Gothic Art

1. Gothic Art Day 2 The Lecture

2. ID. What are the similarities/differences in the portrayal of Christ?

3. ID theses buildings and explain why they exemplify the periods in which they occur.

4. ID, then place the three in order of appearance and explain what, in general, is happening to Gothic architecture.

6. Salisbury CathedralSalisbury, EnglandGothic1220 • -English Gothic style • -Not so high • -Double transept • -Emphasis on the soaring tower • -Long nave, short transept

7. Romanesque Durham vs. Gothic Salisbury

10. Westminster AbbeyLondon EnglandPerpendicular Gothic1500 CE • -Fan vaults • -Organic • -English desire for knotting references the Celtic knotting form the early medieval period • -Linked to the Flamboyant style in France • -Perpendicular gothic (unique to England)

12. English Gothic • Perpendicular Style • Fan Vaulting • horizontal emphasis in a long rectilinear plan • more emphasis on the cross tower than the façade • less interest in height • Nave ends with a flat wall rather than in a round apse

13. Cologne CathedralCologne, GermanyGothic1248-1880 • German architecture remained Romanesque until well into the 1200’s • Many churches only used the rib vault • Took 600 years to build- they lost the plans! • (work halted from the about 1550 to about 1850, when they found the design plans) • Largest cathedral in northern Europe • Giant nave (472 ft long) • Survived WWII bombings because of its Gothic skeleton • Tries to out do the French in height.

14. German Gothic • Late to adopt the gothic style • Try to outdo the French in Height • Aisles the same height as the Nave Hallenkirche (hall church) • No gallery Triforium or clerestory

15. Milan CathedralMilan ItalyGothic1386 • Built by committee, with no one architect in charge • Wide Italian nave • Gothic surface decoration • Based on flamboyant design w/ ornate tracery and lots of pinnacles • Before it was half finished Gothic style was no longer fashionable- the Renaissance had started! • So it combines elements of both the Gothic and the Renaissance- • It took five centuries to complete the cathedral. • It is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world.

18. Doge’s PalaceVenice ItalyGothic1424 CE • Doge= Duke; ruler of Venice • Most ornate medieval Italian government building • Ogee arches • Quatrefoils • Each story is taller than the one below it • Light, not overloaded or heavy feeling • White and pink marble

20. Italian Gothic • Short wide nave • Low • Gothic decoration • White stone • Flamboyant style influence

21. Gothic Sculpture • Figures emerge from building • Some interaction w/world • Focus on salvation rather than judgment • Images of suffering (Black Death) • Gothic s-curve

22. Jamb statues- Royal PortalChartres CathedralGothic1200 CE • -so called because they depict kings and queens of the Old Testament • - stand in front of the wall, no longer flat against it • -upright and rigid, reflect the vertical nature of the columns • -robes are almost hypnotic in use of regular lines, no nervous excitement as in Romanesque sculpture

23. VisitationReims, Cathedral Gothic 1250 KEY PIECE • -classical influence in drapery, stances • -heads look like they were inspired by Roman portraits • -Contrapposto • -figures look like they are interacting with one another, narrative • - Mary announces her pregnancy to her cousin, St. Elizabeth who is much older. Despite her age, she will have a child, John the Baptist • -columns recede into the background behind the figures

26. Virgin and Child (Virgin of Paris)Notre Dame de ParisGothic1400 • -Worldly queen , crown full of gems • -Ref, Hermes and Dionysus • Playful interaction between Mary and Jesus • -S-curve becoming common, a “rediscovery” of Classical statuary • -anatomy disguised under drapery • Is there a body under there? • -inorganic stance- • not based on anatomy; • rather it was just an aesthetic choice: they thought it looked elegant

27. Ekkhard and Uta, NamburgCathedral,Gothic 1200 • -Idealized statues • -one of the twelve statues of the benefactors that raised funds for the original church constructed in the 11th century • -Attached to columns • -Some original paint intact • -The body and drapery (clothes) are distinct note the arm of Uta under the folds • -Represents a rise of individual importance, definite personalities are present

