Rose windows are a circular window made of stonework and stained glass that rose to popularity during the Gothic architecture era in Europe. According to that rose window definition, such windows began appearing around 1250 in France and Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. Composed of smaller panes of welded glass placed inside a framework of stone bars and ribs (called tracery), the windows were formatted circularly and contained pieces of glass in rows that radiated out from a center with geometric precision. One of the most popular rose windows is the south window at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Also known as a wheel window, such windows were often placed above doors and on the western side of the structure in order to maximize light filtering into the interior. At the time of their popularity, they were sometimes called ''Catherine Windows'' (named for the spokes of the Catherine Wheel on which St. Catherine was tortured). In the 17th century, the term ''rose window'' rose to popularity, particularly in England, where the windows took on an association with the Virgin Mary and her symbolism of the rose.

Origin of the Circular Stained Glass Window

Rose windows have their roots in the Roman oculi, usually a smaller, rounded window placed in the west side of a church structure to allow more light in. Oculi were usually open and without glass, sometimes containing metal bars or scrollwork across them. Later, under Byzantine design style, the oculi became larger and necessitated the use of glass to keep out the elements.

Symbolism of Rose Windows

The subject matter of the panes of a rose window often depicted various biblical scenes and images. Many were also instructional, involving saints, Christ, Mary, the prophets, and story lines from the Bible, including the Last Judgment and Genesis. They were often laid out in twelve parts, which reflected not only hours of the day but also months of the year and the zodiac. Like the Eastern mandala, rose windows often symbolized how various smaller parts could form a harmonious whole and attain perfect unity. Many were meant to be viewed, like a mandala, as a meditative experience in which the viewer circled around the window to arrive back where they began. The more elaborate the window, the more advanced the geometry in creating the whole. Later, in the 17th century when the term ''rose window'' was used to describe them, they often came to symbolize the Virgin Mary, as the rose is one of her primary symbols.

Design of Gothic Rose Windows

Rose windows were created by tracing a design, or cartoon, onto a wood board, which would, in turn, be transferred onto the glass itself. Pieces would be fired and fused, cut and assembled with solder, then placed inside the frame. The frame was usually a single slab of stone with holes punched through to create the design. Early window tracery used pieces that were circular and simple, but later, more flamboyant tracery patterns allowed for more elaborate designs, incorporating many geometrical shapes, pointed arches, and pieces resembling tongues of flame. Advances in stone cutting techniques allowed the framework of the glass to be spindle-like, more intricate, and lighter, allowing the size of the windows to grow much larger.

What Type of Balance Does a Rose Window Have?

Rose windows are often great endeavors of geometry and radial balance with the composition requiring exactitude in order to maintain their perfect circularity, both in the stone and in the glass. While the earlier designs in the 12th century often used circular pieces of glass arranged in rows radiating out from the center, later Gothic windows became much more elaborate in their shapes and rows, as well as in the intricacies of their glass scenes. Radiating from the center, the windows are usually a complex set of circles and other shapes, varying in size, to achieve the final design.

Rose Window of Notre Dame Cathedral

One of the most popular rose windows in the world is the south window of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. While it is actually one of three in the famed cathedral, the south window is the largest and most elaborate, measuring 12.9 meters in diameter (or roughly 42 feet across). Composed of elongated shapes and round medallions, it depicts the glory of Christ, with a row of vertical pieces underneath depicting the thirteen prophets. The oldest rose window in Notre Dame is on the west side of the structure and was built around 1125. The south and north windows originated later, in the mid-13th century. While the south and west windows have had their glass replaced at various times, the north rose window still has its original glass work.

Rose Window in Gothic Architecture

Developments in architecture in the Gothic era, such as buttresses and high arches, opened up new possibilities. Earlier architectural styles required smaller interior spaces and thicker-walled structures for support. Gothic developments allowed for higher structures, more open spaces, and more glass on the exterior. As the oculi transformed into the glassed, circular windows, the shapes were often simpler, usually circles or oblongs set into a single slab of stone that had been punched. Later designs would incorporate new, more advanced uses of geometry and shapes, including trefoils and arched, flame-shaped pieces that allowed greater complexity in design. The tracery became thinner and lighter, allowing the windows to get larger to meet the scale of enlarged Gothic spaces. Such windows were particularly popular in France, which is known for its use of stained glass and rose windows in cathedrals, as well as in other parts of Northern Europe.

