Alternation of supports
Alternation of supports is a trait of
An early example of technique used for a decorative purpose can be found in
The use of alternating supports was largely abandoned with the introduction of Gothic architecture and its more malleable pointed arches.[citation needed] There were some notable exceptions, however: for example, the lateral aisles of the Notre-Dame de Paris have alternating piers of lower and greater strength that provide a "powerful appeal to the eye and the senses", but had originally fulfilled a structural need, as the heavier piers carried an extra load from the intermediate supports in the buttress system. Also, the alternation can be found in some early Gothic designs of sexpartite vaults, where the support for the middle transverse rib carries less load.[1]
Geography
The alternating supports became popular in Europe in the 11th century (early examples started to appear in the 9th century), with the use gradually transitioning from the decorative function to support for the double-bay system.[7]
Italian architecture of the 11th and 12th century actively used the alternating system. However, frequently the column and pier alternation was used for purely decorative purposes, most likely following the Byzantine idea found in the Hagios Demetrios. Examples include San Miniato al Monte (c. 1170), San Clemente al Laterano (dedicated in 1128), Santa Maria in Cosmedin (1123), Basilica di San Nicola in Bari (1197). The alternation was also used structurally, as in Modena Cathedral (1099-1184), probably as an evolution of the decorative use.[3]
The second area of the frequent use of the alternation was
The use of alternating supports was not common in Normandy, with notable exceptions of Jumièges Abbey (1052-1066) and Lyre Abbey (12th century),[9] the former being an early example of a double-bay transition.[7]
References
- ^ a b Jantzen 1984, p. 13.
- ^ Vadna, Jane (1997). "alternation of supports". Glossary of Medieval Art and Architecture. University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ a b Gem 1980, p. 52.
- ^ Frankl 1918, p. 58.
- ^ Frankl 1918, p. 218.
- ^ Davies & Jokiniemi 2008, p. 478.
- ^ a b c Gem 1980, p. 53.
- ^ Gem 1980, pp. 52–53.
- ^ Gem 1980, pp. 47–50.
Sources
- Frankl, P. (1918). Die Baukunst des Mittelalters. Handbuch der Kunstwissenschaft (in German). Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Athenaion. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
- Gem, R. (1980). "The romanesque rebuilding of Westminster Abbey". Proceedings of the Battle Conference on Anglo-Norman Studies. Vol. 3. pp. 33–60.
- Humann, G. (1925). Stützenwechsel in der Romanischen Baukunst. Studien zur deutschen Kunstgeschichte (in German). J.H. Ed. Heitz. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
- Davies, N.; Jokiniemi, E. (2008). "Roman and Romanesque Vaulting". Dictionary of Architecture and Building Construction. ISBN 978-1-136-41026-0. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
- Jantzen, H. (1984). High Gothic: The Classic Cathedrals of Chartres, Reims, Amiens. Princeton paperbacks. ISBN 978-0-691-00372-6. Retrieved 2023-12-26.