29. Death of the Virgin, Strasbourg, Gothic1200 • Emotional, sets the tone for German art • -Mary on her deathbed • -Copies the Reims Mary • -The twelve apostles and Mary Magdalene surround her. • -Christ (center) receives his mothers soul, represented by the small doll in his hand • -Classical style • -Varied emotional response creates the narrative

31. Above:Story of Adam and EveNotre Dame de ParisGothicLeft:Creation and Temptation of Adam and EveModena CathedralRomanesque • Which is Romanesque and which is Gothic? • How can you tell?

33. RöttgenPietà, Gothic 1300Key Piece • The suffering of the 14th century (plague, famine, social strife) seen in this piece • As you suffer so did Christ: • suffering is holy • Christ is distorted, emaciated, bleeding, terribly wounded • Mary is expressed through her oversized face which allows the viewer to feel her grief all the more • Relates to a more “humanized” audience • Meant to be viewed privately

35. Gothic Sculpture • Figures emerge from building • Some interaction w/world • Focus on salvation rather than judgment • Images of suffering (Black Death) • Gothic s-curve

36. Blanche of Castile and Louis IX, Gothic1200 • -Manuscript • -Personal bible • -Top left Blanche of Castile mother and Reagent • -Top right King Louis IX of France, teenager • -Bottom older monk dictates to younger scribe • -connection to stained glass lux nova • light of god that shone through the glass in the cathedrals • -Modeling is minimal=no weight, color restricted

38. Abraham with three AngelsPsalter of St. LouisGothic1250 CE • -connection to stained glass lux nova • light of god that shone through the glass in the cathedrals • -Modeling is minimal=no weight, color restricted • Thought to be made by the same artists who made the glass windows for Sainte-Chapelle • Rayonnant architecture in the background • Elegance • Two scenes of the same story • Sarah peeks in from tent • Gothic s-curve

39. God as Architect of the WorldGothic1200 CE • -Rising levels of science are depicted • -A return to a more Classical style • -God breaks the register with his foot • -The gold represents the infinity of space and the heavens • -God is the designer and to study the world is to worship him, key to the notions of the coming protestant rebellion

40. Figures based on Geometric ShapesGothic1220 CE • Rising levels of science are depicted • Personal sketchbook of Villard de Hinnecourt • Both natural forms and buildings are based on geometry • “Geometry is strong help in drawing figures” • Spiritual side to Geometry • Circles= eternity • Squares=mortality • Triangles= trinity

41. Painting-Manuscript Illumination • Intense colors look like glass • Look of piercing with bar tracery • Court Style • Rayonnant style • Secular • Study of geometry

43. Cathedrals in Color

45. Rose Window from Chartres CathedralGothic1200 CE • -Commissioned by Blanche of Castile • - the fleur-de-lis is a reference to the French crown • - an excellent example of Lux nova • -the rich light of God shines through the stories of the bible and touches you with its warmth both spiritually and physically

46. Virgin and Child and AngelsChartres CathedralGothic1170 • Early piece that survived the fire of 1190 and was reused in the refurbished cathedral. • Mary is beautiful, worldly queen of Heaven • Above her is the Dove of the Holy Spirit • Opposite of Byzantine mosaics- which reflect light (glass transmits light)

48. Evolution of medieval architecture Early Christian /Viking Carolinian/Ottonian Romanesque Gothic

49. Evolution of medieval sculpture Hiberno Saxon Carolinian Ottonian Romanesque Gothic

50. Themes to study • Discuss the innovations of Gothic Sculpture • How a building/sculpture reflects the Gothic ideas • How the ideas of Abbott Suger changed cathedral design, and what innovations were created to accommodate these ideas. • How is English/German or Italian Gothic different from French Gothic. • How does sculpture and architecture evolve during the Gothic time period. • Compare Gothic to Romanesque