Gothic Art Essay

medieval nontextual matter refers to an art movement in the nerve center ages ( train de Bogart 70) that started in France around 1140 (the sentence that the ambulatory of the church building of Saint-Denis was constructed Encarta gothic nontextual matter and Architecture) and lasted up until late 16th century by means of come in atomic number 63 (Encarta medieval contrivance and Architecture). In this paper, an introduction to Gothic art, with a concentration on Gothic church architecture, shall be discussed. To effectively support an everywhereview of this elegant genius, this paper shall tackle the following the roots of the marge, black letter a discussion of the characteristics of Gothic architecture conclusion.Explaining the Term, Gothic The term gothic was apply by Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574), the Italian artist and historiographer k directn for this book on the historied architects, to refer to the artistic style that characterize the French churches much(pren ominal) as the Notre Dame de Paris and the Church of Saint-Denis (Chapuis Gothic artistry). The term came from the barbarians called Goths who were then known to want the civility that the mountain civilized people such as the Romans ought to have.These barbarians were virtuoso of the Nordic tribes ilkned to that of the Vandals as despoilers (Tarnocyova 69) that brought the civilization-filled Roman imperium into flames (Chapuis Gothic Art). As such, the Goths represent a regression or at the in truth least a certain sort of backwardness, crudeness, and lack of refinement. In fact, the Academie dArchitecture, meeting in 1710, still described unaccepted architectural manners as gothic (Tarnocyova 69). Hence, the term is originally a pejorative term that intends to put down an artistic style and arrange that the style is at the very least barbaric and rude.The reason wherefore Vasari charged the artistic style as gothic has nothing to do with the merits or demerits of the styl e. It also has nothing to do with the logic and ingenuity that the artistic style exhibits. Rather, Vasari, just like most people during the renascence, were victims of the prejudices of their percentage point. It should be recalled that the Renaissance was characterized by despise for tradition. As such, anything that belonged to the dark ages cannot be considered as advanced and of value. It is only fairly recent that the artistic manner and beauty of the gothic period is acknowledged for all its already-perceived merits.Gothic Architecture Gothic art is widely known primarily beca subr tabuine of Gothic architecture. In fact, as was already positd in the introduction, the beginning of the Gothic period is pegged on the time of the construction of the chevet of the Church of Saint-Denis. It was 1127 when Abbott Suger, then the Abbott of Saint-Denis who was also the confidant of French Kings like Louis VI and Louis VII (Wikipedia Gothic Architecture), decided to rebuild the Chu rch of Saint-Denis. This rebuilding eventually gave appearance to a new art period. How was this period initiated, then?At this point, it will be worthwhile to archetypal state the Abbots philosophical ideas that contributed a lot to the underlying religious ideology of the Gothic Saint-Denis. Abbot Suger was some sort of philosopher/theologian in his own right. Corresponding with the theologian Dionysius from Syria (whose philosophy was some sort of Neoplatonist Christianity) (Helfrich register of Gothic Architecture), Suger came with the theory that God could best be represent as a powerful fallible, as a supernatural discharge as he would call it (Helfrich History of Gothic Architecture), who through his omnipotence, inspiritualizes everything that is material.As such, Gods church ought to be a prepare where light is mostly present. Gods church, being the gathering sit of his people, ought to also be the place where God, as light, could put his people in concert repres ented by an enveloping light. With this in mind, Abbot Suger started rebuilding the western hemisphere front of the church first (the abbot left the Carolingian nave untouched and moved to reconstruct the eastern part of the church). The initial impetus that delimitate the changes that the abbot did on the church was the desire to put more light on the choir.He wanted the effect of having something like a supernal Jerusalem (Tarnocyova 69) that is primarily perceived to be luminescent, in one way reflecting the glory, majesty and power of the One True God. In this way, the Church acts truly as Christs earthly bride, bringing heaven-on-earth, making the bodily reflect what is spiritual. It was this eastern reconstruction that would eventually be considered the very first Gothic art. Putting this ideal was not an easy caper to do.In the first place, the Romanesque period created bulky churches with thick walls and fewer and smaller windows. The cosmos of light, then, would entail an architecture that was different from what was then principal(prenominal)stream. It was in the face of this task that Abbot Sugers architects thought of using a more cultivate technology, the pointed arch. The use of the pointed arch gave the architects additional flexibility that was not accessible through the curved arches. For one, the use of the arch meant lesser lateral thrust of the pileus