Romanesque
Cathedral
Architectural Style
 Rounded Arches.
 Barrel vaults.
 Thick walls.
 Darker, simplistic interiors.
 Small windows, usually at the
top of the wall.
St. Filibert, France, 10c
Interior of a Romanesque
Cathedral
Romanesque
Floor Plans
Canterbury Cathedral,
England
Gothic Cathedral
Architectural Style
 Began in France in the 12c.
 Pointed arches.
 Flying buttresses.
 Stained glass windows.
 Elaborate, ornate interior.
 Taller, more airy  lots of light.
 Lavish sculpture  larger-than-life.
The Gothic Cathedral
Gothic Floor Plans
Interior of a Gothic
Cathedral
Interior of a Gothic
Cathedral
St. Etienne, Bourges,
“Flying” Buttresses
late 12c
Flying Buttress
Gothic “Filigree”
Closeups
Chartres Cathedral,
Paris
Jamb Figures
Royal Portal
The “Pillar People”
Cathedral Gargoyles
Stained Glass Windows
 For the glory
of God.
 For religious
instructions.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Gothic Cathedral
Rose Window
Chartres Cathedral, Paris
The good, of course, is always beautiful,
and the beautiful never lacks proportion.
--- Plato
Which Interior Is Which?
Which Vault Is Which?
Which Cathedral Style
Is Which?
Cathedral of
Mont-Saint Michel:
A Fortress & A Church
Elements
of
Classical
and
Medieval
Art
Characteristics of Classical
Greek Art
• Expressed ideals of
harmony, balance,
order and
moderation.
• Glorified human
form…sought to
idealize the human
form; reaching for
perfection
• Combined beauty
and usefulness
Roman Copy of myRon’s DisCobolus,
Unknown Roman Artist, Marble
Sculpture, Original c. 450 B.C.
• This statue, called the
Discobolus, shows a man
throwing a discuss
The figure is presented at a
point of perfect balance in the
middle of a powerful action.
• His balanced pose and calm
face make the difficult physical
action look easy.
• His strong, defined body is
carefully arranged into simple
and harmonious shapes.
• He is neither an ordinary man
nor a god, but he represents an
ideal for the man in Greek
society.
Grave Stele of Hegeso, Unknown Greek Artist,
Marble Sculpture, c. 400 B.C.
• This Greek marble statue
decorates a stele, a tall
stone that marks a grave.
This was made for a
woman's grave
• The carving is not very
deep. Still, the sculptor has
managed to make the scene
convincing and realistic—
• Notice how much larger the
seated lady is than the
standing one.
• The faces are smooth and
calm, and the poses
harmonious and balanced,
yet the scene has a
melancholy look,
appropriate for its function
Bathing Venus, Unknown Roman
Artist, Marble Sculpture, Original c.
Third Century B.C.
•
This marble sculpture was made by
a Roman artist as a copy of a third
century B.C. Greek Bronze statue.
This sculpture expresses a serenity
and balance that the ancient Greeks
thought was ideal.
•
•
•
Notice that the lines made by the
parts of the woman's body all move
inward and toward her.
The shapes of the sculptures are soft
and rounded, with a long, smooth
line on one side and more
complicated shapes on the other
side.
The outline of her whole body makes
a simple shape.
Byzantine and
Medieval Art
• For nearly a 1000 years, the art world came
under the influence of the Christian church (5th
century to the 15th).
• Beginning with Emperor Constantine’s
conversion to Christianity, the church began a
strong cultural mandate in Western culture.
• The goal of art was to remind people of Jesus
Christ, the saints and apostles and the story
contained in Holy Scriptures.
• Depictions of Christ showed his wisdom and
depth (a more adult-like face even when showing
him as a child.)
• The Pagan world of classical art was frowned
upon.
Late Medieval
Church Art
Chalice, paten, and
straw, mid-13c
Relinquary, late 12c
Medieval Tapestries
from the
Workshops in Flanders
The Lady & the Unicorns, 1511
Illuminated Manuscripts
Illuminated Manuscripts
Printed Psaltar
Gregorian Chant
Medieval Embroidery
The Bayeux Tapestry, 11c
Late Medieval Art
 St. Francis’
Rule Approved
 Giotto
 1288-92?
 Tempera on
wood and
ground gold.
Medieval Religious
Themes
 The Epiphany
 Giotto
 1320
 Tempera on
wood and
ground gold.
The Crucifixion
 Giotto
 1305
 Tempera on
wood and
ground gold.
 The Lamentation
 Giotto, 1302
 Tempera on wood and ground gold.
Medieval Art
Detail of stained glass;
St. Peter with Keys
Cathedral Carving
Poitiers, France
From the cathedral at
Chartres, France
Medieval Art
Gargoyle; York Minster Cathedral
The Nave of York Minster
Gregorian Chant
The Origins of Written Music
The History of
Gregorian Chant
• Named for Pope St. Gregory the Great
(540-604).
• It is believed that Gregory did not write
any chants, but instead organized the
many different schools of chant into one
coherent form by developing the
Antiphonary (written music).
• The Antiphonary is the oldest surviving
form of written music.
What does Gregorian Chant
look like?
The beautiful artwork
and decorations found
throughout most chants
gives them the name:
Illuminated Manuscripts.
Monks often spent
months creating one
chant.
What are all those squiggly
bits?
Those squiggly bits are
called NEUMES.
• Neumes are like musical notes
without stems. The shape of each
neume determines the rhythm and
pitch of each note.
• Neumes eventually became
modern day notes.
What language are they
singing in?
Latin
• All of the text is in Latin. The reason for
this is that Gregorian Chant is completely
based in religion (Christianity).
• The text is directly from the Bible and
sung during religious services. Each
chant has a specific function, much like
Hymns do.
• Today, chant is still used in the Catholic
and Eastern Orthodox churches.
So…what does it sound
like?