Mike Liao

AP Art History Gothic Lecture Notes

1. The State of Gothic Society The beginning of the Gothic style could be said to have started in the 1140 ce. in Southern France slowly accruing a reputation as an international style. During this time, Europe, the primary center of Gothic art, was embroiled in the Hundred Years War involving England and France. Later, the 14th century did not only bring a new era but the Black Death or Bubonic Plague taking of Western Europes population. From 1378- 1417, the popes in Rome and Avignon began the Great Schism, a grand political-religious crisis. While turmoil and misery defines much of the Gothic period, it should be noted that it was also a time of intellectual and religious shift. The pilgrimage churches of the Romanesque time formed great cities, and Gothic urban centers formed from the transfer of population and intellectuals. Still, war raged as the Crusades against the Muslim Dominions remain, but the formation of present-day nations began. 2. Painting as an Expression of Geometry and the Feminine Element The importance of Gothic art towards manuscript and books can be seen in the formation of publishing houses. Indeed, the Gothic period is when the shops began taking on a resemblance to modern publishing houses. One such manuscript comes as a personal sketchbook by, Villard De Honnecourt, 13th century master mason. It is Honnecourt who recognized the importance of ars de geometria (art of geometry). Instead of naturalistic analysis of the subjects, Honnecourt drew a geometric interpretation formed by triangles and other regular shapes. The extension of geometric influence even shows up in Gothic architecture and the obsession with the triangle as a symbol of God. Though the triangle was considered to be the universal symbol for God, in the artwork, God as architect of the world, the artist depicts God creating the universe with a compass forming a perfect circle. The circle in itself does not demonstrate any significance; however, the usage of the circle again displays the occurrence of geometry in Gothic art, as well as in religion. The Feminine Element can be seen in Abraham and the three angels, David anointed by Samuel and battle of David and Goliath, and David before Saul. All of these works have the Late Gothic S curve present in a character. Similarly, the treatment of the hair as wavy yet linear suggests a feminine element by Master Honore. The Virgin of Jeanne dEvreux shows the S curve and demonstrates that feminine element present in Gothic artwork as the swaying posture, heavy drapery, and female depiction prove such.

Mike Liao

3. St. Denis and the design philosophy of the Gothic a. St. Denis was commissioned for as the tomb of Saint Dionysius (Denis in French) and the past French kings. Its abbot, Suger commissioned for an erection of a new west faade with portals in 1140-1144 ce. The importance of St. Denis, particularly, to Suger was the sense of its presence as a midpoint between perfect heaven and the inferior earth. As such, St. Denis represents another attempt and interpretation of a House of God with new features and design style. b. The Design Philosophy of the Gothic The Gothic philosophy towards design and style stems from their interpretation of House of God as stated before. Suger, the abbot of St. Denis, in his description and belief defined the new features of Gothic architecture. The first feature is the idea of the Gothic rib Vault. The primary difference between the Romanesque rib vault and Gothic one is the introduction of the pointed arch as pointed out. The comparison between Hs arch and Ls and Ks arch.

