#20 GOTHIC DISSEMINATION

GOTHIC DISSEMINATION

In this lesson, you'll learn about how the French Gothic style was translated by the English and Spanish. Then you'll take a more in-depth look at Italian artists, who were doing some innovations of their own at the same time they were laying the foundation for the coming Renaissance.

OBJECTIVES

Describe life in the Middle Ages.
Identify adaptations and adoption of Gothic architecture in England.
Discuss the influence of Gothic architecture in Germany and Spain.
Discuss aspects of the the Proto-Renaissance in Italy.
Explain the innovations of the Italian painter Giotto.

VOCABULARY

A collage of buildings in the Gothic style

GOTHIC DISSEMINATION AND LIFE IN THE MIDDLE AGES

Gothic Dissemination

Have you ever noticed that you can hear a new phrase or slang word, and suddenly it seems like the whole world is saying it? Or perhaps you've seen someone with a completely different hairstyle, and the next thing you know, that hairstyle is everywhere? Sometimes it's obvious that a fashion or a new slang phrase is suddenly popular because a celebrity wears or says it.

But at other times, these things seem to have a life of their own. Social scientists actually study the dissemination, or spread, of culture in an effort to find out how it is transmitted. They develop theories and models about "diffusion," a term that is synonymous with dissemination.

One of these scientists, Everett Rogers, wrote in his book Diffusion of Innovations (New York: The Free Press, 2003) that

"Diffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system."

All this is to say that the Gothic style of architecture and art did not stay in France. In the Middle Ages, of course, there were no television shows or movies that would spread the word, but, nevertheless, people in England, Germany, Spain, and Italy were affected by these architectural innovations and adopted and adapted many of them. Some places resisted the influence, and that in itself is a kind of effect.

Perhaps the main method of information dissemination in the Middle Ages was through pilgrimages. People traveled to churches and monasteries in other lands and came home with word of the magnificent sights they had seen (probably in an effort to make everyone else jealous). Pilgrimages were made by ordinary people, but another, more violent kind of pilgrimage called a "crusade" was made by large contingents of knights who were intent on regaining the holy land from the Muslims (and coming home with treasure as well, no doubt).

At the time, crusading and hunts for the Holy Grail were serious business that involved the mixing of different cultures.

Life in the Middle Ages

In many ways, we have romanticized life in the Middle Ages. We think of castles, knights jousting, and princesses with ladies in waiting, wearing extravagant fashions. The architecture from this time period is so magnificent that we tend to think that these were surely people of enormous abilities — and they were, of course. But these societies were somewhat uneven in the distribution of individual rights; social mobility (moving from one class to another) was not easy, and for many people survival itself could be a challenge. In addition to economic and political difficulties, there was the little matter of the plagues that wiped out many tens of thousands of people — young and old, rich and poor. The Black Plague in 1347 wiped out almost a third of the population of Europe.

So life in the Middle Ages wasn't perfect, but in their architecture, designers strove for a kind of heavenly perfection. For European countries, that perfection originated in France; French Gothic architecture had a profound influence on much of the rest of Europe.

People in England, Germany, Spain, and Italy were affected by these architectural innovations and adopted and adapted many of them, thus disseminating Gothic architecture.

GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE IN ENGLAND – THE FRENCH CONNECTION

Gothic Architecture in England

The façade of Salisbury Cathedral has lancet windows and blinds, arcades with pointed arches and

statuary in the Gothic style. But the façade is low rather than soaring. — FYI online

The English began adopting some of the characteristics of French Gothic in the second half of the thirteenth century. The façade of Salisbury Cathedral has lancet windows and blinds, arcades with pointed arches and statuary in the Gothic style. But the façade is low rather than soaring. French architects emphasized height, but this was not as important to the English. The flying buttresses that were vital to supporting the soaring heights of French Cathedrals were not necessary to the same extent in the English buildings.

Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire, England, has many unique characteristics,

including the wooden Octagon, which was begun in 1322 to replace

the central tower after it collapsed. — Wikipedia

In England, the influence of French Gothic is most obvious in the Canterbury Cathedral’s eastern extension

Canterbury Cathedral — Wikimedia Commons, Hans Musil

Look at the facade for the north entrance of Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey — Wikimedia Commons, Telemaque MySon

Can you see the influence of French Gothic?

For the most part, the English architects adapted the Gothic form to create their own style. Instead of soaring upward, the English churches became longer and wider. Instead of a polygonal apse, common in the French cathedrals, the English built a square east end. They also added a “Lady chapel,” honoring the Virgin Mary.

Westminster Abbey — Wikimedia Commons, Kjetil Bjørnsrud

The English developed a varied tracery design and also used the ribbed vault, but not always for utilitarian purposes. Sometimes it was merely decorative.

An example of traceried fan vaulting — FYI Online

GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE IN ENGLAND – THE PERPENDICULAR STYLE

The English builders also created what is known as the Perpendicular style because of the use of vertical lines in the tracery and paneling. See the example above.

In addition the Perpendicular style is known for:

elaborate traceried fan vaulting
roofs of complex open-timber

The Chapel of King’s College in Cambridge was begun in 1443. It has been called the “masterpiece” of the English Gothic style.

To understand what makes it special, you need to take a peek inside at the fan vaulting.

Notice how it creates a sense of unity inside the cathedral. See how the vaults are aligned perfectly with the large windows? This creates the feeling of soaring into the heavens.

What is "Tracery" Again?

You may remember that we discussed tracery in the lesson on French Gothic. It is the delicate-looking stonework that can be seen supporting window glass and taking the shape of trifoils and cinquefoils.

For this and other definitions of terms from Gothic Architecture, go to the Gothic Field Guide .

GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE IN SPAIN AND GERMANY

Gothic Architecture in Spain

To the left is an interior photo of the Cathedral of Toledo (1221). Notice the pointed and vaulted arches and the feeling of vastness. — Wikimedia

The Spanish borrowed a number of ideas from the French Gothic style, including the giant arcade and short clerestory. In the photo above the interior of the Cathedral of Toledo (1221), notice the pointed and vaulted arches and the feeling of vastness.

When the Hundred Years' War finally ended in France, architects rejoiced with "flamboyant" architecture, an ornate form of decorative intricacies. The country where this expression took the greatest hold was Spain. Flamboyant architecture is characterized by stone window tracery in an s-shaped curve that looks like a flame, hence "flamboyant."

In this example, you can see that tracery covers open air spaces: Burgos Cathedral

Gothic Architecture in Germany

The Cathedral of Limburg-an-der-Lahn (circa 1225). — Wikipedia

In Germany, French Gothic architecture had perhaps the greatest influence outside of France. The influence of soaring heights can be seen in the four-story elevation of the Cathedral of Limburg-an-der-Lahn (circa 1225):

The German Gothic cathedrals are characterized by breadth (wide, airy feeling) and openness, more so than their French counterparts. German cathedrals, like the French, tend not to have a strongly projecting transept — remember the transept consists of the "arms" of the church in a cruciform (or cross-like) shape.

Detail from the Garden of Gethsemane from a Lutheran church in Ulm, Germany — Wikimedia, Rebecca Kennison

Gothic sculpture like Gothic architecture originated in northern France. However, the Germans produced some of the most stunning sculptural monuments of the era. Among the German sculptures, we find examples of expressionistic exaggeration as well as elegant examples of lyricism.

— Wikimedia, Tilman2007

One example of German Gothic sculpture that was heavily influenced by the work done at the Cathedral in Reims, France is the Bamberg Rider (1240) in the Cathedral of Bamberg. The statue represents heroism and royalty.

THE PROTO-RENAISSANCE IN ITALY – THE CATHEDRAL OF ORVIETO AND THE PISANO HERITAGE

French Gothic art and architecture did not have as great an influence in Italy as it did in Germany. After all, the Italians had the original classical art of the Romans all around them. But certain cathedrals do show that the Italians were paying attention to what the French were doing. In the photo below, notice the French Gothic facade on the Cathedral of Orvieto.

