Romanesque Art in Europe

Romanesque Art in Europe, edited by Gustav Kuenstler, 322 pages

The Romanesque style of art and architecture flourished during the eleventh and twelfth centuries.  As illustrated in Romanesque Art in Europe, its reach extended from Sicily to Scandinavia, with corresponding local variations, from Byzantine influences in Italy to the "insular style" of Britain.  The versatility of the Romanesque embraces both the ornate exuberance of the Cluniac monasteries and the severe plainness of the Cistercians.  

Often dismissed as artless and clumsy, particularly when contrasted with the Gothic style which it birthed, this book demonstrates the power of Romanesque, from impressively detailed stone portals to soaring interior spaces to wonderfully expressive sculptures.  The book is filled with fantastic full-page photographs, but, sadly, none are in color, which rather reinforces the popular image of medieval art as grey and monotonous.  The captions manage to compensate for this shortcoming, providing each image with a paragraph of commentary and context.