Tower (1045-1140 AD) and Apse dating from the late C14th
San Zeno Maggiore is a remarkable example of the Romanesque style of architecture. It originates in the C5th and was rebuilt in the C9th as a the church of a Benedictine monastry (of which the tower remains). It was later re-constructed in the early C11th and completed in the C13th and C14th centuries.
Detail to west portal executed by Maestro Nicolo and his pupil Guglielmo around 1135
San Zeno Maggiore is a remarkable example of the Romanesque style of architecture. It originates in the C5th and was rebuilt in the C9th as a the church of a Benedictine monastry (of which the tower remains). It was later re-constructed in the early C11th and completed in the C13th and C14th centuries.
Metal is a material which has been used in every aspect of architecture - from providing waterproof covering to holding the doors onto the frame.
Even though it is largely the Georgians and Victorians which initiated the apotheosis of the use of metal in buildings, it has been used for structural and decorative purposes for thousands of years. It is known , for example, that the Roman Pantheon had a bronze roof.
For decoration there is nothing like metal to bring detail into relief (see the photo of a door at Selby Abbey above)
Key moments in the use of metal as a structural form relate to its first use to construct a bridge at Ironbridge in Shropshire by Abraham Darby in 1779 and the building of the Crystal Palace by Joseph Paxton in 1851
To see a comprehensive set of images showing the use of metal in architecture see here
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In line with my recent post on the material WOOD. Check out my Timber Framed Buildings set on flickr.
Timber framed buildings are one of the most articulate and honest expressions of architecture, especially in the UK.
Wood in all its forms, sizes and shapes is a remarkably versatile material often used to trim, decorate elaborate and support the architectural form.
I've seen many examples of timber outlasting stone. On some of the timber framed buildings of Lavenham the wooden frame is often seen settling into the decaying stone foundations.
Medieval timber framed buildings are the precursor to our modern office blocks where the structure is supported by a frame and the infil to the frame is non-structural. It is held together by tension rather than compression.
I find wood quite difficult to photograph as it is often dark and set against a lighter background, so I up the stops on the camera and give it a little more exposure than the meter suggests.
Check out my WOOD SET on flickr - you'll not be disappointed!
Brick is one of the most underestimated of materials. I think I have said in the past in this blog, that many people think that brick is a relatively recent construction material.
Well, when I was over in Verona I saw evidence of the use of brick in the Porta Bosari - the Roman gate there.
It is such a versatile material and I lament it's use purely as an infil to metal framed structures today.
Brick's have a wonderful array of textures, colours, hues and tones.
Check out my brick set on flickr to see some great examples of its use or search this blog for more info on bricks
Lodged on the inside face of the wall that guards Piazza Bra, Verona, Italy - is a familiar face to any Englishman.
A plaque next to the bust reads:
"There is no world without Verona walls,
But purgatory, torture, hell itself,
Hence banished is banish'd from the world,
and world's exile is death....."
Italiano
"Non esiste mondo fuor dalle mura di Verona,
Ma solo purgatorio, tortura, inferno,
Chi e bandito de qui, e bandito del mondo,
e l'esilio dal mondo, e morte....."
It is of course taken from one of his most famous plays, Romeo and Juliet which was based in Verona.
Sometimes, I get caught up in the sheer wonderment of pattern and decoration in buildings.
Both are key elements in how a building is expressed to the observer. Without it our buildings would be just mundane backdrops to our lives.
Buildings are decorated in a myriad of ways. Pattern and decoration can reveal the sheer virtuosity of the designer, or encompass the message within the structure. Repetition of a material, or colour or form can enhance and reinforce a message or a feeling. Soft and circular patterns can convey a feeling of grace and comfort, whilst sharp and angular patterns can relate to domination and danger (think about the masculine strength of the Romanesque chevron)
All styles of architecture have used pattern and decoration to express their raison d'etre.
Here is a slideshow of my Pattern and Decoration set on flickr to give some examples.
For the designers amongst you check out my SWATCH SET
Most of all, ENJOY!
Beautiful church on a hill just outside Skipton town centre. Saint Stephens was built in the early C19th in the Early English style of architecture. It has a lovely altar in Caen stone by Pugin.
