R O M A N E S Q U E A N D G O T H I C A RT
GOTHIC ART
GOTHIC ART
• Gothic = height and light!
• Pinnacle of Middle Ages artistic achievements- Gothic Cathedral
• Referred to as the Stone Bibles
• Ribbed vaulting and flying buttresses
GOTHIC ART
• Vault• Nave• Flying buttresses• Ribbed vault• Clerestory• Rose window
GOTHIC ART
• Artists vied for highest naves• Higher the building, closer to God• Invaders worst insult to pull down cathedral• Ambition frequently outstripped technical skill,
rebuild• Most everyone in the community assisted with the
building• Literally took ages to complete- hodgepodge styles• Believed church’s beauty would inspire parishioners
to meditation and belief• “read” the churches
GOTHIC ART
• Gothic style began at royal abbey of Abbot Suger• Started to redesign small church to accommodate
pilgrims• Light symbolized presence of God• Huge windows- supports for them• Rose windows at entrance
GOTHIC ART
• Chartres Cathedral• 1194• Four centuries,
50 yr spires• Flying
buttresses• Oldest stained
glass• Rose windows
GOTHIC ART
• Flying buttresses vs buttresses?
GOTHIC ART
• Jamb statues• Royal Porters Chartres
Cathedral• 1145-1170• Displayed Biblical tales• Thin, straight bodies• Sculpture in the round• After writings of Aristotle
discovered, body no longer despised and realism• 2000+ sculptures
GOTHIC ART
• Notre Dame• Rose windows
replaced tympanums• Organs and bells main
attraction- South Tower Bell Emmanuel 13 tons!• Towers- Romanesque • Immense choirs and
ambulatories
GOTHIC ART
• Reims Cathedral• 1225-1299• Similar to interior of
Notre Dame• See through the
façade to flying buttresses outside of nave
• Walls filled with sculpture
• Tracery- carved stone openings
• Towers designed to hold huge spires, never
GOTHIC ART
• Compare and contrast:
• In pairs or by yourself, compare Reims, Notre Dame and Chartres Cathedrals.
• What three main things do they have in common?
• What is something that stands out individually from each one?
• Compare all three to the Hagia Sophia. What are the physical differences and similarities?
GOTHIC ART
• Amiens Cathedral• 1220- • Nave over 137 ft
high• Clerestory windows
immense, columns seem too slender to hold its weight• Ultimate goal of
Abbot Suger
GOTHIC ART
• Salisbury Cathedral 1220 and Cathedral of Cologne 1248• Towers and
cloisters• Cloister- covered
walkway• Spread of Gothic
style- less 100 yrs
GOTHIC ART
• Stained glass was used like a gigantic glowing illuminated manuscript
• Chartres Cathedral- visible soul of Middle Ages built to house veil of the Virgin given to city by Charlemagne’s grandson Charles the Bald
• 26,900 ft in total area in glass in Chartres illustrating Bible, lives of Saints and traditional crafts of France
GOTHIC ART
• Sainte Chapelle in Paris France• Ultimate in Gothic
stained glass deco• No side aisles and
no flying buttresses• Glass holding up
the vault feeling• Seem to glow
GOTHIC ART
• Cathedral of Toledo- second to none in sculpture
• 1498-1504• Wood paint and gold• Toledo, Spain• Magnificent altarpieces• Carved screens that
separated altars from the windows behind them
• Artists from Holland, France, Spain and Germany all collaborated on the carving, designed by Peti Juan
• New Testament happenings
GOTHIC ART
• Most French religious painting restricted to manuscript illumination• French Book of
Hours• 1440• Tempera and gold
on parchment
GOTHIC ART
GiottoLamentation1305-1306Fresco
GOTHIC ART
DuccioChrist Raising Lazarus From the Dead1309-1311Tempera on Panel
GOTHIC ART
Simone MartiniAnnunciation1333Tempera and gold on panel
GOTHIC ART
Gentile da FabrianoThe Adoration of the Magi1423 Tempera on panel
GOTHIC ART
• Weavers created highly refined tapestries as well- genre scenes
• Series of seven tapestries represents the unicorn legend
• Virgin, Pomegranate, fertility and church
• Unicorn- courtly love• Resurrected ChristThe Unicorn in Captivity1500Cloisters
GOTHIC ART
GOTHIC ART
1. What two words come to mind with Gothic art and architecture?
2. What are the two things that made the Gothic Cathedrals different from the Romanesque cathedrals?
3. What is the difference between buttresses and flying buttresses?
4. Name three major cathedrals. 5. Name something they all have in common. 6. What are sculptures in the round called at entrances?7. What was the purpose of the sculpted altarpiece at Toledo
Cathedral? What did it show?8. Name three Gothic artists and their major piece. 9. What significance did the unicorn have?10.How are Gothic cathedrals different from Romanesque
cathedrals?
