58
CHAPTER TWELVE
GOTHIC ART
Early Gothic Art in France
Key Images
Ambulatory, Abbey Church of Saint-Denis, p. 389, 12.2
West façade, Abbey Church of Saint-Denis, p. 391, 12.3
West façade, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chartres, p. 392, 12.4
West portal (Royal Portal), Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chartres, p. 392, 12.5
Jamb statues, west portal, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chartres, p. 393, 12.6
Nave, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Laon, p. 394, 12.7
Nave, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Paris, p. 395, 12.9
West façade, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Paris, p. 396, 12.10
High Gothic Art in France
Key Images
Nave and choir, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chartres, p. 397, 12.12
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chartres, p. 398, 12.15
Flying buttresses, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chartres, p. 399, 12.17
North transept, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chartres, p. 400, 12.18
Notre Dame de la Belle Verrière, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chartres, p. 401, 12.19
Portals, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chartres, p. 404, 12.22
Coronation of the Virgin (tympanum), Dormition and Assumption of the Virgin (lintel),
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chartres, p. 404, 12.23
Jamb statues, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Chartres, p. 405, 12.24
Nave and side aisle, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Amiens, p. 406, 12.26
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Reims, p. 407, 12.29
Annunciation and Visitation, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Reims, p. 408, 12.30
Melchizedek and Abraham, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Reims, p. 409, 12.31
Signs of the Zodiac and Labors of the Months, Amiens Cathedral, p. 409, 12.32
Rayonnant or Court Style
Key Images
Sainte-Chapelle, Paris, p. 410, 12.33
Interior of upper chapel, Sainte-Chapelle, p. 411, 12.34
Saint-Urbain, Troyes, p. 412, 12.35
Interior, Saint-Urbain, Troyes, p. 413, 12.36
Crucifixion and Deposition, from the Psalter of Blanche of Castile, p. 413, 12.37
Scenes from the Apocalypse, from a Bible moralisée, p. 414, 12.38
Nahash the Ammonite Threatening the Jews at Jabesh, from the Psalter of St. Louis,
p. 414, 12.39
59
Late Gothic Art in France
Key Images
Master Honoré, David and Goliath, from The Prayer Book of Philip IV the Fair, p. 415,
12.40
Jean Pucelle, The Betrayal of Christ and Annunciation, from the Hours of Jeanne
d’Évreux, p. 416, 12.41
Virgin of Jeanne d’Évreux, p. 417, 12.42
Virgin of Paris, p. 418, 12.43
Siege of the Castle of Love, p. 418, 12.44
Pierre Robin and Ambroise Harel, West façade, Saint-Maclou, Rouen, p. 419, 12.45
The Spread of Gothic Art
Key Images
Salisbury Cathedral, p. 421, 12.47
Nave, Salisbury Cathedral, p. 421, 12.48
Choir, Gloucester Cathedral, p. 422, 12.49
Chapel of Henry VII, Westminster Abbey, p. 422, 12.50
Jesus Teaching in the Temple and Hunting Scene, from the Queen Mary Psalter, p. 423,
12.51
Heinrich Parler the Elder and Peter Parler (?), Heiligenkreuz, Schwäbish-Gmünd,
Germany, p. 424, 12.52
Naumburg Master, Crucifixion, on the choir screen, and the Virgin and Saint John the
Evangelist, Naumberg Cathedral, p. 426, 12.53
Naumburg Master, The Kiss of Judas, Naumburg Cathedral, p. 426, 12.54
Ekkehard and Uta, Naumburg Cathedral, p. 427, 12.55
Roettgen Pietà, p. 427, 12.56
Exterior, Cathedral of Santa Maria, León, p. 428, 12.58
Interior, Cathedral of Santa Maria, León, p. 429, 12.59
Jamb statue of Simeon, Cathedral of Santa Maria, León, p. 430, 12.60

The Gothic style began in and around Paris in ca.1140, and within a century it had
spread throughout Europe. By 1400 the Gothic style had begun to dissipate, and by
the mid-sixteenth century it had disappeared completely except in England.

