The Holy Land of the Crusaders

Based on the 1999 Calendar published by Massolini Group - Collebeato (BS) Italy by Mario and Claudia Massolini
© copyright text by Michele Piccirillo; photos by Garo Nalbandian and Basilio Rodella

HOLY LAND OF THE CRUSADERS - 10

Apostles' heads - from Annunciation Basilica - Nazareth

Private seal.

Coin of King of Jerusalem

Antiphonarium



Tympanum: Mt Tabor Basilica	Cross carrying Lamb	Capital - Armenian Museum	Freeze Holy Sepulchre

THE HOLY LAND OF THE CRUSADERS

Last Supper - Lintel of Basilica of Holy Sepulchre.

The Holy Sepulchre - Façade

Pilgrim artists and local workers
The crusade adventure to Jerusalem and around the Palestinian territory lasted a little less than a century from 1099 (the taking of the Holy City) to 1187 (defeat at Hattin). We can wonder therefore at the building activities testified to both in written documents of the period and from the remains of monuments still identifiable in the region. The architects who came from Europe bringing their construction techniques of the period to the Holy Land were certainly assisted by local bricklayers and masons. The surviving remains also testify to the work of numerous pilgrim and indigenous artists employed in the decoration of the sacred buildings. Of special note are those sculptors who were employed in cutting the imported marble and local stone for the capitals, the friezes and the lintels of the churches. The sumptous sculpted decorations of the façade of the basilica of the Holy Sepulchre and of the Edicule on the Tomb of Jesus, the sculptures of the basilica of the Annunciation at Nazareth and of the basilica of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, and of the many churches in Jerusalem, bear witness to the high quality of workmanship reached in the Latin Kingdom. The contemporary pilgrim writers accurately described the pictorial decorations, in frescoes or mosaics, that embellished the walls of the basilica of the Holy Sepulchre and the basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Various illuminated volumes held in the libraries of Europe evidence the existence of Latin amanuenses artists working in the scriptoria of Jerusalem and St. John of Acre, in addition to local amanuenses. To these must be added the ivory carvers, the goldsmiths, and the engravers to whom we owe the seals of the kings, of the nobles, of the bishops, of the monasteries and private, as well the coinage of the kingdom, and also this represents a defined taste and a devotional craftsmanship at the service of the pilgrims.

LA TERRA SANTA DEI CROCIATI

Artisti pellegrini e maestranze locali
L’avventura crociata a Gerusalemme e all’interno del territorio palestinese si esaurì in poco meno di un secolo dal 1099 (presa della Città Santa) al 1187 (sconfitta di Hattin). Meraviglia perciò l’attivismo edilizio testimoniato sia dai documenti scritti dell’epoca che dai resti dei monumenti ancora identificabili nella regione. Con gli architetti venuti dall’Europa che importarono in Terra Santa le tecniche costruttive dell’epoca coadiuvati sicuramente da muratori e scalpellini locali, le poche opere superstiti testimoniano il lavoro di numerosi artisti pellegrini e indigeni impegnati in modo particolare nella decorazione degli edifici sacri. Un posto di rilievo lo hanno gli scultori che intagliarono per lo più nel marmo e nella pietra locale i capitelli, i fregi, e gli architravi delle chiese. La decorazione scultorea sontuosa della facciata del Santo Sepolcro e della edicola sulla Tomba, le sculture della basilica dell’Annunciazione a Nazaret, della basilica della Transfigurazione sul Monte Tabor, e delle tante chiese di Gerusalemme, testimoniano l’alta qualità raggiunta nel Regno Latino. I pellegrini scrittori contemporanei descrivono accuratamente la decorazione pittorica, ad affresco o a mosaico, che impreziosiva le pareti della basilica del Santo Sepolcro e della basilica della Natività a Betlem. Diversi volumi decorati con splendide miniature conservati nelle biblioteche d’Europa testimoniano l’esistenza di artisti amanuensi latini operanti negli scriptoria di Gerusalemme e di San Giovanni d’Acri, oltre che di amanuensi locali. Ad essi bisogna aggiungere gli intagliatori di avorio, gli orafi e gli incisori ai quali dobbiamo i sigilli di re, di nobili, di vescovi, di monasteri e di privati, oltre alla monetazione del regno anch’essa rappresentativa di un gusto oramai affermato, e di un artigianato devozionale al servizio dei pellegrini.

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Created / Updated Monday, December 20, 1999 at 20:14:52 by John Abela ofm
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Last Supper - Lintel of Basilica of Holy Sepulchre.	The Holy Sepulchre - Façade
Pilgrim artists and local workers The crusade adventure to Jerusalem and around the Palestinian territory lasted a little less than a century from 1099 (the taking of the Holy City) to 1187 (defeat at Hattin). We can wonder therefore at the building activities testified to both in written documents of the period and from the remains of monuments still identifiable in the region. The architects who came from Europe bringing their construction techniques of the period to the Holy Land were certainly assisted by local bricklayers and masons. The surviving remains also testify to the work of numerous pilgrim and indigenous artists employed in the decoration of the sacred buildings. Of special note are those sculptors who were employed in cutting the imported marble and local stone for the capitals, the friezes and the lintels of the churches. The sumptous sculpted decorations of the façade of the basilica of the Holy Sepulchre and of the Edicule on the Tomb of Jesus, the sculptures of the basilica of the Annunciation at Nazareth and of the basilica of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, and of the many churches in Jerusalem, bear witness to the high quality of workmanship reached in the Latin Kingdom. The contemporary pilgrim writers accurately described the pictorial decorations, in frescoes or mosaics, that embellished the walls of the basilica of the Holy Sepulchre and the basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Various illuminated volumes held in the libraries of Europe evidence the existence of Latin amanuenses artists working in the scriptoria of Jerusalem and St. John of Acre, in addition to local amanuenses. To these must be added the ivory carvers, the goldsmiths, and the engravers to whom we owe the seals of the kings, of the nobles, of the bishops, of the monasteries and private, as well the coinage of the kingdom, and also this represents a defined taste and a devotional craftsmanship at the service of the pilgrims.