In the book “Preble’s’ Artforms”, the author Patrick Frank in chapter 12 about Architecture discusses some of the differences of a round arc compare with pointed arch, and Some of the method that architect use to design a building. Last time I went to the cloisters museum I saw a lot of beautiful pieces of the most memorable art period the Renaissance. Different types of arch, many stain glasses, some paintings and many sculptures, which are representation of the life of Jesus.These art pieces are amazing and have a religious meaning. However, I feel a special attraction when I carefully saw the Narbonne Arch.
The Narbonne Arch was made with seven marble carving stones blocks decorate with eight real and magic animals. Six of the marble stones blocks have one of mythical animals in each one, the keystone has two of the mythical animal. The names of each mythical animals in each of the block from left to right are sphinix, Cockatrix, phoenix, harpy, griffin, basilisk, centaur, and manticore. “ These are all animals familiar from medieval bestiaries: texts compiled in twelfth centaury describing such creatures and explaining their moral and religious associations”.
My first impression with this arch was like magic I was thinking about how people could use their imagination to create these wonderful creatures. I think about mutation, if some day science can reproduce one of these magic animals.
In conclusion this arch is one of the greatest thing I never seen, each block make the arch so original. Different from others that they don’t have carving stone block, they are simple.
Citation
"Narbonne Arch [French] (22.58.1)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/22.58.1 (October 2006)
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