The Gothic style was born with the rebuilding of the royal Abbey Church of St.Denis, 1137–1144, by Abbot Suger. Although none of the elements that comprised
Gothic architecture were new to the period, these elements were brought together for
the first time in the renovation of the eighth century Church of St.-Denis.

The soaring engineering, structural, and aesthetic feats of Gothic builders reached a
climax by the mid-thirteenth century; later churches were less ambitious. Late Gothic
architecture was characterized by profuse ornamentation.
60

Early Gothic jamb figures represent the ″first step″ toward the reconstitution of
monumental sculpture in the round.

By the late twelfth century, a more classicism-oriented attitude transformed jamb
sculpture with a more organic treatment of the figure.

By the early fourteenth century, this classicism had given way to more decorative,
abstract qualities.

From the beginning, stained glass was an integral element of Gothic architecture.

With the rebuilding of Chartres cathedral during the early thirteenth century
following a fire, there was an advancement in Gothic architecture with an emphasis
on verticality and translucency. There is also increased naturalism in the door jamb
statues.

Some scholars have suggested that the integration of structure and design in the art of
the Early Gothic period were a series of artistic “experiments” that were later
resolved in the High Gothic period.

During the thirteenth century, the majority of manuscripts were illuminated in
monastic scriptoria. In the Late Gothic period, the production of manuscripts shifted
to urban workshops, prefiguring today′s publishing houses.

A number of factors contributed to the rapid spread of Gothic art, including the skill
of the architects and artisans and the prestige of the French centers of learning.
Another contributing factor was the power of the style itself.
Key Terms/Places/Names
Abbot Suger
spires
flying buttresses
lancets
stained glass
rose window
plate tracery
bar tracery
pinnacles
quatrefoil
manuscript illumination
book of hours
grisaille
bas-de-page
61
Discussion Questions
1.
On June 11, 1144, Abbot Suger presided at the dedication of the choir of the royal
Abbey Church of St.-Denis, Paris. This momentous occasion, attended by King
Louis VII of France and his Queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, sparked a frenzy of Gothic
construction in the Île de France. How would you define Gothic architecture with
regard to the individual elements in Suger′s plan? Are these elements unique to the
Gothic style?
2.
The West Portal of Chartres Cathedral, begun ca.1145 under the influence of Abbot
Suger′s ideas at St.-Denis, represents the oldest full fledged example of Early Gothic
jamb sculpture. Compare and contrast the iconography and style of the jambs of the
West Portal with those of the South transept portal, begun ca. 1215.
3.
Define the Rayonnant or Court Style.
4.
What are characteristics of Gothic sculpture?
Resources
Books
Andrews, Franers B. The Medieval Builder and His Methods. New York: Barnes and
Noble, 1993.
Aubert, Marcel. The Art of the High Gothic Era, rev. ed. New York: Greystone, 1966.
Bottineau, Yves. Notre-Dame de Paris and the Sainte Chapelle, tr. Lovette F. Edwards.
London: Allen, 1967.
Crosby, Sumner McKnight. The Royal Abbey of Saint Denis from its Beginnings to the
Death of Suger, 475-115. Yale Publications in the History of Art. New Haven:
Yale University Press, 1987.
Male, Emile. Chartres. Tr. Sarah Wilson. New York: Harper and Row, 1983.
Wilson, Christopher. The Gothic Cathedral: The Architecture of the Great Church, 11301530. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1990.
DVDs
Cathedral. Hosted by David Macaulay. (2000). PBS Home Video.
Chartres Cathedral: A Sacred Geometry. (2003). Janson Media.
Modern Marvels: Gothic Cathedrals. (1997). The History Channel.
62
www
Amiens Cathedral Project (Columbia University)
http://www.learn.columbia.edu/Mcahweb/index-frame.html
The Digital Scriptorium. (University of California, Berkeley)
http://sunsite3.berkeley.edu/scriptorium/
The Virtual Cathedral Project http://www.newyorkcarver.com/stonecutters.htm
The Virtual Chartres Cathedral http://www.ithaca.edu/chartres/newsplash.html