Sculpture and (New) Romanesque Art

Despite the library's groaning shelves, I can't resist books on Romanesque Art, and so must find room for the two volume "Masons and Sculptors in Romanesque Burgundy, The New Aesthetic of Cluny III" by C. Edson Armi

I was showing the books to David Bales, when he said, "We can't build anything like this! For safety and speed, we have to use steel. And anything made with steel won't last a thousand years."

It was a strange feeling to realize that any of today's great buildings, the sky scrapers, the Starks, et al, won't last half that long.

It was an even stranger feeling to learn that Yes, we can build like that. Exactly like that. Guedelon is a new 13th Century castle being built in France, using the same ancient methods.

It is part archeology thesis, but instead of examining and cataloging ruins, they are building something new to learn how it was done in the past. It's also part aesthetic quest and part science experiment. Oh, and part job training and employment for at risk teens and craftsmen and women. (Anyone who's life/livelyhood is tied to art is at risk in my book!)

Amazing for such a cooperation between the historians and the visionaries.Click here to see Guedelon (photos from Guedelon site.)
Click here for Linda McCabe's blog post and photos on Guedelon.

All I can say is "merveilleux!"