David Gentleman: Ely Cathedral Romanesque Style Arches

Artist: David Gentleman
1930 -
Nationality: British
Artwork Year: 1989
Image Size: 15 by 13 inches
Overall Size: 17.25 by 14.5 inches
Medium: Water Color on Water Color Paper

In 1154, a little less than a century after the Norman conquest of England, Henry II came to the throne. Son of Geoffrey Plantagenet, he proved one of the best of the Norman overlords who now dominated the country. Henry II was thickset, large-headed, short-necked and freckled, fluent in several languages and never forgetful of a face or a useful name. Propelled by his tremendous energy, England prospered. The jury system was invented, laws codified, Ireland invaded. Farmlands, dotted with stone castles and pleasant hamlets, assumed the look that England's rural areas still bear today. Great cathedrals arose -- Canterbury, Oxford, Wells, and Ely. Each of these reflected the architectural style of Romanesque Europe and the Norman- dominated English court -- the style of Henry II himself. Today, visitors to Ely can contemplate in the body of the church the elements of England's late Romanesque style -- tall narrow arches and windows, cramped slits of space between overwhelming masses of ponderous stone, the imposing mass of transcept and central tower. Back in Normandy, too, the nobles and clergy had built grand architecture to awe their subjects. In newly conquered England, with its greater wealth, the architecture became bigger, bolder and more powerful -- an anthem to aspirations both worldly and divine.

This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover for the 15p+1p Great Britain WCS Romanesque Arches stamp issue of November 14, 1989.

Artwork Copyright © 1989 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB12205

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