Gothic Architecture

Maria KotsiosCultural Studies I

Romanesque Architecture

Architectural style in medieval Europe beginning in the 6th to 10th century

Combined features of Western Roman and Byzantine buildings

Characterized by:semi-circular aches massive qualitythick wallssturdy piersgroin vaults large towersdecorative arcading

Later evolved into the Gothic Style in the 12th century

Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Mary Major, Portugal

Angouleme Cathedral, France

History of the term “Gothic”

At the end of the 12th century and beginning of the 13th Gothic cathedrals were built across Northern France and most of Europe

Gothic was known as “opus modernum (modern work) or opus francigenum (French work) at this time

Gothic was originally a derogatory term used in the 16th century Italy to describe the art of northern Europe.

In 17th-century "Goth" was an equivalent of “vandal” It was believed that Germanic invaders or the Goths

destroyed classical traditions

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Denis

History of Cathedral Basilica of St. Denis (1140-44) Originally founded in the 7th century on the burial place of Saint Denis who

is the patron saint of France Became a place of pilgrimage and the burial place of most French Kings

during the 10th to the 18th centuries King Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine wanted to dedicate a new choir for

the royal church, Abbey of Saint Denis In the 12th century, Abbot Suger who was friends of the King, rebuilt and

designed new parts of the church. Painted the Walls with gold and precious colors Added a new façade with twin towers and a triple portal Around the back of ambulatory he added a circular string of chapels All with stained-glass windows “miraculous and uninterrupted light” Light is the physical and material manifestation of the Divine Spirit Churches beauty was to elevate the soul to the realm of God

Showed the change from Romanesque Architecture to Gothic Architecture. This inspired a new style of architecture and decoration that we call

“Gothic” During the French Revolution in the 18th century some of the cathedral

was destroyed

Cathedral of Notre-Dame Chartres

Cathedral of Notre-Dame Chartres (1134-1220)

Considered one of the finest examples in France of the Gothic style of architecture

Located in Chartes, southwest of Paris Chartres was the spiritual center of the cult of the Virgin. Virgin could

intervene to save sinners from eternal damnation Constructed between 1193 and 1250 Lot of cathedrals were dedicated to Notre Dame which means “Our Lady” Stained glass windows were donated by the royal family, noblemen and

merchants Escaped harm from the Huguenot iconoclasm and the religious wars of the 16th

century Spires can be seen for miles in very direction On an average day the light outside the cathedral is approximately 1,000

times greater than the light inside With the windows backlit and shining in the darkness of the nave radiate

with an immaterial glow suggesting a spiritual beauty beyond the present

West façade of Chartres cathedral South Spire (right) was

built in 1160. Romanesque design that shows balance and symmetry

North Spire (left) was built during 1507-13. Gothic design that is elaborately decorated and technically advanced

The stained glass covers over 32,000 square feet

Gothic Style – Rib Vaulting Rib vaults can reach a greater height than a rounded arch

Structural moldings called ribs force the vault outward and downward

Ribs are constructed first and support the scaffolding then masonry webbing on top

Allowed for massive stonework to be placed inside and out of the cathedral

Gothic Style – Flying Buttresses

Buttresses – pillars

traditionally built against

exterior walls to brace them

and strengthen the vault Flying Buttresses - stone structures that extend from a

wall and employ an arch to focus the strength of the buttress’s support at the top of the wall

This carries the weight of the roof away from the building and down a column to the ground

Flying buttresses allow increased window space and give the illusion that the pillars are defying gravity

Gothic Style – Flying Buttresses

Cathedral of Notre-Dame (1170)

Takes weight off of the outer walls and support it from outside of the church

Gothic Style – Gothic Arch Pointed instead of rounded

arch

This arch is made by bending two 'pillars’ inwards until they meet and lock

Gothic Style – Exterior decorations During the 13th century architects began to add to the

exteriors of cathedrals Crockets – leaf like forms that curves outward with

edges curling up often added to pinnacles, spires and gables

Finials - knoblike forms that topped crocketsPinnacles - ornament forming the cap or crown of a

buttress. Look like spires and were made with lead to enable the flying buttresses to contain the stress of the vaults and roof

Gargoyles - (from the old French gargouille meaning “throat”) grotesque creatures like mutant humans and hybrid beasts found in the upper corners. Also function as water spouts

Chimeras – grotesque monsters The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Etruscans and Romans

all used animal-shaped waterspouts

Church of St. Peter and St. Paul Belgium (1905)

Notre-Dame de Paris (1211-90)

•Other than being used as water spouts, why do you think Other than being used as water spouts, why do you think gargoyles were used on churches?gargoyles were used on churches?

Gargoyles were guardians of churches that represented and scared off evil spirits. Images were powerful during this time. They protected church goers and reminded them that the end of days were near. Let the church goers know that evil is kept outside of the church and inside there church there was sanctity and safety.

Gothic Style – Stained Glass Different colored glass rolled

out and cut into small pieces and then assembled by strips of lead

Strengthened with iron bands in shape of a grid and also in the outlines of the design

What images did stain glass What images did stain glass windows depict and what windows depict and what audience was looking at audience was looking at them?them? Used to tell biblical stories to a

largely illiterate Christian audience

Allowed them to read the scriptural stories for themselves

Cathedral of Notre-Dame (1170)

The Tree of Jesse window, Chartres Cathedrals (1150-70) Jesse was the father of King

David was an ancestor of Mary

At the base there is Jesse with a tree growing out of him

Tree branches into the four kings of Judea, one on each row

Mary is below Christ Seven doves (seven gifts of

the Holy Spirit) On each side in the half

moon there are the fourteen prophets

Wells Cathedral (1230-50)

Located in Wells, England Example of the preference

for pattern and decoration in English gothic architecture

The Portal is less important and the rhythmic structure of the wide façade is more important

Life size sculptures are found in each niche, originally 384, each representing the Last Judgment

Gothic Revival Began in the 1740’s in

England Wanted to revive

medieval forms instead of using the current neoclassical style

During the Revival the gothic style was used for its picturesque and romantic qualities without regard for its structural possibilities or original function

Strawberry Hill, home of the English writer Horace Walpole (1764)

Woolworth Building - Cathedral of

Commerce Located in Lower

Manhattan Was the tallest building in

the world from 1913 until 1930

Commissioned by Frank Woolworth in 1910 and constructed by architect Cass Gilbert in the Neo-Gothic Style

57 stories, 792 feet tall and $13,500,000 to build Lobby is covered in marble,

has a vaulted ceilings, and mosaics

glazed architectural terra-cotta panels, strongly articulated piers, gargoyles, spires, pinnacles, arches and flying buttresses

Gotham City Gotham City is the fictional city

which is home to Batman "Gotham" had long been a well-

known nickname for New York Gotham City was said to be

founded by a Swedish mercenary in 1635. Later taken over by the British. Was the site of a major battle during the Revolutionary War

Rumor has it Gotham is home to many occult beings and sects

Batman writer and editor Dennis O’Neil has said that "Batman's Gotham City is Manhattan below 14th street at eleven minutes past midnight on the coldest night in November”

Mix of buildings with Neo-Gothic style and Art-deco influences and modern buildings such as glass skyscrapers

What about this image looks gothic What about this image looks gothic to you?to you? Spires and

Arches

Thin vertical lines on outside

Stained glass windows

Gargoyles, pinnacles, crockets and chimeras