on the walls (Chapuis, Gothic Art).In addition to this, the new transcription of ribbed vaults allowed for thinner columns, allowing the stone material of the vaults to be lighter (Chapuis, Gothic Art) and space to be wider. Another important technology is the loyal buttress that gave support to the thinner walls. These allowed for more space and more windows to be installed in these churches. More space and more windows meant more light penetrating the Church (or, in the case of Saint-Denis, the ambulatory of the church).Thus, Sugers ideal is now a reality and Gothic architecture, with its characteristic pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses, is in the long run born. It does not mean of course that Abbot Suger thought of Gothic architecture from a vacuum. It has to be remembered that ribbed vaults, buttresses, clustered columns, ambulatories, wheel windows, spires and richly mould door tympanums were already features of ecclesiastical architecture (Wikipedia Gothic Architecture). til now the pointed arch which is used to typify Gothic architecture is not a product of a strike of genius.Assyrian architecture already made use of pointed arches as early as 720 B. C. (Wikipedia, Gothic Architecture). Islamic heraldic bearing in Europe, most especially in Spain, would account for the introduction of these arches in the West. What characterizes Gothic architecture then is not the presence of these individual architectural traits but the putting of these elements together forming a unique architectural style that allows for spires, space, pointed arches, ribbed vaults, grand rose windows, clustered columns, ambulatories to exist in one magnificent monument.Actually, as it could be noticed, these characteristics were put together not tabu of whim Abbot Suger did not put these traits together just because. Instead, these architectural traits were utilized because of a purpose the creation of light and space in the choir of Saint-Denis. Thus, as is always acknowledged, these beautiful architectural traits came together out of technical motivation. Gothic architecture then is a product of a technical and spiritual need that eventually is characterized by the typical Latin cross floor plan at the same literally show forrad height and light (Helfrich History of Gothic Architecture).Everything in a Gothic church shows forth height. This vertical emphasis could immediately be felt by an external viewer who may cristal in awe over the spires and pinnacles of Gothic churches. The facade as hearty as the entire west front of a c hurch has pointed arches, shafts, and main arcade all of which pointing up. These amplify the already overwhelming effect of spires that unanimously bring the gazers eyes to heaven. Entering the Gothic church would expect that ethereal experience since the nave of a Gothic church is usually very high in proportion to its width.Upon beting up, the gazer would be led to look the ribbed vaults all of which leading to a boss in a pointing way. Not only would the gazer be enamored by the height that uplifts the spirit there is also the magnificent ray of lights that passes through strain render and more magnificently through rose windows. Gothic churches are famous for these magnificent rose wheel windows the best ones such as those in Notre Dame and Chartres create the effect of the flooding of light all over the cathedral.These light rays are complemented by the large and numerous other windows in the church. The flooding of light and the univocal stress on height is once again com plemented by the Gothic sculpture on the tympanum or columns or totally not attached at all to architecture (Encarta Gothic Art and Architecture). Such architecture is characterized by naturalism at the same time the constant solemn disposition (Encarta Gothic Art and Architecture).ConclusionGothic art, specifically Gothic architecture, has been created initially out of the spiritual need that Abbot Suger problematized in Saint-Denis. This was then followed by the architectural-technical need to be able to answer to this spiritual need. These series of needs brought forth the fusion which is now acknowledged to be one of the greatest styles in architecture called gothic art.Works CitedGothic Architecture. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. 2 October 2007. 5 October 2007. . Gothic Architecture History Link 101. January 2004. 2 October 2007. http//www. historylink101. com/lessons/art_history_lessons/ma/gothic_architecture. htm. Gothic Art and Architecture. Microsoft Encarta Encycloped ia, 2002. Gothic Art. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. 4 October 2007. 5 October 2007. . Parts of a Cathedral. Medieval Time Reference. 2 October 2007. http//www. btinternet. com/timeref/cathpart. htm Chapuis, Julien.Gothic Art. In Timeline of Art History. October 2002. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 10 October 2007 http//www. metmuseum. org/toah/hd/mgot/hd_mgot. htm. Helfrich, Serge. History of Gothic Architecture. 10 October 2007 http//www. xs4all. nl/helfrich/gothic/architecture. hypertext markup language Tarnocyova, Bronislava. Gothic Architecture Bratislava Leaders Magazine III (2007) 68-69. Van de Bogart, Doris. Introduction to the Humanities Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Music and Literature. New York Barnes & Noble, 1970.