In English: Analysis of drawings Villard de Honnecourt: Geometry of 1200

1. Drawings of Architecture.

In architecture only became interested in the great monuments, cathedrals generally, all Gothic style, although they all started in the Romanesque. The highlighted monuments are under construction: Meaux between 1170 and 1180, Lausanne in the late twelfth century, Vaucelles in 1190, in 1194 Chartres, Reims from 1210 ... etc. Villard was drawn during his trip to the big factories under construction, ignoring the constructions completed. And the absence of all the monuments of early Gothic art, including Paris, a must during your tour explains.

As an additional source we have the manual "L'album of Villard" which describes in general terms the different pictures in the book:

In Plate 18: Tower of the Cathedral of Laon. For its construction oxen were needed in addition to the hand of God, because faith is important when finalize the project successfully. Oxen cited appear really as sculptures of the tower.

 

In Plate 29: Clerestory Reims Cathedral and the Madonna and child. Due to the Gothic pointed arch is well noted. Two arches embraced by a larger one. The representation of the Virgin and Child, that subsequent comments in French describe as a '' sweet face expression, '' surely allude to the cathedrals are symbols of God and his mother.

 

In Plate 19: Types of paving, plant a pillar of Reims and Chartres rosette. They are models of flooring which include geometric elements, and even Cosmatesque fitomorfos. The pillar is cruciform, and the rose window of Chartres does not keep a complete similarity with the original. There are differences as the number of lobes in the smaller circular openings.

In Plate 32: Plant the head of the Church of Notre-Dame de Vaucelles. The plant consists of a nave and aisle on each side, leading to the ambulatory formed by their respective apses. Also they appear indicated the vaults and columns. Villard says the figure is located below the apse is "lying God" (probably in the Garden of Olives).

 

In Plate 60: Elevations of Reims Cathedral: both outside and inside draw forming different elevation levels as are the arcades, the triforium and clerestory. Drawn with a sharp detail, but sometimes the lines is as sketches. The photographs shown are for exterior and interior Reims.

2. Engineering Drawings about.

Moreover we have the engineering devices. Villard and his sketchbook has been compared to Leonardo da Vinci and his books, due to the large number of issues that have captured the interest of both. It is thanks to the comparison with Leonardo that can meet Honnecourt like "medieval Leonardo" and a few others. Some of them are:

Perpetual motion by Villard de Honnecourt

Perpetual motion by Leonardo da Vinci

In Plate 8: perpetual motion. This is a hypothetical machine easily drawn by Honnecourt in 1230 (approximately) would be able to continue running forever, after an initial impulse, without additional external power. Theoretically its existence would violate the second law of thermodynamics, which is considered an impossible object.

-Lámina 42: Sierra hidráulica. La primera mención medieval de una sierra hidráulica la encontramos en un documento normando de 1204, pero la primera representación es la de Villard. La sierra mecánica es la primera máquina automática de dos tiempos: al movimiento circular de las ruedas, que crea un movimiento alternativo capaz de serrar, hay que añadir el avance automático de la madera en la sierra. Este dibujo muestra que un arquitecto-ingeniero como Villard debía en ocasiones de recibir el encargo de construir puentes y resolver dificilísimos problemas de los cimientos. Villard muestra cómo se deben serrar los pilotes bajo el agua mediante una “sierra fijada horizontalmente a un armazón que sobresale del agua y que descansa en una plataforma, donde los obreros la deslizan imprimiéndole un movimiento de ida y vuelta. El contrapeso aplicado a una cuerda sujeta a la sierra sirve para que esta presione sobre el pilote a cortar, de manera que el tiro inicial se prolongue ininterrumpidamente. El nivel y el plomo, situados a los largo de un pilote, tienen por objeto asegurar su verticalidad.

 

In Plate 58: Catapult: model based on one of Vitruvian explaining that the two chains must do the same pinching sound to make sure they are tight. Villard takes this model and subsequently used Leonardo da Vinci too.

3. Drawings dedicated to the study of the figures through geometry.

Architectural knowledge of Villard are due in large part to their knowledge in the field of geometry. Thus, he used to solve geometric representation both architectural and figures linked to nature forms problems.

In Plate 35: Geometry applied to various elements (1)

Thus, I decomposed geometric figures living units. In this first case, the head of a man is shown segmented into three rectangles. Through the lines forming, Villard structure gets facial features, and also with this embodiment facilitates the drawing of symmetric between them.

In the second image, the artist used a triangle and an arrow to compose a staff with which to guide the traces of Christ appear. This geometric shape is more complex than before, and therefore more useful to define both the symmetry and the distance that must exist between facial features. The face that is achieved is much more detailed, but do not forget the relaxed nature of these drawings Villard.

The next drawing happens to represent a sheep. This is a whole body decomposed in three main ways that serve to draw after everything else. Thus, in the trunk uses a rectangle; for a right triangle neck and head a scalene triangle.

Finally, this part will discuss a final pattern formed by two flamingos. Used as a base to represent a semicircle made with a compass, and also this is confirmed because the center is marked.

In Plate 36: Geometry applied to various elements (2)

This film continues to reveal the use of geometric shapes to recreate living, but in this case the protagonists are human.

First, a muscular warrior appears in jars whose body is formed by a large inverted triangle that serves as the linchpin. The pair of lines that converge in one corner lengthen structuring, roughly, pelvis and legs. Finally, the knees are made by a pair of circles that shape them, and head cocked is done via the scheme of an isosceles triangle.

