Gothic

Gothic is a European medieval art movement that replaced the Romanesque style, and included architecture, sculpture, painting, fresco and other platforms of fine art. It was formed in France in the middle of the 12th century, spreading through England, Germany, the Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, lingering until the 16th century.

Key features:

– Gothic architecture is temple construction;

– in general, the design of the Gothic cathedral resembles a three-dimensional lattice, the cells of which are filled with either stone or glass;

– faceted forms of walls, the form of walls is connected with the form of vaults. Each edge of the vault is convex – a rib; the ribs, intersecting, form a frame on which lies the masonry of the formwork;

– a cross vault, consisting of four or more strippings, all supporting structures are exclusively pillars connected by arches with pointed tops, the space between the pillars is occupied by giant windows;

– Spread. The pillar, which stands at a distance from the vault, is connected to it by a stone bridge (supporting arch), along this arch, the thrust force is transmitted to a separate buttress, massive enough to extinguish it;

– internal columns are assembled into bundles consisting of arched frames of different thicknesses;

– Gothic stained glass. Plots from the New Testament, less often from the Old Testament – the Last Judgment, the calendar cycle, virtues and vices, seven free sciences, scenes from the lives of saints. Empty spaces were filled with repeated stained glass windows;

– During the period of the Late “flaming” Gothic, the window sash evolved, turning into an asymmetric stone weave resembling flames; the capital disappears, and the rib merges with the two columns supporting it;

– a pronounced synthesis of the arts. Sculpture is an inseparable part of the body of a Gothic cathedral, as well as a stained-glass window, it tells about biblical stories. The magnificent decoration of the facades with carved details – tympanums, wimpers, archivolts, all style elements emphasize the vertical.

Key architects: Gerhard von Rielet, Simone da Orsenigo, Jean d’Orbe, Jean-le-Loup, Gaucher of Reims, Bernard of Soissons, Jean de Chelles, Pierre de Montreuil, Raymond du Temple, Jean Ravi, Robert Luzarches, Suger.

Key buildings:

Abbey of Saint-Denis in Paris. 1144. Suger. (considered the first Gothic building).

Notre Dame Cathedral. 1163-1345. Jean de Chelle, Pierre de Montreuil, Raymond du Temple, Jean Ravi.

Chartres Cathedral. 1194-1260.

Reims Cathedral. 1208-1460. Jean d’Orbe, Jean-le-Loup, Gaucher of Reims, Bernard of Soissons.

Amiens Cathedral. 1220-1269. Robert Luzarches.

Cologne Cathedral. 1248-1880. Gerhard von Riehl.

Milan Cathedral. 1386-1965. Simone da Orsenigo.

Ca’ d’Oro. 1425-1440. Bartolomeo Bon.