Christian Rome Volume 1; A Historical View of Its Memories and Monuments, 41-1867 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1898 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIV. Kien n'est egal a toi, 6 Rome, blen quo tu ne sois presque plus qu'une ruine. Hildebert, Ardibishof of Tours. FOURTEENTH CENTURY. S years rolled by, Christian civilisation developed, while its sphere of action grew gj larger. Christianity's first self-imposed duty, after the iron age of barbarism was over, was to settle the civil government of nations as well as possible, and fit man once more for the practices of social life which he had lost. The grand work of the Church was to make laws, repress tyranny, and instruct nations on religion and morality. This was not all; it soon encouraged all intellectual impulses, the fine arts and letters as well as legislation and scientific discoveries. Keligion consecrated magnificent monuments in monasteries and towns; Greek mosaics with hard lines, and backgrounds relieved by gold, no longer sufficed; these gave place to brilliant pain tings remarkable for their colouring and perspective, to large frescoes which covered bare walls and re called heavenly subjects in God's house. Cimabue, Giotto, Orcagna, Fra Angelico da Fiesole belong to this century, and their works manifest the highest stage in devotional art. Architecture had already during two centuries produced some fine masterpieces; but its development had been chiefly in the North. Italy was as yet unable to present buildings which could compare with the conceptions of Robert of Luzarches and Erwin of Steinbach. But the time was at hand when the genius of Greece and Rome would revive on this privileged Christian soil. Arabian art was also to become magnificent with Catholicism. Its slim columns were grouped together into clusters, or transformed into bold pillars; its want of proportion and many varied ornaments were combined, producing constant...