Definition for Romanesque
From Biology Forums Dictionary
Romanesque style in architecture occupied Europe in a relatively short period of time around the 11th to early 12th centuries. When people of the Renaissance saw its curved arches over doorways and windows throughout Europe, they saw a style that was pre-Gothic and post-Roman, but resembled the Roman. Therefore, they called it “Romanesque.” With its arched doorways and windows, this style is massive, static, and comparatively lightless, reflecting the barricaded mentality and lifestyle generally associated with the Middle Ages. Romanesque style in sculpture, although fairly diverse, has a frequent association with Romanesque architecture in that we find it mostly attached to buildings. Three characteristics of the style are: (1) It is associated with Romanesque architecture; (2) it is stone; and (3) it is monumental.
