Gothic Art &

Architecture

AKM Khademul HaqueUniversity of Dhaka

Gothic Art (mid-12th c. thru 15th c.)

Architecture Stained Glass Sculpture

Illuminated Manuscripts Painting

Ideas of time:

•Life is bad

•Humans worse

•God is great

Man is conceived of blood made rotten by the heat of lust; and in the end worms,

like mourners, stand about his corpse. In life he produced lice and tapeworms;

in death he will produce worms and flies. In life he produced dung and vomit; in

death he produces rottenness and stench. In life he fattened one man; in death

he fattens a multitude of worms.

- Pope Innocent III, On the Misery of the Human Condition, c.1200

Cathedrals are place of sanctuary from evil, a place to be

closer to God.

Gothic Architecture

Three architectural elements define the Gothic style:

Pointed Arch Flying Buttress Ribbed Vault

Emphasis on Verticality

•Towers, Spires, Pinnacles, and Elongated Sculpture help create the effect of elegant,

soaring buildings.

•For the observer, vision is focused upward, toward Heaven.

(Chartres Cathedral, France)(Salisbury Cathedral, England)

Arch: the pointed arch is widely

regarded as the main identifiable

feature of Gothic architecture

(distinct from the round arch of

the Romanesque period). The

most common Gothic arches are

the Lancet, Equilateral and Ogee.

Ogee: a shape consisting of a

concave arc flowing into a

convex arc, so forming an S-

shaped curve with vertical

ends.

Lancet: An arch that is

narrow and pointed like the

head of a spear.

Equilateral: An arch described

by two circular curves

intersecting at the peak of the

arch, each curve having a chord

equal to the span.

(Flying) Buttress: a mass of stone built up to support a wall,

usually necessary to strengthen those of great height.

(Sainte-Chapelle, Riom, France)

Vault: an arched ceiling.

Types:Barrel vault: semi-

cylindrical vault.

Groin vault: two

intersecting barrel

vaults.

Ribbed vault: A vault

in which the surface is

divided into webs by a

framework of diagonal

arched ribs.

Floor Plan Gothic Cathedral (Amiens, France)

Façade: one

side of the

exterior of a

building; The

west end façade

is often referred

to as the West

Front.

Tympanum: the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall

surface over an entrance. Nave: the main body of a church or cathedral. Sometimes

defined only as the central aisle.

(Durham Cathedral, Normandy) (Chartres Cathedral, France)(Madgeburg Cathedral,

Germany)

Aisle : Passageways of a church or cathedral, separated

from the Nave by rows of pillars; generally running

along the north and south sides.

Transepts : the north and south projecting extensions

of a cruciform style church or cathedral, crossing at right

angles to the greater length.

Crossing : The central space of a church or cathedral. The

intersection of the Nave, Transepts and Chancel.

Choir: the area of the main altar where services are

sung, located between the crossing and the apse.

Apse: a semi-circular or polygonal termination of the main

building at the east end (where the altar is). Ambulatory: passageways surrounding the central part of

the choir, which is often a continuation of the side aisles.

Radiating chapels: chapels projecting radially from the curve

of an ambulatory.

Lady chapel: chapel attached to a church and dedicated to the

Blessed Virgin; often larger than other chapels.

Stained Glass

Architect Abbot Suger (mid-12th c.) rebuilt church in one of first

examples of Gothic style in France. He believed the presence of

beautiful objects, like stained glass, would lift men’s souls closer to

God.

Rose Windows

•Developed from oculus or circle shaped window used in early Christian and Byzantine

architecture.

•Characterized in Gothic era by stone tracery that separated windows into segments.

•Windows with simple spoke design also called “wheel window”.

•Subjects often depicted: Last Judgment and Virgin Mary.

Gothic Tracery: ornamental stonework most often

seen supporting window glass. Sometimes used merely

as decoration on panels and moldings and then called

'blind' tracery.

Clerestory: upper level of the nave of the cathedral.

The walls rise above the rooflines of the aisles. Stained

glass windows in clerestory walls allow in extra light.

Painting

•What is called “Gothic” style painting began roughly

50 years (1200) after Gothic architecture and sculpture.

• Painting was used in different crafts: frescoes, panel

paintings, illuminated manuscripts, and stained glass.

Narrative frescoes predominantly found on church

walls in southern Europe.

Panel Painting

•Painting on

wooden panel;

single or multiple

pieces joined

together (triptych =

3 panels).

•Begun late 12th c.

•Used to decorate

altars (altarpieces).

•Common subjects:

Christ, Virgin Mary,

saints (sometimes

donors were also

depicted as minor

figures in painting).

Illuminated Manuscripts

•Handwritten document in which text is supplemented by decoration such as borders,

decorated initials, and miniature illustrations.

•Manuscripts date back to Late Antiquity; majority survive from Middle Ages; some were

still produced in Renaissance. Printing led to the decline of manuscripts.

•In Middle Ages manuscripts were religious until the 13th c. when secular texts began to

be illuminated as well.

•Rubrics: highlighted text written in red letters.