Mike Liao The introduction of the Gothic Rib Vault permitted more flexibility in the vaulting of varying compartments. The most important advantage that the Gothic Rib Vault gave was the increase of support it gave; thus, it allowed for large windows and such. The windows allowed for more light, which in turn became one of the features defining Gothic architecture. As Suger described wonderful and uninterrupted light coming from most scared windows, he termed the new light as lux nova. From this, the vaulting and use of stain glass window became hallmarks of Gothic art. The window, specifically, the rose window (a circular stained-glass window) became a new feature of Gothic art. Ever unique, the portals commissioned by Suger differed with the creation of sculptured figures attached to jambs around the three portals from the Old Testament. Though the figures were meant to symbolize medieval pursuit of knowledge and scholarship, the style became a symbol of Gothic architecture and sculpture. 4. The Story of Chartres Cathedral In the Romanesque period, the Last Judgment is the subject of many artworks, while the Virgin Mary assumes this position. The Gothic period became the pinnacle of her cult as it was believed that faith in Mary would save them from the horror of the Last Judgment of the Romanesque period. The statue-columns display naturalism and its subject show the lineage to Christ. Perhaps it was a symbol of biblical authority. 5. The Royal Portal and transept sculpture (Chartres) The conflagration of 1194 destroyed Chartres Cathedral leaving only the west faade and the masonry of the crypt. From the crypt, the masons built the cathedral making it the first High Gothic building. This new High Gothic building is defined from its new organization of its plan. Rectangular nave with sexpartite vaults and the alternate-support system with a single square in the nave form as the plan of High Gothic architecture. The result becomes a nave looking like an endless tunnel due to the rapid repetition of similar units. Another High gothic feature is the planning of flying buttresses allowing for more and larger voids. The stained glass in Chartres is targeted to become the lux nova of Suger, but realistically dims the room. The window, Notre Dame de la Belle Verriere, exemplifies the High Gothic window while showing the importance of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven. In addition to the Notre Dame de la Belle Verriere, the Queen of France, Blanche of Castile, sent more of these windows as a gift designed to fit on one large wall. The rose window, the yellow fleurs-de-lis on the blue background, yellow castles on a red ground, and the Virgin and Child again fit the profile of a queen and displays the artwork of the Gothic stain-glass windows. More windows subjects come from the Old Testament and depict scenes of the Bible.

Mike Liao 6. The Virgin of Paris / Paris Court Style The feminine element in the style of King Louis (Abraham and the three angels) shows itself in the Virgin of Paris. The Virgin Mary is shown again as portray of a mother and son humanizes the relation and religious figures. The Late Gothic S curve of the Virgins body and the heavy drapery discussed before produces that elegance in King Louiss art style. Thus, the period experiences a change to the Flamboyant (Late Gothic) style. A style centered strongly in Normandy. The curves and counter curves forming webs and overlapping content demonstrate the complexity of the style. This is the hallmark of the Flamboyant style.

People
Abbot Suger (1081-1151) Right-hand man of Louis the Sixth and the Seventh. When Louis the Seventh and his wife left for the Crusades, he was regent of France. Best known for his remodeling of the St. Denis Church, his changes and features in the new building really define the Early French Gothic architecture and hallmarks. His lux nova, Gothic rib vaults, and large stain-glass window can be said to be his contribution to Gothic art. Blanche of Castile Queen of France who donated a set of Gothic windows to Chartres Cathedrals. The windows contain royal emblems and iconography of the Virgin and Child with Old Testament scenes and figures. Louis IX The royal patron behind the court style of Gothic art. Louis IX was the ideal king for his justice, truthfulness, charity, piety, and other traits of a benevolent ruler. Louis attempted two Crusades and died in Tunisia in the Eight Crusade. He was declared a saint by Pope Boniface VIII for his courage, loyalty, and imagery as a knight of the church. Besides the church, his position as a ruler was a benevolent king who unified France and made peace with England.

Vocab
Continuous narration In painting or sculpture, the convention of the same figure appearing more than once in the same space at different stages in a story. Royal Portal The treatment of the portals by adding a figure (usually Old Testament) to the jambs of the portals of Chartres Cathedral. Classical Revolution A change of style back to the Classical influences with the contrapposto and drapery d Paris Court Style the elegant style of painting and drawing which Louis XI was a patron for. Identified by its elegance and wavy yet linear hair. Cult of the Virgin The shift of faith to the Virgin Mary for a kinder judgment or support for preparation of the Romanesques Last Judgment; thus, it resulted in the creation and worship of the mother of Christ.

Mike Liao S-curve The Late Gothic hallmark of sculpture in which the figure is bending like a s to an unnatural degree for elegance. Lux nova a term by Abbot Suger used to describe the light passing through a stained-glass window changing it into new light. Fleur-de-lis three-petaled iris flowers Lancet window In Gothic architecture, a tall narrow window ending in a pointed arch. Rose window A circular stained-glass window Trefoil A cloverlike ornament or symbol with stylized leaves in groups of three. Quatrefoil A shape or plan in which the parts assume the form of a cloverleaf.