Gothic Flashcards
figures based on geometric shapes
Villard de Honnecourt
God as architect of the world.
Properties of Gothic architecture
Gothic –
- attempt to minimize wall, reduce mass by cutting/perforating. reduction of wall surface.
- taller churches, achieved by pointed arches
- presence of ribbed vaults
Sense of flow and unity
Organic, unified facade
Vs.
Romanesque –
presence of barrel vaults
rounded arches
Compartmentalized
Benefits of pointed arch
Flexibility of height regardless of span.
Weight channeled down more efficiently
Can be perforated
Gives illusion of verticality
Lighter / does not required heavy piers
Reims Cathedral
Reims, France
Notre-Dame
Paris, France
Flying buttresses on exterior only, to support the thin, tall walls.
Elevations of Gothic interiors
Moves from gallery to triforium
Moves from 4 part elevation to a 3 part elevation
Chartres Cathedral
Tall ceilings
Stained glass windows
Stained glass window at Chartres Cathedral
Rose and lancets
Madonna Enthroned with Angels and Prophets
Florence, Italy
Cimabue
Byzantine influences, but adding context
Madonna Enthroned
Florence, Italy
Giotto
Student of Cimabue
Uses intuitive perspective
Heiratic scale
Added on Cimabue’s work by overlapping heads
More naturalistic hold on baby
Lack of bodily definition in Mary’s body
Arena Chapel
Giotto
Padua, Italy
Buon Fresco
Aisle-less
barrel vaulted
Three tiers:
- Life of the virgin Mary
- Life and ministry of Christ
- Passion of Christ
LATE GOTHIC
Lux nova
“New light”
Not meant to illuminate, meant to transform
Mandorla
Spiritual vehical, such as in Giotto’s Arena chapel
Enrico Scrovegni
Enrico Scrovegni, a wealthy Paduan banker, erected the Arena chapel, which he intended for his family’s private use, in part to expiate the bankers’ sin of usury (very high interest).
Fresco
Buon fresco - applying pigment to wet fresco
Fresco secco - applying pigment to dry plaster
Chiaroscuro
In drawing or painting, the treatment
and use of light and dark, especially the grada-
tions of light that produce the effect of modeling.
The lamentation
Giotto
Arena Chapel
Christ dies, people are sad
Giotto includes foreground, middle ground, background
Still intuitive perspective
Attempt at perspective is due to rebirth of humanism and interest in mathematic approaches
Middle ground directs eye to subject of Christ
Creates grouping of people by turning some backs to audience, which adds dimension.
Emotive gestures and expressions
Masaccio
Painter
Artistic descendant of Giotto
Florentine
Santa Maria del Carmine
Florence
Brancacci Chapel
Santa Maria del Carmine
Florence, Italy
The tribute money
Masaccio
Brancacci Chapel
Santa Maria del Carmine
Chiaroscuro
Cast shadows
Atmospheric perspective
Linear perspective
Orthogonals lead to Christ
Atmospheric perspective
Atmospheric, or aerial, perspective creates the illusion of distance by the greater diminution of color in- tensity, the shift in color toward an almost neutral blue, and the blurring of contours as the intended distance between eye and object increases.
Linear Perspective
In linear perspective, the most common type, all parallel lines or surface edges converge on one, two, or three vanishing points located with reference to the eye level of the viewer (the horizon line of the picture), and associated objects are rendered smaller the farther from the viewer they are intended to seem.
