Abbot Suger & Bernard of Clairvaux

Question 1

who has been called “the father of art history”?

Answer 1

Giorgio Vasari

Question 2

who had influence in the defaming of medieval art history?

Answer 2

Giorgio Vasari

Question 3

what period of art history did Vasari priorities?

Answer 3

the renascence

Question 4

what did the renascence see the rebirth of?

Answer 4

greek and roman ideals, the classics

Question 5

what does the name medieval imply?

Answer 5

that is is unimportant compared to the classical period and the renascence

Question 6

to think about medieval art accurately what must we move away from?

Answer 6

Eurocentric ideals centered on art e.g. painting. need to think about medieval art and material culture intertwined with architecture

Question 7

who was Abbot Suger?

Answer 7

a statesman and priest

Question 8

who popularised gothic architecture?

Answer 8

Abbot Suger

Question 9

what did Suger believe in regards to light and worship?

Answer 9

Suger believed light could be used to transcend worship

Question 10

how did Suger prefer churches to be designed?

Answer 10

Suger liked when they were very ornate and decorative with the use of stained glass to transcend worshippers

Question 11

what kind of art history was Erwin Panofsky associated with?

Answer 11

icongraphy / panofsky’s 3 step iconological method

Question 12

who translated Suger’s writings?

Answer 12

Erwin Panofsky

Question 13

who was Bernard of Clairvaux?

Answer 13

a religious leader

Question 14

what did Bernard think of Suger’s views on decorative churches?

Answer 14

Bernard found it vulgar and preferred plain churches

Question 15

what was the period before the gothic architecture period?

Answer 15

Romanesque architecture

Question 16

what is a sign of gothic architecture?

Answer 16

pointed arches

Question 17

what was a key aspect of romanesque architecture that was replaced by gothic?

Answer 17

barrell vaults

Question 18

what is a barrell vault?

Answer 18

a barrel vault is a singular curved tunnel

Question 19

why was barrel vaults an issue?

Answer 19

there is a lot of side ways pressure from the masonry arch and when the side walls collapse there is nothing holding the keystones up

Question 20

what replaced the barrel vaults?

Answer 20

gothic vaults

Question 21

what are gothic vaults?

Answer 21

gothic vaults are pointed arches consisting of four points sloping down. this makes a downward pressure

Question 22

what was better about the gothic vaults apposed to barrel vaults?

Answer 22

the walls didn’t need to be as thick so the walls could be thinner, hollowed and introduced archways / columns in the walls

Question 23

what did the introduction of gothic vaults lead to? and why?

Answer 23

stained glass because you could now have arches in the walls due to less pressure on the walls

Question 24

what did Suger believe the advantage of stained glass was?

Answer 24

stained glass was like a storybook that was animated by the light of day.