GOTHIC EUROPE

• The Gothic style originated in France around 1140. It spread to other parts of Europe and remained the dominant style in northern Europe for the next 400 years.

• Like the Romanesque style, the Gothic style is defined largely in terms of architecture, with variety between regions.

• "Gothic": Giorgio Vasari in the 16th century first used the word "Gothic" as a term of ridicule to describe late medieval art and architecture.

• The Gothic age was a time of profound change in Europe.

FRENCH GOTHIC

• The birthplace of Gothic architecture is the choir of the abbey church of Saint-Denis near Paris designed by Abbot Suger

• New idea- use of rib vaults resting on pointed arches • Because of the architectural lightness of the rib vault,

supporting columns were made slender and masonry walls reduced in thickness or eliminated altogether.

• The outer walls were opened up and filled with stained-glass windows.

• Unity, as apposed to modular parts, are typical in French Gothic

Ambulatory and radiating chapels, abbey church, Saint-Denis, France, 1140-1144.

Plan of the choir, abbey church, of Saint-Denis (after Sumner Crosby), France, 1140-1144.

Vaults of the ambulatory and radiating chapels of the choir, abbey church, of Saint-Denis, France, 1140-1144.

Aerial view from the northwest of Chartres Cathedral, France, begun 1134; rebuilt after 1194.

Royal Portal, west façade, Chartres Cathedral, France, ca. 1145-1155.

Old Testament queen and two kings, jamb statues, central doorway of Royal Portal, Chartres Cathedral, France, ca. 1145-1155.

Romanesque and Gothic at Laon: Laon Cathedral retains many Romanesque features, such as six-part rib vaults in the nave bays, but combined them with the Gothic rib vault, with its pointed arches.-A new feature is the arcaded triforium below the clerestory and a less compartmentalized and more unified interior nave space. -The deep porches in doorways on the west façade, and the open structure of the towers, reduce the wall mass and replace it intricate voids.West façade of Laon Cathedral, France.

Plan of Laon Cathedral, France, ca. 1160-1205; choir extended after 1210 (after Ernst Gall).

Nave of Laon Cathedral (view facing east), France, begun ca. 1190.

Nave elevations of four French Gothic cathedrals at the same scale (after Louis Grodecki): (a) Laon, (b) Paris, (c) Chartres, (d) Amiens.

A B C D

Notre-Dame (view from the south), Paris, France, begun 1163; nave and flying buttresses, ca. 1180–1200; remodeled after 1225.

FLYING BUTTRESSES and other changes

• A Final Gothic Ingredient: Flying buttresses in the form exterior arches that spring from the lower roofs over the aisles and ambulatory are used to counter the outward thrust of the nave vaults.

• Chartres: Following a fire in 1194, Chartres was rebuilt with a vault over each rectangular unit in the nave, creating a more unified effect. The clerestory windows were enlarged and flying buttresses allowed the gallery above the aisle to be eliminated. The new High Gothic triparite nave-wall elevation consists of an arcade, triforium, and a clerestory.

Plan of Chartres Cathedral, France, as rebuilt after 1194 (after Paul Frankl).

Nave of Chartres Cathedral (view facing east), France, begun 1194.

Virgin and Child and angels (Notre Dame de la Belle Verrière), window in the choir of Chartres Cathedral, France, ca. 1170, with 13th-century side panels. Stained glass, 16’ X 7’ 8".

Rose window and lancets, north transept, Chartres Cathedral, France, ca. 1220. Stained glass, rose window approx. 43’ in diameter.

The stained-glass is held in place by an armature of stone bar tracery.

Sculpture

Yet, another" Classical Revolution" in Statuary: The statues of saints on the portal jambs of the Porch of the Confessors in the south transept are more independent of the architectural framework.

Drapery folds are less stiff and the fabric falls over the bodies in soft folds. Also, the faces are more individualized and given more distinctive personalities.

Saints Martin, Jerome, and Gregory, jamb statues, Porch of the Confessors (right doorway), south transept, Chartres Cathedral, France, ca. 1220–1230.

Saint Theodore, jamb statue, Porch of the Martyrs (left doorway), south transept, Chartres Cathedral, France, ca. 1230.

