Historical Summary of Gothic Period Significant Religious Leaders and Events Significant Political Leaders and Event Cultural Developments 1081-1151 Abbot Sugar (Abbot of St Denis) c1090-1153 Bernard of Clairvaux Abbot of Cistercian Order c1194 Eleanor of Aquitaine 1194 Fire destroys Chatres Cathedral 1189-1192 Third Crusade 1204 Fourth Crusade sacked Constantinople, visiting atrocities on it that would outdo those of the later conquest by the Ottoman Turks c 1210 Franciscan Order founded 1182-1226 St Francis of Assisi r. 1189-1199 Richard the Lion-Heart 1271-1292 Marco Polo in China1273- (1519) Hapsburgs 1140-1194 Early Gothic 1140- Rise of Universities c1160-1205 Laon Cathedral 1215- Founding of Univ of Paris 1194-1300 High Gothic 1194-1220 Chartres Cathedral Rebuilt 1220-1236 Ameins Cathedral begun 1248 Colognes Cathedral late13thc Bamberg Rider e 14th c Virgin of Paris 1300-1500 Late Gothic 1288-1309 Palazzo Pubblico begun 1386 Milan Cathedral c1345-1438 Doge's Palace c1500-1514 Facade of St Maclou, Rouenc1340-1400 The Black Death c1225-1274 St Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae 1309-1378 Babylonian Capitivity of papacy at Avignon 1377 The Papacy Returns to Rome 1378-1417 The Great Schism 1415-1417 The Council of Constance and the End of the Great Schism 1417-1431 Pope Martin V
Summary of Development Roman-Gothic Architecture Early Gothic Period 1140 to 1194 High Gothic Period 1194 to 1300 Late Gothic Period 1300 to 1500 Typical Examples Rome dates Rome Basilica- served as a civic meeting place and as law courts (98-112) Bascilica Ulpia (of Trajan) early 3 rd c CE Leptis Magna (North Africa) Stylistic Characteristics Basilica of Trajan timber roof essentially a nave with columned aisles, colonnaded gallery, clerestory lighting and an open timber roof double aisles entrance from side, semi-circular apse at both ends dominated the Forum of Trajan huge rectangular building Rome Christian (Romanesque) architecture got 3 things from Rome: 1) length from the basilica 2) groin vault from the thermae(baths) 3) semi-circular arch from Roman architecture in general Leptis Magna one of the best preserved most characteric of standard type long nave terminates in semi-circular niche or apse at both ends nave walls rest on colonnade gives access to side aisles aisles generally lower than nave to allow for clerestory windows wooden ceiling (rather than vaults) for convenience rather than technical necessity subj to destruction by fire Christian basilicas of 4th c modeled on older, wooden-roofed type 700 yr. later vaulted basilican churches became common in western Europe
Early Christian dates Early Christian (Byzantine) churches used both the centralized and basilican types. with many combinations of these two forms. Exterior= ascetic, unadorned merely a shell whose shape reflects interior space enclosed = opposite of Classical type Early Christian churches did not reflect concern for proportional relationship between components that comprise the church The Basilica none of E Xtian basilicas = survived in original form Examples Old St. Peter's Rome -- Basic model for dev of church architecture in west model for basilicas all over the Christian world Greatest Constantinian church Plan = known with great accuracy Overall form = a rectangle Central Plan/ Domed structures Also another early Christian early building type Central plan, round, or polygonal structure- Examples: Santa Costanza, Rome Santa Sabina St Simeon Stylites, Kal'at Siman St John, Ephesos Old St Peter's, Rome built by Constantine, 4th c cross- shaped basilica essentially nave, 2 aisles, apse small apse projecting from transept large high colonnaded nave flanked by double side aisles interior lit by clerestory below the timber roof 15th c destroyed to make way for New St Peter's by Bramante and Michelangelo timber roof- (wooden trusses, gable roof) entrance at one end east end= altar apse mosaics?not always have transept? entrance at one end (short end) -- From secular Roman basilica large high colonnaded nave lit by clerestory windows and flanked by double aisle semi-circular apse wooden roof -- From Roman temple Stepped podium -- From Roman private home Atrium--- colonnaded open courtyard in front of church proper Narthex--- Between atrium and church proper. An entry porch. It = a vestibule through which one passes to enter the nave of the church proper Early churches it was essential that everyone see the celebrant at the altar but so far no large eastern limb for the choir or ritual was needed, only a semi-circular apse for the altar No west work, no towers S. Paulo fuori le Mura = 19th c copy of the 4th c basilica
