Gothic art
Gothic art expressions inside the architecture, gothic periods, definition, etc.
 gothic art and architecture - Notre Dame |
The gothic art was a medieval art movement that lasted around 300 years. It started in France, by the middle of XII century with a very specific characteristic, the one used by cathedrals known as classic gothic art style. This style was spread all over Europe till XIV century. When this type of art became very popular, its style changed, and evolved into a more natural style called international gothic, which continued till XV century, since the renaissance style came up. The last one developed itself in the civil and religious architecture field, the painting also related to religious issues, can be seen on wood, glass, scrolls or walls. |
The gothic vocabulary to talk about the medieval art, was introduced by the great Italian art historian Giorgio Vasari, but this vocabulary was not respectful, since the word gothic comes from “godo”, which means “rude”. However, in XIX century, we had the greatest period, since it became the most important art European period of history. To make a summary, we can say that gothic is a wide period of art expressions, mainly related to religious issues. |
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Gothic art expressions inside the architecture
Early gothic art During the XII century, we could see, in some churches of France, the vault of cruceria, anyway, the period of the greatest cathedrals construction started in the year 1137 by building the Saint-Denis cathedral outside Paris. |
 gothic art Saint-Denis |
Classic gothic art The end of the early gothic art period finished with the construction of the Chartres Cathedral in the year 1194. Its structure eliminates the second floor rostrum but still keeps the popular gallery and the longitudinal three floor area. That’s why we gain more height through a glassed floor, attracting vertical light. In this way the Chartres cathedral became the inspiration for the other gothic cathedrals of that time. Many buildings appeared by the end of this period with the construction of the gothic cathedral of Reims, that started at the beginning of 1210. Its proportions were almost perfect, the Reims Cathedral represents the moment of serenity and peace in the gothic cathedrals evolution. In this cathedral we can see the way it is carefully carved in where each window is divided into two or more archs, pointed by thin columns. |
 gothic art Reims cathedral |
Rayonnant or radiant gothic art The Beauvais cathedral was built in the year 1225 and it started the radiant gothic art, it came up with the ascent of Lewis IX of France. The word radiant or rayonnant makes reference to the radius of different elements, such us wheels, a very common object of that period. The height wasn’t the most important fact in this period, and the architecture became less material, building more windows and replacing the typical exterior walls by other ones of other type. Typical of this period is the re-building of the Saint- Denis church, which started in 1232. Another example is the Sainte-Chapelle chapel, that was in charge of Lewis IX between 1242 and 1248. In the windows of that period biblical episodes were told, using dark blue and intense red colours. |
 gothic art Sainte-Chapelle cathedral |
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