Outline

Early Europe and Colonial Americas

Gothic Art
(1140-1500’s CE)
2018-2019 edited July 1, 2018

Enduring Understanding
Art of this period into geographical regions, governing cultures, identifiable
styles with considerable overlap
Numerous religions (Jewish, Christian, Islamic) and languages

Essential Knowledge
• Influence of Roman art,
• Architecture is primarily religious in nature
• Figure work was primarily religious, shifted towards naturalism and
incorporated text

Geographic/ Cultural Context

Gothic age time of great change – religious, political, social.

▪ 100 years war between France, England,
began 1337 over succession to the French
throne
▪ 14th century, plague, Black Death ;1/4 of
population died
▪ were opposing popes -one in France, one in
Rome from 1378-1417. In 1305 a French
pope was elected and subsequent French
popes stayed. In 1378 two popes were
elected-called the Great Schism

population moving from towns to cities (Paris); plague. Catholic

feuding; upper class; powerful monarchy, university growth
time of advances in building technology = greater heights, more open
spaces
Secular state was developing, lead by France
Proclaiming of the Christian message
 Art Context

Initially used as a term of ridicule – “monstrous and barbarous” was

linked with the Goths of N. Europe as backward
Early Renaissance humanists who admired Greco-Roman era, saw
Goths as destroyers of the classical style

However, by the 13th and 14th centuries, Gothic style seen as modern
and sophisticated

Began in Northern France around Paris ca 1140

Key!-Abbot Sugar (of the church of the Benedictine abbey-house tomb
of French kings) called for a new church architecture-a new way to
show God’s presence through a new heavenly light-“lux nova” and
done in part to build up the French monarchy
Some of this came from Islamic building ideas

by 13th century expanded throughout western Europe with stylistic

changes
East and south of Europe remained Islamic and Byzantine

Distinguishing qualities –
1. open spaces, for easy flow,
2. non load bearing wall of stained glass = light was “illuminating
the soul and uniting it with God”

Terms

Gothic architectural order

Armature-the crossed or diagonal, arches that form the skeletal framework

of a Gothic rib vault
Pointed arch-a narrow arch of pointed profile, in contrast to a semicircular
arch
Triforium – a band of arcades below the clerestory
Lancets-tall, narrow windows, ending in pointed arches
Clerestory-windows below the vaults that form the nave elevation’s
uppermost level
Springing-the lowest stone of an arch
Oculus-a small round window in a Gothic cathedral
Flying buttress-an exterior wall support that sticks out from the wall, is
arch-shaped and used to withstand the outward thrust of a Gothic cathedral’s
very high walls
Lux Nova-term used to describe the brilliant (heavenly) quality of light
radiating from Gothic stained glass windows

Early Gothic
1140-1194

France

Keys to Gothic - think height and light

• Rib vaults with pointed arches
o allow for vaulting of various sizes yet equal nave height
o direct weight of roof (vault) more directly down
o allow for less formidable buttressing and large interior
piers
o frees up wall space for more windows (stained glass)
o give illusion of greater vertical height
• Flying buttresses
o Allow for vertical orientation of cathedral
o Allow for larger clearstory windows
• Huge colored (stained) glass windows
o Allow for more light and brilliant color
o Doable because of more available open wall space
• Compound Piers
o Round and octagonal alternating

All allows for vertical pull=up to the heavens!

Had Byzantine Wow! Factor = people small, glorious God

Low Gothic-
Square nave bays-sexpartite vault
Alternate support system
Two squares in aisle
High Gothic-
Rectangular nave bays
Four-part vault
Has single square in each aisle
Use of flying buttress-allowed for elimination of tribune above aisle
Tripartite nave elevation-arcade, triforium, clerestory
Has a Byzantine, ”wow” factor = the smallness of people and the glory of
God

Key feature of Gothic cathedral is crossed or diagonal arches under

groins
▪ These form the armature or skeletal framework
▪ Have thinly veiled webs between arches
➔ Key difference vs. Romanesque rib vault is pointed arch on top of
thinner piers with external reinforcing buttresses; allowed Gothic
builders to make all crowns of arches equal in height despite size of
space being covered
Were very flexible: could vault areas of varying shapes
Channel weight more directly downward vs. semicircular arches = need
for less buttressing = more open walls with larger windows
Vaults appear taller

Flying buttress solves several problems

▪ Allows for open walls and thus clearstory
▪ Allows for colored/stained glass
▪ Eliminates need for large support columns