In the next drawing sheet, the body of this peasant reuses a triangular base, but this time does not appear inverted. It serves to then Villard can use it as a reference, for the long dress of women. But of course, what they are trying to teach these sketches are geometric figures by which we must start soon to make, as accurately as possible, more complex parts and details.

And on the other hand, in the following diagram shown a gentleman carrying a spear. This small drawing is the most dynamic of the manuscript, given its simplicity.

Scene of King John of England hunting (XIV century)

The horse that is raised dynamically takes an attitude conventional art although these centuries gallop, and similarities with the scene of King John of England Hunting, made a century later. By a period of eight lines born, Villard draws the horse's back (center lines), Figure rider structure and the head of the animal (upper lines) and the tip of the chest, in addition to both forelegs and posterior (lower lines).

To end this film is interesting to note that the architect uses the geometry down to the most minute and simple drawings, such as a flower with five petals is structured by a small pentagon.

In Plate 37: Geometry applied to various elements (3)

Although the other interesting drawings presents this film, as Hammerers trisquel of men, we will focus on that, through a grid previously made, allows the creation of a face. Decomposing the white background having the quadrangular support various units allows the realization of more perfect symmetric and strokes, as these serve as DISTANCER square orientation between some elements and others. To achieve greater accuracy, use a diamond in the center of the composition. Axis serves as both the face and the hair. But Villard becomes even more complex when you divide the square into four triangles. With this achieves an impressive accuracy when drawing, for example, the eyes, which fit into these little triangles.

4. Drawings on anatomy.

Villard was very interested in the representation of nature, and this is evident in the films which represent animals, plants or humans currents or related to religion, as some of the examples that have been seen. However, his few films devoted to the study of anatomy, which are aimed to recreate as faithfully as possible, are exceptional.

In Plate 4: Christ crucified

The sheet 4, in fact, represents Christ crucified. The twisting of the body and pathetic gesture loaded dramatic composition.

 ''Christ'' by Pisano

This Christ is directly influenced by the Byzantine icons, and in fact is very similar to that of Giunta Pisano (1202-1258), Italian painter who was a contemporary Duecento cartoonist, who was also inspired by these icons.

Byzantine icon depicting the Crucifixion (Byzantine and Christian Museum of Athens)

''Christ'' by Marcovaldo

 ''Christ' by Cimabue

Other painters born in times of Honnecourt, as the Italian Coppo di Marcovaldo (1225-1276) and Giovanni Cimabue (1240-1302) also are characterized to represent Jesus in this picture. The typical Byzantine crucified Christ served them as a reference to all of them. Apparently, Villard used as a reference work of its kind for its creation, which means that either had contact with the Byzantine, or with those of Duecento from Italy.

Thus, the head, which no longer has the strength to sustain itself, falls askew on his chest, while his face reflects past anguish. This configuration of the head of Christ, with long strands of brown hair and gesture of suffering, as well as being crowned with the cross nimbus, is typical of those influences, but in this case we will especially highlight the pain.

Nevertheless, the most striking is the torso of Jesus, which is set for the first time the anatomy that the author knew. Thus, both Christ Cimabue Pisano as muscle out with great precision. But the skin of the Christ the rather smooth lines predominate. Taking advantage that it is a corpse, recreates an abdomen contracted by death. This allows you to highlight the arched lines forming the sack, and by five empty circles highlights the ribs located below the chest. Villard five ribs to exist in this part, and although some were hidden, not count twelve, as it is known today. Strained skin wrinkles show side Jesus thinness, and contours make suits skeletal figure, only covered by the skin. This anatomical representation is quite exaggerated, as Villard ignores the thick muscular layer; already in the next sheet to explain. However, this way of drawing anatomy conveys a high degree of pathos, bringing the viewer into the death and suffering. Christ taught dropping his weight on his arms nailed to the cross. This causes the body is forced to contract, and this is achieved contorted position. Even bones are defined within the arm, although not become detached from each other.

In Plate 42: Pair of men talking

This sheet can be seen two men are talking to each other. The significance of this is unknown. They think it may be a couple of carpenters because drawings palmate leaves located on the right, which would relate to works dedicated to wood. Although it is possible that simply have located the characters in the forest or leaves are drawings apart. Although no one knows anything for sure, it is true that one of the characters carries a staff and a robe, simbolizándose its supremacy over the other man, who sits on a chest. Not only do these attributes serve to highlight its power, but also the fact that you are standing, while raising the index finger of his hands in a gesture of authority itself. The power of this character forces him to take a serious attitude towards his subordinate, he explained more relaxed and more comfortable on the chest.

In any case, we must focus on the anatomy of the characters. This sheet are many similarities with the cadaver Christ, for example in the representation of the torso almost identical except the outgoing belly. Here we discover that the main objective anatomic studies Villard is not differentiate the body of a deceased and a living person. The torso branded ribs and side wrinkles, or the bones of the arms are again figurative. For it is the conventional way to draw a person, in particular a male. However, there is an important distinction, since both characters, but especially the one in charge, have a well-marked sinuous lines that seek to highlight the presence of muscles, lacking in Christ. This film allows the man of an idealized, almost advocating the Renaissance, and it becomes apparent vigor of the man before the lifeless body of Jesus shown above.