Rose Window Lesson Summary

Rose windows achieved great popularity during the Gothic Architecture era during the Middle Ages, particularly in France, where many rose windows still exist in cathedrals today, including the great south rose window in Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral. Symbolizing the unity of all things and the perfection of the geometric whole, creation of the rose windows often involved a laborious process using a single slab of stone and pieces of intricately soldered glass to form their designs.

As the Gothic Era began, the glassmakers used plate tracery, punched designs that were circular and simple. Later, more flamboyant tracery patterns in stone carving allowed for more elaborate designs, incorporating many geometrical shapes, pointed arches, and pieces resembling tongues of flames. Initially known as a wheel window, in which glass shapes radiated out from a center point, the windows later, in the 17th century, became known as rose windows for their resemblance to a flower and its petals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Unlike other cultures that make use of patterns, Islamic patterns are unique due to their use of the geometric properties of different shapes. By using these mathematical properties, artists are able to create intricate Islamic art patterns. For instance, Islamic artists can use the protractor, compass, and ruler to draw lines, arcs, and other polygons within circles and squares, the two most common shapes used in Islamic art. When combined with the use of vibrant colors, Islamic patterns create beautiful visual mosaics that are both harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

The Use of Patterns in Art and Examples

The visual arts, including paintings, drawings, ceramics, and architecture, often make use of patterns. Patterns refer to repeated elements that are used to express and convey emotions and specific meanings in art. In nature, patterns exist in the arrangement of flower petals or the coils in snail shells. Early humans incorporated these visible patterns into cave paintings depicting important rituals related to hunting and fertility.

With the dawn of early art forms such as sculptures, frescos, and ceramics, patterns were regularly incorporated into the art of the Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. The use of patterns continues into the 21st century in works by contemporary artists. These patterns can come in a variety of forms, such as color, geometric shapes, or motifs derived from nature (including flora and fauna).

In Ancient Greece, the use of acanthus leaves in frescos and the capitals of Corinthian columns represents a prime example of patterns in art. The use of the acanthus leaf in patterns continued into the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

In contemporary art, Andy Warhol made use of everyday objects such as soup cans or the faces of celebrities to create patterns using different shades and colors. Many contemporary artists such as M.C. Escher and Andrew Goldsworthy make use of both geometric shapes and colors in order to introduce patterns into their works.

Religious art also makes considerable use of patterns involving geometric shapes such as circles, triangles, stars, and squares. Scholars believe that geometric patterns help to focus the attention of the viewer on his/her meditation. Islamic art, for example, utilizes numerous geometric patterns. patterns often make extensive use of shapes such as circles and squares.

Geometric Patterns in Art

Geometric patterns in art refer to the repetitive use of shapes such as circles, squares, stars, triangles, and flowers. The use of geometric patterns began with the cave painting of prehistoric humans. However, geometric patterns became more prevalent with the Ancient Greek, Roman, and Sassanian (Iran) civilizations. In Ancient Greece and Rome, geometric patterns were frequently used to decorate pottery, tiles, and architecture.

These patterns were taken and adapted by Islamic artists, who were influenced both by their religious beliefs and by the innovations of Islamic scientists and mathematicians. Indeed, Islamic geometric patterns reflect a high degree of complexity and intricacy derived from the mathematical properties of different shapes. These patterns represent the main form of adornment in a variety of Islamic crafts, art, and architecture.

Influences of Islamic Geometric Art: Life, Language, and Religion

The prominence of geometric patterns in Islamic design is due in large part to the aniconic nature of the Islamic religion. Aniconic refers to the absence of human and animal forms within art. For many Muslims, certain traditions and beliefs prohibit the use of human and animal imagery within Islamic art. According to many Muslim traditions, the use of human and animal representations is considered to be an attempt to imitate the work of God.

Instead, Islamic art patterns are used to convey different images. For example, the circle in Islamic art is often used to convey purity and unity. The geometric properties of the circle enable it to be divided into multiple subdivisions, allowing for the demarcation of time or the movement of the planets within a pattern.

