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 Wrought little damage but became known as the first tribe of barbarians and thus the name Gothic
Goths took Rome in 410
Gothic Architecture
Characteristics
Structural
Skeletal stone structure
Visual
Visual arts were important including the role of light in structures
Scholasticism
Symbolic
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 bodys 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 Kings 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; [Link] [Link] Trachtenburg/Hyman; Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity Wodehouse/Moffett; A History of Western Architecture
Gothic Architecture
Architectural History ACT 322 Doris Kemp