Orvieto Cathedral — Wikimedia Commons

The Orvieto Cathedral, Italy

The Italians preferred the Roman architectural designs so there are not many churches or cathedrals in Italy that follow the French Gothic style. The Orvieto Cathedral was built over the course of about three centuries. The facade is Italian Gothic, but the rest of the structure is Romanesque. Inside the cathedral, we find an alternating pattern of travertine and alabaster stones, which is indicative of its Italian design.

Interior of the Orvieto Cathedral — Wikimedia Commons

— Wikimedia Commons, Georges Jansoone

The sculptures on the facade of the Orvieto Cathedral, below, are significantly different from those on other European churches.

This bas relief of the creation of Eve is more curvilinear, more fluid, than that of the French or German. Because most Italian artistic developments were no longer Romanesque but not fully Gothic, they are seen as early steps toward the Renaissance (the rebirth of classical art), and so we can call this period from 1150 to 1400 the Proto-Renaissance.

Pisa Baptistry pulpit

In sculpture, we can see Gothic influences in the work of Nicola Pisano's (1220-1284) pulpit found in the Pisa Baptistery, and yet he retains a classical influence. These carvings display the solid, three-dimensional Roman style while emphasizing the individuality of each human figure.

Nicola's son Giovanni Pisano followed in his father's footsteps and carved pulpits, sculptures, facades, and public works.

Giovanni designed the facade of the Siena Cathedral, above. Notice the deep-cut carving that is typical of Gothic sculpture.

He also sculpted the Pulpit of Saint Andrew in Pistoia, below. Here we can see the distinctive qualities of Gothic art, such as violent movement and animated facial expressions.

A bas-relief sculpture by Giovanni Pisano — Wikimedia Commons

Giovanni' s designs influenced the next generation of Italian sculptors of the early Renaissance, including Donatello, whose work you will see in the next lesson. By 1400, Italian artists had abandoned Gothic characteristics in favor of a more classical style with the beginnings in sculpture of the full Italian Renaissance.

ITALIAN PAINTING

Painting was not as developed in the Middle Ages as other forms of art, such as illumination and sculpture. The most active centers for painting were in Italy, where the influence of Byzantine portraiture remained strong throughout the period.

Of all the painters working in 14th century Italy, Giotto di Bondone, who is considered the Father of Western art, was the most important one. In the Gothic and Byzantine styles, the human figure tended to be flat and two-dimensional, and colors tended to be bright and unnatural. Giotto changed this conception. While he studied the artwork that had been produced before him, his greatest teacher was life itself. With Giotto, the human figure became rounded and three-dimensional. His work exemplified the style of naturalism.

Giotto painted mainly religious works, but he brought a new humanity to the figures. He emphasized the real rather than the ideal. Giotto also used colors in a quieter and more realistic way.

The Madonna in Maesto, a polychrome altarpiece by Giotto de Bondone.

(circa 1310, Uffizi, Florence) — Wikimedia

The Madonna Enthroned or "Madonna in Maesto,"(c. 1310, Uffizi, Florence) by Giotto breaks from the past by creating a more human, natural face for the Madonna. His concern with reality would influence generations of Florentine painters.

Giotto is usually seen as a transitional artist between Renaissance naturalism and medieval symbolism.

— Wikimedia, Maedin

In addition to being a painter, he was also an architectural designer. When he was 67, he was commissioned to design the campanile (or bell tower) for the Florence Cathedral. He died before it was completed.

Notice the different colored marble laid in intricate patterns in the campanile.

LET'S REVIEW!

In this lesson, you have covered the following topics:

the adoption of French Gothic architecture by several other European countries
the evolution of French Gothic architecture when absorbed by other cultures, e.g., the Perpendicular style in England
the synthesis of the French Gothic and classical Roman styles demonstrated in Italy
the role of Italian painter Giotto in setting the stage for Renaissance art

Complete the quiz before moving on.

#20 GOTHIC DISSEMINATION Quiz

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