Early Christian Misc. about St. Peter s:. Columns used at St Peter s were taken from earlier Roman buildings Transept- comes from Latin transseptum meaning transverse enclosure When standing at the entrance to the nave, the long central hall of the church, one could view the aisles, the large wall paintings of biblical scenes, and the columns topped with a horizontal entablature that flanked the nave for its entire length Researchers have found evidence to suggest that at some point, the rear wall and the apse were moved back in order to create a transept, an area that crosses at right angles to the nave between the nave and the apse, which could accommodate a larger congregation of worshippers. Details of Old St Peters gleaned from drawings and print, literary sources, and its influence on other buildings St Peters Diff from Roman basilica: entrance from the short side and the apse was moved to the other end = creating much more dramatic impression entered from one of the long sides of the Roman basilica Altar at east end of nave in front of apse Steady rhythm of arcade pulls toward great arch of east end (Called triumphal arch) which frames altar and apse beyond At the end of the nave was transverse section called the bema (transept) which ended in a semi-circular apse. Transept is omitted in lesser basilican churches Some Roman basilicas were concrete vaulted ritual overflowed from apse to nave. fenced off a part reserved for the priests. In centuries to come, the nave-no matter how elaborately vaulted- remained an aisled hall normally reserved for the laity. It was the apse that expanded until in the end we have the chevet of chapels around the east end of French cathedrals, or the long chancel and the Lady Chapel of England. The story of the plan from 4th-14th c = story of the eastern limb.
Early Christian Central Plan/ Domed structures Also another early Christian early building type Central plan, round, or polygonal structurecrowned by dome entered tradition during time of Constantine Originally dev as part of elaborate Roman baths Pantheon derived from same source Building type= given Christian meaning in baptisteries & funerary chapels linked w/ basilican churches Christian baptistries, where the rite of baptism or immersion in purifying water was carried out, were generally round, centralized buildings; bath becomes sacred rite the shape perhaps relates symbolically to that of the tomb in that the rite of baptism was a symbolic death followed by rebirth as a purified Christian. contrast to pagan predecessors shows clear articulation of interior space into a domed cylindrical core lit by clerestory Examples Santa Costanza, Rome Santa Sabina St Simeon Stylites, Kal'at Siman St John, Ephesos Santa Costanza, Rome A circular building used as a tomb for Constantine's daughter. originally attached to now ruined Roman church of St. Agnes Outside the Walls sim structure built to serve as monumental tombs or as mausoleum by pagan emperors of the 4th c AD debate as to whether it was originally constructed to serve as a tomb or was a baptistery whose function was changed. central rotunda surmounted by a semi -circular dome (counterpart to basilican nave) rotunda surrounded by a circular ambulatory or walk -way. covered by barrel vault (coutnerpart to basilican aisle) Mosaic decoration= essential part of setting mood of interior
