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Gary Gothic

Reading Report

February 02, 201?

Humanities 1015.E1

HIGH AND MIGHTY

In the 4th edition of A History of Western Art (2004), Laurie Schneider Adams reviews the development of 13th Century Gothic cathedrals in France in an article entitled “The Age of Cathedrals.” Her discussion is about the nature of cathedrals and how they were the “largest single economic enterprise of the Gothic era” (p.204). A cathedral is the home of a bishop. The Greek word kathedra means “seat” or “chair,” so a cathedral is the place where a bishop sits when he is acting in his official role as bishop. These cathedral construction projects created jobs for hundreds of workers of all kinds and then upon completion, pilgrims would throng to the edifice. Many of these cathedrals were dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Others were dedicated to famous saints such as Saint Denis.

One of the most impressive French cathedrals of the 13th Century is Chartres Cathedral which towers over the town of Chartres, France just 40 miles southwest of Paris. This edifice has both early and High Gothic architecture. It dominated the lives of many people in the area in both the construction stage and as the center for community activities for many years. Many people were involved in the building of Chartres besides the church family. Members of the aristocracy gave large amounts of money for the creation of the cathedral. In fact the mother of Louis IX paid for the façade of the entire north transept. Among the most famous features of Chartres Cathedral is the West Façade of the Central Portal. The Second Coming of Christ is the main motif. Associated with the figure of Christ are four animals, which represent the four Evangelists.

Another great French cathedral is the cathedral at Reims. Reims is a city in the northern part of France and its cathedral is longer and thinner than Chartres Cathedral. This cathedral is particularly known for it great number of sculptures. Many of these sculptures are very naturalistic. The most famous sculptures at Reims are the West Facade doorjamb statues. These figures are facing each other, which is highly unusual. Also, the drapery folds suggest human anatomy. It may be the first time that real humans are beneath the “clothes” of the statues.

And finally, one of the very best examples of the Gothic art and architecture is the Chapel of Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. This masterpiece was commissioned by Louis IX and is a perfect example of the rayonnant style. The ceilings are painted blue and decorated with gold stars. However, the premier feature of this chapel is the stain glass windows, which appear as a wall of Gothic light. Evoking the light of the “Heavenly City,” this light helps illuminate the rich gild ornaments and colorful facades in this attempt to copy of the heavenly environment. As much as any medieval construction, these windows show the marriage of architecture and theology that was so popular in the 13th Century.