South Transcept Portals

West portals,

HIGH GOTHIC IN FRANCE

• Glass Replaces Stone at Reims: Like Amiens, the cathedral at Reims is in the High Gothic style. Architecturally and sculpturally the design is taller, narrower, and more intricately decorated.

• Stained-glass windows replace the stone relief sculpture in the tympanums over the doorways.

The Quest for Height at Amiens: ROBERT DE LUZARCHES, THOMAS DE CORMONT, AND RENAUD DE CORMONT, plan of Amiens Cathedral, France, 1220-1288 (after Paul Frank).

KEY: 1. radiating chapels

2. ambulatory

3. high altar in hemicycle or apse

4. choir

5. choir aisle

6. crossing

7. transept

8. buttress

9. nave

10. nave aisle

11. west façade portals

ROBERT DE LUZARCHES, THOMAS DE CORMONT, AND RENAUD DE CORMONT, nave of Amiens Cathedral (view facing east), France, begun 1220.

ROBERT DE LUZARCHES, THOMAS DE CORMONT, AND RENAUD DE CORMONT, choir vaults of Amiens Cathedral, France, begun 1220.

ROBERT DE LUZARCHES, THOMAS DE CORMONT, AND RENAUD DE CORMONT, west façade of Amiens Cathedral, France, begun 1220.

Beau Dieu or “beautiful god”Christ (Beau Dieu), trumeau statue of central doorway, west façade, Amiens Cathedral, France, ca. 1220-1235.

West façade of Reims Cathedral, France, ca. 1225-1290.

The full-bodied figures are given free and unrestricted movements. The Visitation group reveals a classicizing, naturalistic taste. The statues seem to converse with each other Visitation, jamb statues of central doorway, west façade, Reims Cathedral, France, ca. 1230.

Sainte-Chapelle, Paris, France, 1243-1248.

Interior of the upper chapel, Sainte-Chapelle, Paris, France, 1243-1248.

Virgin and Child (Virgin of Paris), Notre-Dame, Paris, France, early 14th century.

FLAMBOYANT GOTHIC

• A Flamboyant Church in Normandy: The church of Saint-Maclou in Rouen is built in the Flamboyant style.

• The doorways are crowned with ornate gables pierced through and filled with decorative webs of wiry, curving, "flickering" Flamboyant tracery.

West façade of Saint-Maclou, Rouen, France, ca. 1500-1514.

Aerial view of the fortified town of Carcassonne, France. Bastions and towers, 12th-13th centuries, restored by EUG"NE VIOLLET-LE-DUC in the 19th century.

Non-Religious Gothic Structures

House of Jacques Coeur, Bourges, France, 1443-1451.

Book Ilumination, Stained Glass

• Book manufacture shifted from monasteries and convents to urban workshops operated by laymen who employed specialists with various skills. The painted illustrations (“illuminations”) reflect contemporary stained-glass window designs and architectural elements.

The Art of Geometry: Geometry played both a symbolic and a practical role in Gothic art and architecture. Gothic architects based their designs on the art of geometry.

Villard de Honnecourt’s personal sketchbook demonstrates the value of the art of geometry.

God as architect of the world, folio 1 verso of a moralized Bible, from Paris, ca. 1220-1230. Ink, tempera, and gold leaf on vellum, 13 1/2" X 8 1/4". ÷sterreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna.

Blanche of Castile, Louis IX, and two monks, dedication page (folio 8 recto) of a moralized Bible, from Paris, France, 1226-1234. Ink, tempera, and gold leaf on vellum, 15" X 10 1/2". Pierpont Morgan Library, New York.

Abraham and the three angels, folio 7 verso of the Psalter of Saint Louis, from Paris, France, 1253-1270. Ink, tempera, and gold leaf on vellum, 5" X 3 1/2". Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

MASTER HONORÉ , Book of Hours, Breviary of Philippe le Bel, from Paris, France, 1296. Ink and tempera on vellum, 77/8" X 47/8". Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

JEAN PUCELLE, David before Saul, folio in the Belleville Breviary, from Paris, France, ca. 1325. Ink and tempera on vellum, 9 1/2" X 6 3/4". Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

Virgin of Jeanne d’Evreux, from the abbey church of Saint-Denis, France, 1339. Silver gilt and enamel, 27 1/2" high. Louvre, Paris.