Carolingian resembling St Riquier and St Gall plan - Carolingian resembling St Riquier and St Gall plan - Carolingian St Riquier The westwork eventually led to a great change in church design, namely an emphasis on the facade of the church. This combined with large towers, that makes the appearance of a medieval church so fundamentally different from an Early Christian basilica St Gall 2 apses one on east, one on west end shows Carolingian ideal largest and most imp building= church oriented with the main altar in the apse at the eastern end, toward Jerusalem, and the principal entrance at the opposite end to the west. 2 towers flank the west apse end North and south transepts, along with an extended eastern choir transform the basilican plan into a cruciform plan Junction of transept with nave creates the crossing In middle ages there was no accepted standard of measurement, so the church was designed by using the crossing square, formed by the intersection of the transept & nave to provide the unit of measurement Carolingian
Ottonian St Michael's at Hildesheim The alternate support system hugging the ground in Ottonian times and rising to dominate nave walls in Northern Romanesque has lost its footing at Laon (Early Gothic)and like the solid masonry of Romanesque walls, is about to evaporate St Michael's at Hildesheim Monastic church resembling St Riquier and St Gall plan - Carolingian Westwork Identical square towers over crossings In nave 12 columns and 4 piers, arrngent base on Trinity, 12 Apostles, 4 evangelists Bold massing of cubical forms recalls ancient Roman building anticipates features of later Romanesque alternating support system / piers flat timber ceiling severely damaged WWII IN architecture there was a continuation/ expansion of the Carolingian ideal with emphatically Roman element Huge scale of Ottonian churches anticipated the size of Romanesque building were crucial to the dev of Romanesque art
Romanesque Roman column had been a single shaft, and Roman arch had a smooth undersurface Romanesque pier and arch were heavily moulded, articulated. Strong lines emphasized the forces within the building. Ornament was sparse. No longer Mediterranean style of marble verneer; it was a northern style of masonry Romanesque articulated or compound pier replaced the Roman column, in Gothic became the moulded pier Some early Romanesque has two tier nave elevation A style of massive walls and massive forms 1st medieval style used round arches and massive piers Pilgrimage churches in France attracted pilgrims to their own shrines but also served as stops on the way to the great pilgrimage center in NW Spain- Santiago (St James)de Compostela (more popular than pilgrimage to Spain elements of Gothic style (pointed arch, ribbed vault, large clerestory can all be found in many Romanesque building dark, segmented spaces, monastic churches reminds one of fortifications while Gothic seems a visionary style which anticipate the glories of heaven itself Gothic- word cathedral comes from cathedral- the throne of the bishop tall, light, open unified space of pointed arch, ribbed vault style of voids, of spaces enclosed within linear grids "skeletonization of the structure" while Gothic seems a visionary style which anticipate the glories of heaven itself
Summary of Gothic Architecture Early Gothic Period 1140 to 1194 High Gothic Period 1194 to 1300 Late Gothic Period 1300 to 1500 The evolution of Gothic architecture is a continuing vault arrangement, and wall & facade design that, in Erwin Panofsky's image, is like the steps of a complex scholastic argument. French Early Gothic Typical Examples 1140-1194 Early Gothic 1140- Rise of Universities 1144 - new choir at St Denis dedicated c1160-1205 Laon Cathedral Stylistic Characteristics 4 part nave elevation square schematism alternating support system 6 part arch Choir at St Denis St Denis was one of the last great abbey churches to be built, became the monastic inspiration for the city cathedrals and is know a the cradle of Gothic art Laon Cathedral nave= 4 stories 1st level- nave arcade supported by great column Above column capitals arise alternate clusters of 5 and 3 shafts extending up to six part nave vaulting. 2nd level-tribune gallery above the aisles Aisle and gallery vaults help to buttress the nave 3rc level-over vaults of the tribune gallery is a sloped timber roofthe space between the vaults and the roof is called a triforum, masked on the nave by an arcaded, shallow gallery. 4th level- clerestory, above the roof line Facade- deeply sculptural
