Final answer:
Bernard of Clairvaux criticized sculptural decoration in Romanesque cloisters because he felt it distracted from worship, promoting a simpler and more austere spiritual practice.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the primary reasons that Bernard of Clairvaux criticized the profusion of sculptural decoration in Romanesque cloister was because he believed that such decoration distracts the faithful from worship. Bernard advocated for a purer form of spirituality that focused on internal contemplation rather than external representation. He was concerned that elaborate sculptures would divert the mind from contemplating God, as he valued simplicity and austerity in religious practice. Conversely, figures like Abbot Suger of St. Denis considered art and light as mediums that could transport people to a more spiritual and divine plane.
Saint Bernard's critique reflects a broader debate within the church about the role of imagery and ornamentation in facilitating or hindering worship. In the context of the twelfth century, this was part of the wider discussion on the appropriate use of visual art within sacred spaces, with the operational theory being that churches represent Heaven on Earth, a place for spiritual elevation — a notion distinctly at odds with Bernard's more austere perspectives.