Medieval WorldMedieval World

European Gothic 1200-1400European Gothic 1200-1400

EuropeEurope

Peace between England and FrancePeace between England and France

Intermarriage of various royal familiesIntermarriage of various royal families

Popes victory over the Holy Roman Popes victory over the Holy Roman EmpireEmpire

1313thth century culturally belonged to France century culturally belonged to France

Gothic Architecture- Chartes and RiemsGothic Architecture- Chartes and Riems

Gothic StyleGothic Style

Gothic art is a term given to an art period that flourished Gothic art is a term given to an art period that flourished in in EuropeEurope during the during the late late medieval periodmedieval period, early in the , early in the twelfth centurytwelfth century. Originating from the Ilse-du France (the . Originating from the Ilse-du France (the area now known as Paris) Gothic art followed the area now known as Paris) Gothic art followed the RomanesqueRomanesque time period and eventually spread across time period and eventually spread across most of Europe before being succeeded by the most of Europe before being succeeded by the RenaissanceRenaissance. .

ArchitectureArchitecture dominates Gothic art and is dominates Gothic art and is particularly associated with particularly associated with cathedralscathedrals and other and other churches. Throughout this time period, there is a churches. Throughout this time period, there is a gradual shift from architecture to sculpture and painting. gradual shift from architecture to sculpture and painting.

Gothic Gothic stylestyleARCHITECTUREARCHITECTURE::

Gothic cathedrals are generally very large to Gothic cathedrals are generally very large to portray the greatness of God and the magnitude of the portray the greatness of God and the magnitude of the world, also making the viewer feel very small. There is world, also making the viewer feel very small. There is an emphasis on an emphasis on verticalityverticality suggesting an aspiration to suggesting an aspiration to Heaven or the gods. New advances in building Heaven or the gods. New advances in building technologytechnology made these huge cathedrals possible. made these huge cathedrals possible. It is It is easily identifiable because of its unique vocabulary: easily identifiable because of its unique vocabulary: pointed arches, pointed arches, ribbed vaults, ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, flying buttresses, cluster piers, cluster piers, stained glass windows.stained glass windows.

Chatres CathedralChatres Cathedral

Unified- but it took 4 centuries to Unified- but it took 4 centuries to buildbuildWest towers similar but West towers similar but different( built 50 years apart)different( built 50 years apart)Huge and important to communityHuge and important to communityFlying buttresses eliminated the Flying buttresses eliminated the need for heavy solid Romanesque need for heavy solid Romanesque wallswallsallowed for huge window walls of allowed for huge window walls of stain glass-situated along the stain glass-situated along the clerestory level- wondrous effectclerestory level- wondrous effectsculpture faced the outside world- sculpture faced the outside world- clustered around entrance ways- clustered around entrance ways- 2000 carved figures2000 carved figures

Pointed Spires- element of Gothic Architecture

Notre Notre DameDame

France, 1163 France, 1163 continued 100 continued 100 yearsyearsnever completed- never completed- two front towers two front towers were suppose to were suppose to be bases for two be bases for two impressive spiresimpressive spires

•pointed archespointed arches•ribbed vaultsribbed vaults•big clerestory windowsbig clerestory windows•heavy columns seem Romanesque- heavy columns seem Romanesque- visual rhythmvisual rhythm•huge rose windowhuge rose window•delicate tower at crossingdelicate tower at crossing

Flying ButtressesFlying Buttresses

the thrust of the vault the thrust of the vault transferred to flying transferred to flying arches to massive arches to massive towers outside the towers outside the building- eliminating building- eliminating need for heavy thick need for heavy thick wallswalls

Chartes cathedral

Notre Dame

Notre Dame- Rose WindowNotre Dame- Rose Window

Rose window: A large round window on the west façade or transept, containing tracery that became more elaborate as the Gothic era progressed. Usually placed over the main door. Beautiful examples occur at Notre-Dame in Paris and Chartres.

Stained GlassStained GlassStained glass: Stained glass: Colored windows Colored windows of Gothic cathedrals made from a of Gothic cathedrals made from a combination of many pieces of combination of many pieces of colored and semi-transparent colored and semi-transparent white glass joined together with white glass joined together with lead strips. Colors were generated lead strips. Colors were generated by adding specific metal oxides, by adding specific metal oxides, which illuminated the glass with which illuminated the glass with bright red, blue, green, and yellow bright red, blue, green, and yellow tones. The function of stained tones. The function of stained glass was to fill the cathedral with glass was to fill the cathedral with light in windows which also fulfilled light in windows which also fulfilled a narrative and illustrative a narrative and illustrative purpose, in representing Biblical purpose, in representing Biblical events and the lives of saints. events and the lives of saints. Patrons and workers guilds who Patrons and workers guilds who helped fund the construction of the helped fund the construction of the cathedral were also portrayed cathedral were also portrayed

Gothic style on stained glass windows was increasing. Stained glass became a narrative medium, and church windows, and were a ready source of instruction for the illiterate population.

Pointed ArchesPointed Arches

Notre Dame Chartes

Arch: Curved masonry construction that spans an opening such as a portal or window. Pointed arches were a feature of the Gothic era, that evolved from the round Romanesque arches. Allowed for greater Allowed for greater height and more open area- changed thrust height and more open area- changed thrust of vault to a more vertical directionof vault to a more vertical direction

Gargoyles: A water sprout terminating in a grotesquely carved figure of a human or animal, and projecting from the gutter of a cathedral such as Notre-Dame in Paris.

In fact, gargoyles are the little, vaguely-tube-shaped sculptures that direct rainwater away from the cathedral; they are everywhere on the structure, sticking straight out from the building (in order to throw rainwater as clear of the cathedral as possible).

Chimeras (sometimes referred to as a "Grotesque".  , in contrast to Gargoyles, are grotesque sculptures that combine the body parts of several different animals and are intended for decoration only; the sculptures shown in this picture are thus chimeras, not gargoyles.

This is the gallery that connects the two towers of Notre-Dame Cathedral. It is visible from the ground as the highest gallery connecting the two towers on the facade of the cathedral

Where are these gargoyles and Where are these gargoyles and Grotesques?Grotesques?

Gargoyle ProjectGargoyle Project