•Bibles, psalters, books of hours were illuminated.

Text:

•Layout planned.

•Text written.

•Script varied regionally.

•Display books: Bibles, Gospel

Bibles, Pslaters, Books of Hours.

Images:

•After text set, illustration began.

•Early Middles Ages: display books

were illuminated and manuscripts

were not; used for study. By Gothic

period, almost all texts had some

decoration.

• Gothic display books had more

elaborate decoration: foliate prints,

drolleries (mixed creatures).

Gothic Painting Styles

•Lineal or French Gothic style (13th c.):

Importance of drawing lines that confine color

Intense color

Tempera paint

Naif naturalism; simple scenes.

Wall painting, wood painting, miniature

•Italian Gothic style (14th c.):

Attention to perspective and study of human

body.

Importance given to light in relation to color

Depiction of emotion in order to move

viewer

Stylized figures

Gothic Painting Styles (cont.)

(Oratory of John the Baptiste)

•International Gothic style (14th c.):

Importance given to anecdote and emotion

Highly stylized images

Curved lines, draperies, movement

Natural details with symbolic character

•Flemish style (15th c.):

Use of oil to link colors (as opposed to egg

or glue used with tempera paints)

Colors are more brilliant and vivid,

transparency can be created and composite

colors appear

More complex and detailed works

Beginning of easel painting

(The Arnolfini Portrait, 1434; Van Eyck)

Simone Martini (1238-1349)• Born and worked in Siena,

Italy; student of Duccio, artist of

Italian style.

•Work includes: cathedral

frescoes, altarpieces, palace

murals.

• Style: soft, decorative features,

sinuous line, elegant.

•Influences: French illuminated

manuscripts and ivory carving. (Portrait of Folgliano in honour of the capture of Montemassi,

1328)

(St. Louis of Toulouse, 1317)(The Annunciation and Two Saints, 1333) (Detail: The Annunciation and Two Saints, 1333)

Cenni di Pepo (Giovanni) Cimabue (1240-1302)

•Born in Florence; died in Pisa. Highly-

regarded in his day based on number of

commissions he received.

•Painted panel and wall paintings.

•Style: flat perspective, stylized figures, more

naturalistic life-like proportions and shading.

(Crucifix at St. Domenico, Arezzo,

1275)

(The Blessed Mother, Angels, and St.

Francis)

(Apocalyptic, Assisi 1280) (Crucifixion, upper church, St. Francesco, Assisi 1277-

80)

“O vanity of human powers,

how briefly lasts the crowning green of glory,

unless an age of darkness follows!

In painting Cimabue thought he held the field,

but now it’s Giotto has the cry,

so that the other’s fame is dimmed.”

- Canto XI

(Maesta, St. Francis of Ufizzi; Cimabue) (Madonna and Child Enthroned, 1310;

Giotto)

From Dante’s Inferno:

•Public lost interest in Cimabue with rise of Renaissance painters.

•Giotto is Cimabue’s student.

Giotto di Bondone (1266 - 1337)• Florence, Italy; painter, architect, and sculptor.

• Style: realistic depiction of figures; emotionally expressive; uses perspective.

• Known for emotionally expressive work. Body postures and facial expressions of his figures

communicate the humanity of the situations he paints.

• Wall frescoes include: the life of St. Francis at Assisi (debated), the lives of Jesus Christ and

Virgin Mary at Scrovegni (Arena) Chapel at Padua (masterwork), and other commissions for

princes and high churchmen in Naples and Florence.

(Mourning of Christ) (Arena Chapel Crucifixion, Padua, 1306-

07)(Kiss of Judas)

Jean Malouel (1365-1415)

•Netherlands; court painter for Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy and his successor, John the

Fearless. Father and uncle were also artists. Malouel is the uncle of famous manuscript illuminators

the Limbourg Brothers.

•Lived and worked in Paris and Dijon.

•Works: At Philip’s dynastic burial place, Chartreuse of Champmol: five altarpiece panels, painting

the Well of Moses, and Philip’s burial tomnb; Pieta tondo (circular painting); Last Communion and

Martyrdom of St. Denis, thought to be begun by Malouel and completed by Henri Bellechose.

•Style: use of transparent glazes (would be used by Van Eyck with oil paints).

(John the Fearless, 1400)(Pieta, 1440) (Last Communion and Martyrdom of St. Denis, 1416)

Jan Van Eyck (1395-1441)

• Netherlands painter; worked in Bruges.

• Achieved new and remarkable effects using oil paints.

• Court painter 1422-1424 for Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy. Also

painted private commissions. Well-known in his day.

• Works: The Arnolfini Portrait, 1434; Madonna with Chancellor Rolin,

Madonna of Canon Georg Van der Paele; the religious painting,

Annunciation; Portrait of Margaretha (his wife) and Portrait of a Man (self-

portraits).

• Style: faithful observation of nature; used disguised religious symbols.

(Madonna with Chacellor Rolin) (Madonna of Canon Georg Van der

Paele)

(Portrait of

Margaretha)

(Portrait of a Man)

(Annunciation)