AP Art History

Chapter 16 * Gothic Art and Architecture

Slide List

Left

Right

Abbey Church of St. Denis The Chevet (plan)
c.1135-1140 & 1231

  1. Benedictine church w/great historical significance
    1. housed relics of St. Denis patron saint France/first bishop of Paris
    2. original structure had fallen into disrepair-decision to rebuild and renovate-Abbot Suger
  2. Reconstruction began 1135-new west façade w/sculpted portals
    1. 1140-east end renovations begun
    2. 1144-dedication of new choir, ambulatory, radiating chapels

    

Abbey Church of St. Denis,
Interior: Nave towards apse
c.1135-1140 & 1231

  1. Church itself was considered a relic
  2. new construction (east end) had to conform to dimensions of crypt below
  3. However, new architectural innovations
    1. innovative rib vaulting resting on pointed arches over ambulatory and chapels
    2. allowed for lighter walls; slender columns
    3. allowed builders to open outer wall for stained glass windows-Suger wanted “marvelous uninterrupted light” Suger called colored light lux nova “new Light”
  4. New type vaulting and use of stained glass hallmarks of French Gothic architecture

 

Images of Abbey Church of St. Denis

Abbey Church of St. Denis

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Exterior viewed from the south
c.1134-1220

  1. Constructed over several decades mid 12th -mid 13th  century

a.       1134 fire destroyed west façade-new faced constructed in Early Gothic

b.      1194 fire destroyed most of rest of original church

c.       Massive rebuilding between 1194-1260

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Distant view of cathderal and town
c.1134-1220

1.      Reconstruction required money, raw materials and skilled labor

    1. finances depended upon collections of public contribution
    2. war, famine, plagues, feuds between church and town officials would interfere with construction
    3. townspeople stormed bishop’s residence after higher taxes were issued

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
West facade
c.1134-1220

  1. After 1194 fire-only west façade and masonry crypt were all that was left
  2. crypt housed Mary’s mantle
  3. most striking feature of west façade is giant rose window and two individual towers

a.       left (north) more ornate tower added after fire 1507-13

 

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Plan
c.1134-1220

  1. new design incorporated crypt and west façade-determined new dimensions BUT not plan or elevation
  2. Chartres post 1194 considered first High Gothic Cathedral
    1. square bays replaced w/rectangular bays
    2. each nave bay defined by its own vault
    3. each nave bay flanked by single square in side aisle (instead of traditional two)
    4. abandoned alternate support system
    5. High Gothic vault-smaller w/ only four parts-helped to better unify the interior
    6. Nave became vast continuous hall

 

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Interior: Nave towards apse
c.1134-1220

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Interior: Nave towards apse
c.1134-1220

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Interior: Nave Wall
c.1134-1220

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Interior: Nave, triforium & clerestory
Nave elevation
c.1134-1220

1.      High Gothic elevation consisted of nave, triforium, and clerestory

2.      windows were greatly enlarged almost as large as main arcade

3.      consist of double lancets crowned by single oculus

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Interior: Rose Window (north)
c.1134-1220

  1. In spite of addition of many windows of great size-interior is still dark-due to muffling colored glass of stained glass windows.
    1. windows were not meant to illuminate with sunlight
    2. windows were meant to transform sunlight into Suger’s “lux nova”
    3. Chartres is unusual because it has almost all of its original glass
    4. dimming effect transforms interior in dramatic fashion
  2. Stained glass windows were gift from Queen of France c 1220
    1. themes of rose windows relate to Queen and Mary as Queen of the Heavens-iconography
    2. measures 43’ in diameter

 

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
West facade (north lancet), Tree of Jesse
c.1150-1170

  1. tree is familiar motif in medieval art-this version inspired by one at St. Denis
  2. images relate to genealogy of Jesse, father of David

a.       body of Jesse is a base of tree

b.      then branches to four kings of Judea

c.       Christ’s royal ancestors

d.      Virgin Mary

e.       Christ himself

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Furrier Donors

  1. rose and lancet windows change in color and intensity with the hours of the day.
  2. in some places stone walls are almost entirely replaced with glass, held in place by stone and lead tracery
  3. one of several scenes in different windows that show townspeople; once thought to be donors-now thought to be church propaganda-church as focus of everyone’s spiritual and secular life

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
The Nativity

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Exterior: North flank, flying buttresses

1.      first church planned from beginning to have flying buttresses

2.      buttresses made it possible to eliminate tribune above the aisle (Romanesque designed/early gothic used tribune to help brace walls

 

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Nave and buttressing: Transverse section drawing

1. Strategic placement of buttresses permitted construction of nave wall with many voids

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Exterior: West Portal, Royal Portal, c1150

  1. so-named because of the statue-columns of kings and queens that flank three doorways
  2. part of original 1134 Cathedral construction-not destroyed by 1194 fire
  3. constitute most complete surviving examples of Early Gothic sculpture

 

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Exterior: West Portal,
Royal Portal: Ancestors of Christ,
(center Right jamb), c1145-1155

  1. theme of portals is to proclaim majesty and power of Christ
  2. three portals are united visually and iconographically
    1. episodes from Christ’s life are carved into capitals
    2. capitals form a kind of frieze linking one entrance to the next

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Exterior: West Portal,
Royal Portal: Ancestors of Christ,
(center Right jamb), c1145-1155

  1. royal ancestors of Christ figuratively and literally support New Testament figures above the doorways
  2. figures wear 12th century clothes and a thought to be actual portraits of French royaltyàsymbols of secular and religious authority
  3. from distanceàappear as vertical decorative accents

a.       stand rigidly upright

b.      elbows held close to hips

c.       linear folds of garments and elongated proportions echoes in vertical columns behind them

d.      are NOT caryatids because they do not replace columnsàare attached to columns

