The Gothic Revival in
the 19th Century
Cultural and Political Uses of the
Gothic
Cologne Cathedral was begun
in the 13th century but left
unfinished. The west façade
was only partially constructed
and the choir had been built
from the east only as far as the
crossing.
The project to restore and
complete the cathedral
commenced in 1824 under F.
A. Ahlert, continued under E.
F. Zwirner, and was concluded
by Richard Voigtel in 1880.
Nave and transepts completed 1824-1880
Nave to east
Choir to west
The restoration of the Cathedral
of Notre-Dame in Paris was
undertaken by J.B.A. Lassus
and Eugene Emmanuel Violletle-Duc in 1845 and continued
by Viollet-le-Duc after the death
of Lassus in 1857.
Viollet-le-Duc had also restored
the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and
designed a new Chapter House
for the the Cathedral of NotreDame in 1847.
Viollet-le-Duc even undertook the restoration of an entire
medieval town of the 12th century: Carcassonne. As was the
case in much 19th-century restoration, even careful
archaeology did not prevent restorers from making incorrect
choices and grave errors. Inadequate understanding of
original intentions and principals were amplified by false
assumptions and prejudices.
J.M.W.Turner: “Burning of
the Houses of Parliament”
1835
The Houses of Parliament (Westminster Palace) by Sir James Barry
and August W.N. Pugin
Design of the throne and
canopy for the House of
Lords, 1836
All Saints Margaret Street,
London, by William Butterfield,
1849-59
St. James-the-Less, London, by George Edmund Street, 1860-61,
church and parish house
The Albert Memorial,
Kensington Gardens, London,
by Sir Gilbert Scott, 1863-75
Allegory of Africa by William Theed
Royal Courts of Justice, London, by George Edmund Street, 1874-82
Trinity Church, Wall Street,
New York, by Richard
Upjohn, 1846 is one of
several Gothic Revival
churches in New York.
This example relies on
English models, appropriate
for the Anglican congregation
that the structure houses.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New
York, by James Renwick,
1858-79, located on Fifth
Avenue.
This is the largest Gothic
revival church built in the
United States until the
project for the Cathedral of
St. John the Divine in New
York at the turn of the 20th
century.
St. Patrick’s is a fusion of
French and English models
but succeeds in producing a
strong synthesis.
The Gothic Revival became
a style of choice for many of
the wealthy elite on the east
coast. The Vanderbilt
family, one of those
designated as “robber
barons” along with the
Rockefellers and Carnegies,
engaged Richard Morris
Hunt to design their home in
New York. It was
constructed 1879-80, based
on French Gothic chateaux.
The Vanderbilt family also commissioned Richard Morris
Hunt to design a summer home for them in Asheville, North
Carolina, within eyeshot of the Pisga National Forest.
Biltmore was constructed on French Gothic models from
1891-95. A special rail line brought the Vanderbilts from
New York directly to the estate in Asheville.