Calcarius (fl. second quarter of the 13th century) was an artist working in late Romanesque style on Gotland (present-day Sweden).
Floruit, abbreviated fl., Latin for "he/she flourished", denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the word may also be used as a noun indicating the time when someone flourished.
Romanesque art is the art of Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic style in the 12th century, or later, depending on region. The preceding period is known as the Pre-Romanesque period. The term was invented by 19th-century art historians, especially for Romanesque architecture, which retained many basic features of Roman architectural style – most notably round-headed arches, but also barrel vaults, apses, and acanthus-leaf decoration – but had also developed many very different characteristics. In Southern France, Spain and Italy there was an architectural continuity with the Late Antique, but the Romanesque style was the first style to spread across the whole of Catholic Europe, from Sicily to Scandinavia. Romanesque art was also greatly influenced by Byzantine art, especially in painting, and by the anti-classical energy of the decoration of the Insular art of the British Isles. From these elements was forged a highly innovative and coherent style.
Gotland is a province, county, municipality, and diocese of Sweden. It is Sweden's largest island. The province includes the islands of Fårö and Gotska Sandön to the north, as well as the Karlsö Islands to the west. The population is 58,595, of which about 23,600 live in Visby, the main town. The island of Gotland and the other areas of the province of Gotland make up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area.
There exist no written sources about Calcarius and the name is a label, chosen in the 20th century by art historian Johnny Roosval. It is derived from the fact that this artist was the first to cut sculptures from limestone rather than sandstone on a systematic basis on Gotland. [1]
John (Johnny) August Emanuel Roosval was a Swedish art historian, Medieval ecclesiastical art specialist, and university professor.
Limestone is a carbonate sedimentary rock that is often composed of the skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral, foraminifera, and molluscs. Its major materials are the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). A closely related rock is dolostone, which contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite, CaMg(CO3)2. In fact, in old USGS publications, dolostone was referred to as magnesian limestone, a term now reserved for magnesium-deficient dolostones or magnesium-rich limestones.
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized mineral particles or rock fragments.
To the workshop of Calcarius around 20 baptismal fonts are attributed in the Baltic region. Only two of them are on Gotland (in Fole and Buttle Church), indicating that the workshop worked on an export market. The rest can be found in Ångermanland (Nora and Selånger Church), Medelpad (Stöde Church), Hälsingland (Njutånger Church), Uppland (Vidbo and Lunda Church), Östergötland (Gistad Church), Scania (Borrby Church), Öland (Bredsättra, Runsten and Ventlinge Church) and Bohuslän (Tossene Church) (all in Sweden), as well as in churches in Vestfold in present-day Norway, Falster in present-day Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein in present-day Germany. In addition, the workshop created sculptures for church buildings on Gotland. These include capitals and/or tympana on Havdhem, Tingstäde, Fole, Linde and Levide Church. A single sculpture in Visby Cathedral has also been attributed to the workshop of Calcarius. [1]
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture used for baptism.
The terms Baltic region, Baltic Rim countries, and the Baltic Sea countries refer to slightly different combinations of countries in the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe.
Fole Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Fole on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.
Hegvald was a Romanesque stone sculptor of baptismal fonts, working on Gotland.
Majestatis was a Romanesque stone sculptor and the creator of several richly decorated baptismal fonts mainly in Scania and on Gotland.
Byzantios was a Romanesque stone sculptor, working on Gotland in present-day Sweden.
Gothem Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Gothem on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.
Gammelgarn Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Gammelgarn on the Swedish island of Gotland. The church is in the in the Diocese of Visby of the Church of Sweden.
Grötlingbo Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Grötlingbo on the island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby (Sweden).
Hablingbo Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Hablingbo on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.
Martebo Church is a medieval Lutheran church on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.
Tingstäde Church is a medieval Lutheran church on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.
Ala Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Ala on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.
Öja Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Öja on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby (Sweden).
Burs Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Burs on the Swedish island of Gotland. The church belongs to the Diocese of Visby of the Church of Sweden.
Stånga Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Stånga on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.
The Master of the Passion of Christ is the name used to refer to an anonymous fresco painter and his workshop, active on Gotland during the 15th century. Works in about fifty churches have been attributed to the artist. The style of the Master of the Passion of Christ has been described as schematic and even primitive.
Buttle Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Buttle on the Swedish island of Gotland. The church is in the Diocese of Visby of the Church of Sweden. It is one of the more well-preserved Romanesque churches on Gotland.
Endre Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Endre on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby. It was first built and consecrated as a Catholic church, but then taken for Lutheran worship at the reformation in the 16th century.
Norrlanda Church is a medieval Lutheran church on the Swedish island Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.
Silte Church is a medieval Lutheran church on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.