  1. BUT, statues do display new naturalismàstand out from plane of the wall
  2. figures do “move” into the space of the observer
  3. represent new era of artistic concern w/personality and individuality

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Exterior: South Porch, Left portal:
SS. Theodore, Stephen, etc.,
(left jamb), 1213-1260

1.were completed after the fire and represent High Gothic styleàreferred to as the “Porch of Martyrs”

2. project more forcefully from the church than Early Gothic portal figures on west façade

3. are more independent of architectural frameworkàarchitectural setting does not determine their pose

4. Figures communicate with one another

   a. turn slightly toward and away from each other

   b. drapery folds are not stiff and shallow vertical accentsà fall and lab      over bodies in soft folds

   c. faces are more animatedàfaces have individualized features

5. Saint Theodoreàportrayed as ideal Christian knight

    a. clothed in cloak and chain mail armor of Crusader

    b. holds spear firmly in right handàleft hand rests on shield

    c. turns head to left and swings hip out to right

 

 

 

 

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Exterior: West Portal, Life of the Virgin,
Tympanum, c1150

1.      Presence of Mary as a central player in the dedication and iconography of Chartres was unprecedented

2.      Mary is given a central role in sculptural programàcult of virgin reached a high point during Gothic period

a.       Mary stood between the Last Judgment and the Horror of Hell acted as intercessor for the faithful

b.      Mary was the spiritual lady of chivalryàChristian knights dedicated their lived to her

 

 

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres, Paris,
Exterior: North portal, Coronation of the Virgin,
Tympanum, c1205-60

Robert de Luzarches & Thomas de Cormont
Cathedral of Notre Dame, Amiens, France
Exterior: West facade, c1220-1270

  1. Chartres set pattern for Gothic Cathedrals that followed
  2. Amiens started in 1220, while work was still going on at Chartres
  3. nave finished 1236àradiating chapels finished 1247àchoir took until 1270

Robert de Luzarches & Thomas de Cormont
Cathedral of Notre Dame, Amiens, France
Exterior: West facade,
(from northwest), c1220-1270

1. work began on façade at same time as nave

2. portals are funnel-like and gable-covered

3. upper elevation of façade has deep piercing

4. Towers have few places left for ornamentationàcovered w/colonnettes, arches, pinnacles, rosettes and other decorative stonework.

5. Sculpture extends to areas above portals. Especially band of statues than runs full width of façade directly below rose window

6. Uneven towers were alter additionàshort tower-14th century/taller one-15th century

*

Robert de Luzarches & Thomas de Cormont
Cathedral of Notre Dame, Amiens, France
Exterior: West central portal trumeau,
Beau Dieu (God the Father), c1220-1270

  1. most prominent statue of façade
  2. body is fully sculpted and enveloped woth massive drapery folds that cascade from waist
  3. statue stands freely and is independent from the architectural setting
  4. canopy crowns figureàdirectly above is great central tympanum w/Christ as Last Judge
  5. Beau Dieu is handsome, kindly figure/blesses those who enter
  6. feet shown trampling lion and dragon symbols of evils in the worl
  7. IMPTàthis image of bearded, benevolent Christ replaces the youthful Early Christian Christ and stern Byzantine Pantokrator as the preferred representation of the Savior

Robert de Luzarches & Thomas de Cormont
Cathedral of Notre Dame, Amiens, France
Interior, nave towards east, 1220-36

1. walls appear to be stretched like skin between the piers and seem to have no purpose other than to provide weather screen for interior

Robert de Luzarches & Thomas de Cormont
Cathedral of Notre Dame, Amiens, France
plan, c1220-1270

  1. Amien’s elevation derived from Chartres but has variations
    1. proportions are more elegant
    2. greater number and complexity to lancet windows in clerestory and triforium
    3. rectangular bay system
    4. four-part rib vaulting
    5. buttressing

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Amiens, France
Interior: nave vaults, 1220-70

  1. Amiens is great example of gothic cathedral obsession w/constructing ever taller cathedrals
  2. vaulting at Chartres was 118’àvaulting at Amiens was 144’
  3. height of vaulting created tense, strong lines to vault ribs that converge to colonnettes and go directly down to compound piers
  4. almost every part of structure has a corresponding element below

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Amiens, France
Interior: Choir vaults,
begun 1220

1. have the appearance of a canopy/tentlike

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Reims, France
Exterior: construction, 1211-1311

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Reims, France
Exterior: west facade, 1211-1260

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Reims, France
Structural diagram, 1211-1311

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Reims, France
Interior: Nave towards west, 1211-1260

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Reims, France
Exterior: west central portal,
south jamb: Annunciation & Visitation
c1230

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Amiens, France
Exterior: west facade, center
portal, St. Joseph, detail

Maurice de Sully
Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, France
Exterior: view from southwest
begun 1163

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, France
Exterior: south flank, begun 1163

Maurice de Sully
Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, France
Exterior: facade, 1163-1250

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, France
Plan, begun 1163

Perre de Montreuil
Saint-Chapelle, Paris, France
Exterior: 1243-48

Saint-Chapelle, Paris, France
Interior: apse window from nave, 1243-48

Salisbury Cathedral,
Salisbury, (Wiltshire) England
Exterior: general view, 1220-1258

Salisbury Cathedral,
Salisbury, (Wiltshire) England
Plan, 1220-1258

Salisbury Cathedral,
Salisbury, (Wiltshire) England
Interior: nave, 1220-1258

Salisbury Cathedral,
Salisbury, (Wiltshire) England
Plan, 1220-1258

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