I.]

BYZANTINE INFLUENCE.

The Xth century furnishes us with no specimens of articles of domestic use. The frequent inroads of the Saracens into Italy from the middle of the IXth century, the irregularities which disgraced the chair of St. Peter in the Xth, the invasion of France by the Normans, and the civil wars, in the midst of which the race of Charlemagne perished, were events calculated to paralyse the arts, and to quench almost everywhere the torch which that great man had kindled. The expectation of the end of the world, which, according to popular belief, was to happen at the close of the Xth century, combined with the calamities above mentioned to plunge the nations of Europe into gloom and apathy. The cultivation of the arts was almost universally abandoned.

No sooner, however, had the year 1000 closed in safety, and the dawn of a new century restored confidence to men's minds, than a wonderful activity was manifested New style of the by all classes. Kings, nobles, communities, and Xth century. cities, began to vie with each other as to who should restore the ruined churches with the greatest splendour, and enrich them with the most costly plate and furniture. But, during the long lethargy which had prevailed, the traditions of the antique had been forgotten; besides which, something new was required for men roused, so to speak, to a new existence.

It was more especially in sculpture that the transformation displayed itself. To the regular conceptions of the ancients succeeded all the fancy of a new school emancipated from rules, and knowing no other bounds than those of the artist's imagination. This independence involved the artist in all the errors of inexperience. He began to practise upon mouldings, the archivolts of arches, and the corbels of capitals, on which the human face was often represented in the most grotesque and incorrect manner.

It was hardly till the commencement of the XIIth century that bas-reliefs and statues of large proportions Character of the were executed in a style which, without being the XIIth to the free from faults, was at least restored to some XVth century. measure of correctness. The Byzantine influence is here very perceptible. Long attenuated figures, a total absence of life, a severe and solemn expression, draperies arranged in