Another common pattern used in Islamic art is the 10-pointed star or decagram. Sometimes referred to as a girih motif, this form of radial symmetry can be inscribed within a circle and then incorporate color to derive new patterns from a single motif. The girih motif is often used in decorative tiles due to the multiple combinations of colors and patterns derived from this unique shape.

This use of radial symmetry in geometric designs can be found in many of the structures built by Islamic architects. The Alhambra in Granada, Spain, for example, is adorned with tiles that interlock to form a radially symmetrical pattern that contains a rich mosaic of colors and floral designs. The Jame Mosque of Yazd, Iran is also intricately decorated with patterns making use of radial symmetry. Within the shape, inscribed shapes are inserted at regular intervals, contributing to the overall harmony and beauty of the art.

Fundamentals of Islamic Design

There are three essential elements in Islamic ornamentation techniques: arabesques, geometric patterns, and calligraphy. Arabesques are a form of biomorphic art that uses floral patterns that add movement to the overall design. Geometric patterns, as described earlier in this lesson, make use of repeated shapes such as circles or squares. Calligraphy represents a decorative form of writing that presents the text in an artistic manner. The incorporation of text with color and geometric imagery helps to elevate calligraphy into a beautiful art form.

Comparison of Arabesque Patterns and Geometric Patterns

Arabesques, unlike Islamic geometric patterns, make extensive use of floral and vegetal elements. This art form is used throughout the Islamic world and is intended to convey the order inherent in nature. The use of flowing spirals from which leaves generate helps to introduce movement into Islamic art. Geometric patterns are also intended to reflect the harmony and order of nature. However, this effect is accomplished by using the geometric properties of shapes like circles, squares, and polygons.

The Significance of Islamic Geometric Design

To create Islamic geometric patterns, artists make use of tools like a protractor, compass, and ruler. These implements, often used in mathematics, allow the artist to transform simple shapes such as circles, polygons, and triangles into complex designs consisting of hexagons, octagons, and dodecagons. Because these shapes allow for radial symmetry or symmetry about a central axis, the artist is able to generate complex patterns by mathematically subdividing the shapes into smaller circles, squares, or triangles. Alternatively, the artist can overlay different shapes to create new patterns.

Types of Islamic Geometric Patterns

There are four different types of shapes used in Islamic geometric patterns throughout diverse Muslim nations such as India, Morocco, and Bosnia. These shapes include circles and interlaced circles; squares and other four-sided polygons; stars; and other multisided polygons. Patterns used in Islamic art are often classified based on the number of points, or angles, in a motif.

Six-point geometric patterns are derived from the hexagon, which can be then transformed into a six-pointed star. Shapes with additional points can be turned into multi-pointed stars and rosettes. Rosettes are a type of geometric pattern consisting of adjacent polygons that form the petal-like shapes associated with flowers. Eight- and Ten-point patterns, for instance, can form eight and ten-point stars, or eight and ten-fold rosettes.

Examples of Islamic Geometric Art

Because of the wide geographic area encompassing the Islamic diaspora, there are numerous examples of Islamic geometric art. The Shah Mosque of Isfahan, Iran makes extensive use of both Arabesque and geometric patterns. In this image of a minaret, blue and gold tiles form rectangles, triangles, and a variety of polygonal shapes. These tiles form the base of the balcony atop the minaret, a special structure referred to as a muqarna.

The balcony is enclosed by pierced stone screens known as jali. The jali shows the use of geometric shapes in the patterns formed by the piercings. There is also a band of calligraphy encircling the base of the decorative tile portion. And the dome atop the minaret possesses decorative tiles that form an eight-point star.

In this example from the Grande Mosquee de Paris, a combination of circles, interlaced circles, and rosettes are combined to form a gorgeous representation of Islamic art. The juxtaposition of beautiful primary colors within a geometrically intricate pattern helps to draw the eye to the center of the image. Both eight- and sixteen-point stars and rosettes are prominently featured in this design.

Aside from the numerous examples of Islamic art in architecture, similar geometric patterns are often used in other crafts. Carpet weaving, ceramics, woodwork, and book covers for the Quran can all make use of Islamic geometric designs.

Lesson Summary