The mosaic floor isn't that bad either!
Check out my church architecture set on flickr
It was a dark and cloudy day and I didn't think that I would be able to get any type of representative shot of the much beloved poet Dante. I focused upon the angle and the composition and forgot about the lighting.
Fortunately with a little help from my photoshop friend I have managed to turn this pic into an image with brooding symbolism ... err .. well it's got very dark clouds and Dante certainly doesn't look impressed
The shot was taken in Piazza dei Signori Verona.
Check out my Verona set here
The way is barred for such a romantic soul , to the house of Juliet :_(
I found the crowds around the balcony at the fictional house of Juliet intimidating! So - I went the next day early on and the doors were barred. But, not disheartened by the absence of access I decided to make the most of it and photographed the gates instead. Here is an image I created using the HDR technique (high dynamic range). It was tonemapped in a piece of software called Photomatix.
It adds a resonance to the light - by no means everybodies cup of tea - yet I like it!
The image was taken at The Treasurer's House York (a National Trust Property). The House is a wonderful example of English Renaissance Architecture with some beautiful classical touches.
I am a National Trust Agency Photographer.
Standing at ease like soldiers, these beautiful brick crennellations guarding a medieval frontage behind Piazza Bra have an Arabic influence and remind me of the great Mosque at Djenne
Piazza Dei Signori is just off the famous Piazza delle Erbe and is a wonderfully compact space bursting full of cultural artefacts, colour and movement. It is here that the statue to Dante is situated. I was lucky to be there early in the morning to catch the hypnotic long shadows of the Veronese lamps.
Here's a few detail images to illustrate the wonderful Romanesque sculpture which is apparent on the Duomo in Verona.
Known as Santa Maria Matricolare, the cathedral was largely built in the C12th and has on most of its walls the characteristic brick banding of the Romanesque in northern Italy.
On the south portal is a wonderful series of sculptures which are showcased here. Verona is a gem for the Romanesque - just a mile away there is also the church of San Zeno which has some fantastic sculptures.
Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy as stock photography
As much as the door handles in Verona, I was overwhelmed by the textures and patterns layered up within the warp and weft of this beautiful city.
Here's a few that caught my attention.
This photo has been ZAZZLED!
The clock at Castel Vecchio is a curious piece of work.
It looks more akin to a comedy cartoon clock rather than that of a medieval clock. It is a marvelous time piece nether the less and I needed the full length of a 300mm zoom lens to capture this.
I have tried to emphasise its importance by having some of the clock out of view
This statue is situated in front of a beautiful medieval church called San Zeno in Oratario. Any idea who this is?
If not click on the photo to go to the flickr page where the conundrum is resolved
Check out these pics I took of the door handles of Verona - a bity geeky?
If you are interested in architecture at all it's worth while picking up on some of the different themes of a locality and recording them. When I was in Verona last week I noticed quite a few striking door handles which represent the full gamut of architectural and stylistic history from medieval designs through to Georgian and Contemporary design.
Click on the pics to get through to the descriptions and see some comments made on them.
Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy as stock photography
Some of the best people portraits are taken by photographer’s who understand the person behind the photo. Sometimes, you see that somehow the photographer has connected with the essence of the person being photographed. They have tapped into the subjects personality.
Well believe it or not, buildings have personalities too.
Buildings can communicate to us through their size, shape, material, space, and style.
When I go into the nave of an ancient church I feel different to when I walk into a supermarket aisle. It isn’t just the packet soup that makes the difference, it is also the way the building has been formed by its originators. There is an intention behind every building we see.
Armed with this knowledge and a little background understanding about architectural styles and history we can better inform our photography.
(taken from my architectural photography tips site here)
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-A trip to Verona, Italy last week caught my imagination - it is a remarkable hotbed of architecture.
Squeezed in between the loop of the River Adige it has developed from a defensive site into a City State and now a popular tourist attraction. All the architectural layers are there to see from the earliest Roman existence, through to the Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance. I was particularly struck by the rich survival of detail to doors, windows and floors.
Anyway no more of that - here's a taster of some of the shots I took - clicking on them should take you through to flickr which has a description of each shot.
Heres a link to the full set on flickr (which will grow as I add more)
