5.06 Introduction to the Gothic Period

Giorgio Vasari, a sixteenth-century art historian, first used the term Gothic in describing Late Medieval art and architecture, intending it as a disparaging remark. As far as Vasari was concerned, Late Medieval art was barbaric, or Gothic, after the "barbarian" ethnic group, the Goths, to whom he attributed the style. Regardless of the intent, the term survives to this day and is used specifically to refer to the European art of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It should also be noted that there were many variations under the general heading of Gothic art and that the Gothic period itself began and ended at different times in different regions.

Historically, the Gothic period experienced great turmoil as well as prosperity. This was the time of the Hundred Years' War between England and France, the Great Plague and the Great Schism. Yet, the period also saw a tremendous increase in urban life, intellectual growth and economic boom (which naturally led to aggressive building projects), and no region prospered more than France.

We will begin our study at the abbey church, Saint-Denis, France, which is viewed by scholars as the birthplace of Gothic architecture. The Carolingian era work served as France's royal church and the final resting place for several French kings. Accordingly, renovations were begun in 1135 in order to match the older structure's grandeur with its royal reputation and to accommodate the increasingly large numbers of pilgrims.

To these ends, a new facade with three portals and two square towers was added. Later, a new choir with an ambulatory and radiating chapels replaced the Carolingian apse. Here, in the choir, architects employed a new, lighter rib vaulting, which rested on pointed (rather than rounded) arches.

The lighter vaulting also made the walls between the chapels unnecessary and allowed the outer walls to be pierced with large windows into which stained glass was added.

As we shall see, the influence of Saint-Denis would be tremendous, as the lighter vaulting, pointed arches and extensive use of stained glass soon become staples of the French Gothic architectural style.

Saint-Denis (ca. mid 12C) from AICT

Chartres Cathedral, Chartres, France

Unfortunately, not much of the architectural sculpture of Saint-Denis survived the French Revolution, so we will turn our attention to the portals of the west facade of the Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France for our first look at Early Gothic sculpture.

Here, we see the most magnificent extant examples of Early Gothic sculpture. Ironically, these portals are all that survive from the original twelfth-century structure, which was destroyed by fire (the rest of the Chartres Cathedral dates to the High Gothic period and will be the focus of our study in a later lesson). The three portals are also united in a common theme: the power and majesty of Christ.

Portals, west facade, Chartres Cathedral (ca. mid 12C) from the Digital Imaging Project

The left tympanum shows Christ's Ascension into Glory; the right, Christ and the Virgin Mary ("Throne of Wisdom"); and the middle, Christ at the Second Coming. In our detail of the central portal, we see a familiar composition: Christ surrounded by a mandorla and flanked by the symbols of the Four Evangelists, while the twenty-four elders occupy the lintel below.

The capitals, however, are probably the most interesting facet of the portals. Here, we have scenes from Christ's life in a continuous friezelike presentation. The detail below shows the betrayal of Judas (left) and Christ's triumphal entrance into Jerusalem.

Below the capitals, the jamb statues depict Old Testament kings and queens, who were Christ's earthly ancestors and served as shadows of Christ's kingly office.

Chartres Cathedral jamb capitals, west facade (ca. mid 12C) from the Digital Imaging Project

Chartres Cathedral jamb statues, west facade (ca. mid 12C) from the Digital Imaging Project

We will now turn our attention to the first complete Early Gothic church, the Laon Cathedral in Laon France (ca. late 12C). Although the structure sports Romanesque sexpartite rib vaulting, the vaults nevertheless rest on pointed arches. A view of the nave elevation also shows a completely new Gothic feature, the triforium. This element serves no practical purpose, but does add to the aesthetic beauty of the church by further ornamenting the continuous nave wall surface. So, as Romanesque churches traditionally have a three-story elevation, Early Gothic churches have a four-story elevation (see detail below).

Laon Cathedral (ca. late 12C) from AICT

Laon Cathedral nave (ca. late 12C) from AICT

• Ambulatory, Saint-Denis (ca. mid 12C)
• Chartres Cathedral west facade portals (ca. mid 12C)
• Laon Cathedral nave (ca. late 12C)

• triforium
• lancet
• early Gothic elevation