Gothic

Key Ideas

"Gothic" term coined by the historian Georgia Vasari during the Renaissance. Originially meant to be derogative as he thought the gothic style was crude and ugly.
Perfected the Romanesque style (ribbed vaults, groin vaults, pointed arches, and clerestories.
The quest for Height and Light is very important. The higher the architecture, the closer to God you'll be. Light is the manifestation of God known as lux nova, new light.
Sculpture/reliefs are higher in relief and emphasizes the verticality of the architecture.
Women were no longer considered "handmaidens of the devil". The Cult of the Virgin replaced a previous veneration of Eve, the great sinner.
Saint Denis is the first fully Gothic structure in France. The ambulatory becomes the new focus. Abbot Suger is credited to creating this new gothic style. He believed the church should be of great beauty. The more grand, the closer to God the worshipper could become.

Important Vocabulary

pointed arch
ambulatory
ribbed groin vault
flying buttress
nave arcade
triforium
tribunal gallery
aisle
nave
ambulatory
clerestory
choir
stringcourse

gargoyles
lux nova
pinnacle
crocket
oculus
vault webbing
fan vaulting
quatrefoil/trefoils
Cult of the Virgin
Portal
Rayonnant style
Flamboyant style
Perpendicular style

Additional Resources

Crossword Puzzle
* YouTube video: Gothic vs. Romanesque
* Website: All about St. Denis, France. Definitely worth checking out!* Incredible Tombs of St. Denis
* Website: Visit the official website for the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Great info on different decorative features and architecture.
* Website: Talk about a thorough explanation of the Chartres Cathedral and Cathedrals in general!
* NOVA's Gothic Cathedrals: How did they build them?
* YouTube video link: UNESCO Chartres Cathedral Stained glass windows
* YouTube video: UNESCO Amiens Cathedral
* Newly launched website: Mapping Gothic France!
* Cult of the Virgin Thematic Essay
SmartHistory for more information and lots more videos on Gothic Architecture

Vocabulary

Apocalypse
chevet
choir
close
compound pier
flying buttress
Haggadah
Lacet
Moralized Bible
ogee arch
Passover
pieta
pinnacle
portal
rib vault
rose window
spire
tracery (bar and plate)

Artworks List

Chartres Cathedral
-Royal Portal
-Stained glass windows
Westminster Hall
Rotten Pieta
Moralized Bible
Golden Haggadah