French High Gothic 1194-1300 High Gothic 1194-1220 Chartres Cathedral Rebuilt 1220-1236 Amiens Cathedral begun 1248 Colognes Cathedral 1225-1290 Reims 1195-1255 Bourges ate13thc Bamberg Rider e 14th c Virgin of Paris 3 part nave elevation rectangular schematism 4 part arch flying buttresses Chartres Cathedral single side aisles, double aisles in the choir 3 radiating chapels utilize the remains of earlier crypt 4 part vaulting system no longer required an alternate system of piers for support rectangular nave bays were vaulted with ribbed pointed arches Galleries over side aisles were eliminated vertical emphasized Doubled arched flying buttresses spring from the great stone buttresses above the side aisles on the exterior. Amiens Cathedral most satisfactorily proportioned Reims Cathedral narrower nave than Chartres French Rayonnant dominates the 2/2 13th c e 14th c Saint Chapelle Beauvais Cathedral dominates the 2/2 13th c French Late Gothic 1300-1500 Late Gothic c1500-1514 Facade of St Maclou, Rouen, France
English c. 1220 Salisbury Cathedral 1179-1184 choir and Trinity Chapel, Canterbury Cathedral 1332-1357 Gloucester 1503-1519 Chapel of Henry VII, Westminster Abbey Characteristic of English Gothic linear interest, horizontality (long, low nave) rectilinear w/ strong projecting transepts flat eastern end from Cistercian architecture Fan vault French stressed verticality Salisbury Cathedral prime example of Early English Gothic atypical of English cathedral cause it built on fresh site unencumbered & built in short time Like Chartres a rare example of Gothic cathedral conceived and executed within one generation rectilinear plan with strong projecting transepts flat eastern end borrowed from Cistercian arch larger openings for nave arcade, triforium, and clerestory Choir and Trinity Chapel, Canterbury Cathedral 1st major English building to employ latest French Gothic style Most dramatic English feature= use of 2 colors of stone 2 color- accentuates linear design results in diminution of the French Gothic verticality6 part vault molded ribs foliate capitals 3 part nave elevation Gloucester Spans time frame from Early Romanesque to Late Gothic 500 yrs separate Norman nave from Perpendicular Gothic Lady Chapel Monastic cloister at Gloucester was built shortly after the choir & introduces another new form of English vaulting: the fan vault Chapel of Henry VII, Westminster Abbey Characteristic of English Perpendicular Gothic emphasizes rectilinear elements as surfaces, whether stone or glass, are divided into repetitive traceried panels
German 13th & 14th c Cologne Cathedral 1233-1283 St Elizabeth, Marburg, Germany c1345-1438 Doge's Palace
Italian 1296-1436 Florence Cathedral c. 1310 Orvieto Cathedral 1288-1309 Palazzo Pubblico, Siena begun 1386 Milan Cathedral c1345-1438 Doge's Palace, Venice
Comparison of Romanesque and Gothic Romanesque weight of vaults absorbed into the walls pointed vaults used occasionally Gothic Pointed arch is a key element of Gothic architecture The pointed arch is meant to span greater or lesser distances with vaults of equal height. Ribs act as a weight bearing network, directing forces to the supporting columns, piers, and buttresses. Sculpture is an essential element The style of Gothic is even more suitable for sculpture than Romanesque, providing endless junctures, niches, pinnacles, columns, and capitals to which to decorate sculptural detail may be added.
Gothic Sculpture and Stained Glass Typical Examples Stylistic Characteristics French Early Gothic Sculpture Royal Portals, Chartres Royal Portals, Chartres Jamb statures- tall elongated columnar but stand free of the jambs themselves, floating in their own space in front of the masonry. Emphasis on Christ's divine nature left= Accession, Double lintel shows Apostles as Christ rises to heaven in the tympanum. In the vouissior = images of the signs of the zodiac and the laborers of the month. The cyclical calendar images are remainders of the passage of earth time until Christ's return. Center= The Second Coming of Christ, as the Majestas Domini right= Incarnation (Virgin's portal)- above a double lintel showing scenes of Christ's birth. The voussoirs represent the liberal arts. They remind the knowledgeable reader that Mary is the "Throne of Wisdom" French High Gothic Sculpture Jamb statures even more realistic
German Gothic Sculpture Stained Glass