Gothic Architecture in France
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Gothic Architecture Architectural History ACT 322 Doris Kemp Topics Meaning of Gothic Gothic Characteristics Rib Vaults Flying Buttress Pointed Arch Gothic Architecture in France Gothic Architecture Meaning of Gothic “Dark Age” Invading barbarians from the north ruined ancient art and replaced it with their own culture Goths took Rome in 410 Wrought little damage but became known as the first tribe of barbarians and thus the name “Gothic” Gothic Architecture Characteristics Structural Visual Skeletal stone structure Visual arts were important including the role of light in structures Symbolic Scholasticism Translations of real events into stone and glass Cathedrals served as an image of heaven Gothic Architecture: The Rib Vault Rib Vaults Organic metaphor alluding to the role of ribs in anatomy as the body’s skeletal structure supporting tissues Arches, usually three pairs per rectangular bay, running diagonally Cross ribs act together with outer frame to create a complete armature of arches along the edges and main folds of the vault Gothic Architecture: The Rib Vault Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: The Flying Buttress Flying Buttress Effected by powerful external arches swung above the side aisles and the ambulatory Arches rise from colossal freestanding piers Absorb and channel disruptive forces, such as wind and weight, safely to the ground Towering piers could be erected without much affecting the nave or choir interior Gothic Architecture: The Flying Buttress Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: The Pointed Arch Builders turned from the semicircular, unbroken arch to the pointed arch Looked lighter and pointed upward Exert less thrust than semicircular arch of the same span Solves geometric difficulty inherent in ribbed vaults Impossible to arrange all arches and ribs to a common level using exclusively semicircular ribs With a pointed arch, ribs could easily be made level Gothic Architecture: The Pointed Arch Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France First Early Gothic Style Roots stem back to 11th century Normandy Abbey Church of St. Etienne, Caen Wall changed into mass-dissolving double shells and gathered into linear columnar elements Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France First coherent example of Gothic architecture Appear in Gothic 12th century Paris Ile-de-France Cut stone masonry employed into vaulting, rather than rubble masonry of the Normans Arches and ribs designed with independent curvatures Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Abbey Church of St. Denis Definitive turning point in early French Gothic Space, light, line, and geometry create transcendent modernist architectural vision Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Abbot Suger One of Gothic architectures most significant architects Elected the abbot of St. Denis in 1122 A. D. In 1137, he began to enlarge St. Denis Built a new west front and narthex He was very conscious of colored light and introduced two large stained glass windows to the expansion Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Gothic came to be associated with urban settings and the extension of the French King’s political influence Two important French gothic structures preceding Suger Cathedral of Notre-Dame at Laon Cathedral of Notre-Dame at Paris Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Cathedral of Notre-Dame at Laon Begun about 1165 to replace an older structure Completed about 1205 In the 13th century restoration occurred Flying buttresses were added to modernize the appearance Retained several elements from Romanesque architecture Long nave, lantern crossing towers, and a semicircular choir Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Cathedral of Notre-Dame at Paris Bishop of Paris began construction in 1163 A very tall church, reaching some 108 feet from the floor to the crown of the vaults The clerestories were enlarged around 1225 to bring in additional light Not as well preserved as at Laon Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Notre-Dame, Paris West front has a solid quality Triple portals Gallery of Kings Represents twenty-eight kings of the Old Testament Photo: Sullivan Gothic Architecture: Gothic Architecture in France Photo: Sullivan References Sullivan, Mary; http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/ http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html Trachtenburg/Hyman; Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity Wodehouse/Moffett; A History of Western Architecture Gothic Architecture Architectural History ACT 322 Doris Kemp