The Castle of Love and knights jousting, lid of a jewelry casket, from Paris, France, ca. 1330-1350. Ivory and iron, 4 1/2" X 9 3/4". Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore.

Gothic Outside of France

• England• Horizontality and Color at Salisbury:• English Gothic architecture at first is

characterized by an emphasis on horizontality with a wide and squat façade and a long rectilinear plan.

• In Salisbury Cathedral, the light stone of the walls and vaults contrasts with the dark Purbeck marble used for the triforium moldings and corbels, compound pier responds, and other details.

Salisbury Cathedral (view from the southwest), England, 1220-1258; west façade completed 1265; spire ca. 1320-1330.

Plan of Salisbury Cathedral, England, 1220-1258.

Nave of Salisbury Cathedral (view facing west and east), England, 1220-1258.

Choir of Gloucester Cathedral (view facing east), England, 1332-1357.

Chapel of Henry VII, Westminster Abbey, London, England, 1503-1519.

Fan vaulting

Tomb of Edward II, Gloucester Cathedral, England, ca. 1330-1335.

RICHARD DE BELLO (?), Mappamundi (world map) of Henry III, ca. 1277-1289. Tempera on vellum, approx. 5’ 2" X 4’ 4". Hereford Cathedral, England.

Germany

• The Soaring Vaults of Cologne Cathedral:

• Cologne is the largest cathedral in northern Europe.

• The 14th-century choir has double lancets in the triforium, tall single windows in the clerestory above, and an arcade below.

GERHARD OF COLOGNE, Cologne Cathedral (view from the southwest), Germany, begun 1248; nave, façade, and towers completed 1880.

Choir of Cologne Cathedral (view facing east), Germany, completed 1322.

Saint Elizabeth (view from the southeast), Marburg, Germany, 1235-1283.

Interior of Saint Elizabeth (view facing west), Marburg, Germany, 1235-1283.

Death of the Virgin, tympanum of left doorway, south transept, Strasbourg Cathedral, France, ca. 1230.

Ekkehard and Uta, statues in the west choir, Naumburg Cathedral, Germany, ca. 1249-1255. Painted limestone, approx. 6’ 2" high.

Equestrian portrait (Bamberg Rider), statue in the east choir, Bamberg Cathedral, Germany, ca. 1235-1240. Sandstone, 7’ 9" high.

Virgin with the Dead Christ (Röttgen Pietà), from the Rhineland, Germany, ca. 1300-1325. Painted wood, 34 1/2" high. Rheinisches Landemuseum, Bonn, Germany.

NICHOLAS OF VERDUN, Old and New Testament scenes, left wing of the Klosterneuburg Altar from the abbey church at Klosterneuburg, Austria, 1181. Gilded copper and enamel, 3’ 63/4" high. Stiftsmuseum, Klosterneuburg.

NICHOLAS OF VERDUN, Shrine of the Three Kings, from Cologne, Germany, begun ca. 1190. Silver, bronze, enamel, and gemstones, 5’ 8" X 6’ X 3’ 8". Cathedral Treasury, Cologne.

Italy

Gothic and Non-Gothic at Orvieto: -There is much regional diversity of Gothic architecture in

Italy. -Pointed gables over the three doorways of the west façade

of Orvieto Cathedral, the rose window, and the four pinnacles that divide the façade into three bays, imitate French Gothic elements.

-Otherwise, the façade is designed in the tradition of Tuscan Early Christian-inspired Romanesque architecture.

-The two-story nave has a timber roof. The arches of the nave arcade and the triumphal arch framing the apse are round as opposed to pointed.

LORENZO MAITANI, west façade of Orvieto Cathedral, Italy, begun 1310.

Santa Croce

Doge’s Palace, Venice, Italy, begun ca. 1340-1345; expanded and remodeled, 1424-1438.

Milan Cathedral (view from the southwest), Italy, begun 1386.

Review

• Be able to compare and contrast the two styles- Romanesque and Gothic

• Be able to identify and define the parts of a cathedral and portal

• Be able to compare and contrast sculptural styles

• Be able to discuss the painting styles found in these periods

• Review http://infinity.cos.edu/art/strong/module/history2/unit5/hismod.html