Flipping through my Art History textbook trying to find something blog-worthy, I stop on the page of the cloister in the abbey of Saint-Pierre, located in Moissac, France. The light shining in the courtyard illuminates the arches and columns of the courtyard. Subconsciously, the opening of Taylor Swift's song "Love Story" begins to play in my head. What would have been a great spot of her music video is actually the space where monks worked on their "vita contemplativa" or their spiritual life. Strolling through the timber-roofed columnar, monks were able to read their devotions, pray and meditate. The cloister enabled them to be secluded from the outside temptations and distractions of the real world.
The Moissac cloister, like others, was designed to be a taste of Paradise. The tranquil atmosphere allowed the monks the focus directly on God. The serenity was a result of the actual silence of the cloister and complimented the vow of silence taken by the monks.
Along with its peaceful air and Taylor Swift-ness, the Moissac cloister also holds the most extensive ensemble of early Romanesque sculpture. The sculpture is seen on the columns and their capitals. Their capitals are "historiated," meaning adorned with figures. The large reliefs on the piers represent the 12 apostles. The columns alternate between single and paired column shafts. Their capitals are decorated with abstract patterns. biblical scenes, and the lives of crazy monsters. The monsters, which were soon to become a popular trend, represented the chaos and deformity of a God-less world. These elaborate reliefs and capitals were added thanks to rich benefactors and donations of pilgrims.
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