Gothic - what is it? Gothic movement in art

ABSTRACT

Discipline: History of Fine Arts

On the topic: The art of Western European Gothic

Completed by: N. N. Khlebus,

student of group 102-A FZO

Teacher: N. D. Peskun

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………..…3

General characteristics of Gothic art……………………………..….4

Architecture…………………………………………………………………..…..5

Sculpture……………………………………………………………………..…9

Painting…………………………………………………………………………………12

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………….13

List of used literature………………………………………………………14

Introduction

The Gothic art of Western Europe, which emerged in the Middle Ages, marks a huge contribution to the culture of all mankind. The vastness of this topic allowed me in this essay to talk about the art of Western European Gothic from all its sides. My work examines architecture, sculpture and painting. The abstract includes excerpts from books whose authors very vividly and convincingly characterize certain periods in the history of the development of Gothic art. Of course, the texts reproduced in the abstract were written in different periods and reflect different stages of the state of art science, which has recently been enriched with new, more accurate research methods.

However, the main goal of my work is to analyze the specifics of Gothic art, learn to analyze it, evaluate it and enter the atmosphere of the art itself.

General characteristics of Gothic art

Gothic- a period in the development of medieval art in Western, Central and partly Eastern Europe from the 12th to the 15th-16th centuries. Characteristic of this time is the rapid growth and prosperity of cities. Subsequently, in Gothic art, along with purely feudal elements, the features of the emerging culture of the burghers were already strong. Creative activity is now moving from monasteries into the hands of secular artists, uniting in church organizations. A direct result of this state of affairs are two features that distinguish Gothic art from Romantic art: the strengthening of rationalistic aspects, on the one hand, and strong realistic tendencies, on the other. The strengthening of rationalism especially affected the field of architecture, which developed a unique, exclusively logical system of structures and decoration.

Gothic style originated in the middle of the 12th century in northern France; in the 13th century it spread to the territory of modern Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Spain, and England. Gothic penetrated into Italy later, with great difficulty and strong transformation, which led to the emergence of “Italian Gothic”. At the end of the 14th century, Europe was swept by the so-called International Gothic. Gothic penetrated into the countries of Eastern Europe later and stayed there a little longer - until the 16th century.

Gothic completed the development of European medieval art, arising on the basis of the achievements of Romanesque culture, and in the Renaissance (Renaissance) the art of the Middle Ages was considered “barbaric”. Gothic art was cultic in purpose and religious in theme. It addressed the highest divine powers, eternity, and the Christian worldview. In Gothic architecture, there are 3 stages of development: early, mature (High Gothic) and late (flaming Gothic, variants of which were also the Manueline (in Portugal) and Isabelline (in Castile) styles.

Architecture

The Gothic style mainly manifested itself in the architecture of temples, cathedrals, churches, and monasteries. The most typical Gothic church building was the city cathedral. Along with the town halls, the cathedral was one of the main centers of city life.

The Gothic style developed on the basis of Romanesque, or more precisely, Burgundian architecture. In contrast to the Romanesque style, with its round arches, massive walls and small windows, the Gothic style is characterized by pointed arches, narrow and tall towers and columns, a richly decorated facade with carved details (vimpergi, tympanums, archivolts) and multi-colored stained glass lancet windows . All style elements emphasize verticality.

The church of the Saint-Denis monastery, designed by Abbot Suger, is considered the first Gothic architectural structure. During its construction, many supports and internal walls were removed, and the church acquired a more graceful appearance compared to the Romanesque “fortresses of God.” In most cases, the Sainte-Chapelle chapel in Paris was taken as a model.

From Ile-de-France (France), the Gothic architectural style spread to Western, Central and Southern Europe - to Germany, England, etc. In Italy, it did not dominate for long and, as a “barbarian style,” quickly gave way to the Renaissance; and since it came here from Germany, it is still called “stile tedesco” - German style.

Almost all the architecture of Gothic cathedrals is due to one main invention of that time - a new frame structure, which makes these cathedrals easily recognizable.

Romanesque cathedrals and churches usually used a barrel vault, which was supported by massive thick walls, which inevitably led to a decrease in the volume of the building and created additional difficulties during construction, not to mention the fact that this predetermined the small number of windows and their modest size. With the advent of the cross vault, a system of columns, flying buttresses and buttresses, cathedrals acquired the appearance of huge openwork fantastic structures.

Among the most famous monuments of Western European Gothic architecture are:

Notre Dame Cathedral(French Notre Dame de Paris) is a monument of early French Gothic, which became a model for many churches in France and other countries. Located in Paris on the Ile de la Cité. It is a 5-nave basilica (length 130 m, width 108 m, interior height 35 m) with a short transept and two towers flanking the western facade (height 69 m). The cathedral began in 1163 and was mostly completed by 1257. Fragments of stained glass and sculpture have survived to this day. The cathedral has been greatly updated by the restoration of the 19th century, but retains the organic integrity of its architectural appearance. It can accommodate 9 thousand people at the same time.

Chartres Cathedral(French Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres) is the most famous monument of the city of Chartres, located 96 km southwest of Paris. The cathedral is considered one of the most beautiful Gothic buildings. It was built at the beginning of the 13th century. (the main construction work was carried out over 30 years) on the ruins of the previous Romanesque cathedral, which was destroyed in a fire in 1194. A distinctive feature of the cathedral is that its two towers are very different from each other. The northern tower has a typical ancient Gothic base (with buttresses and a small number of openings) and a spire in the Flamboyant Gothic style, made somewhat later (15th century). The south tower, on the contrary, has a Gothic base and is crowned with a simpler spire.

Reims Cathedral(French: Notre-Dame de Reims) was built in the 13th century. Its construction lasted from 1212 to 1311. The cathedral combines all the features of the Gothic style: a three-part division vertically and horizontally, perspective portals, the presence of a “rose” in the center, two prismatic towers. Reims Cathedral belongs to the mature Gothic style.

Amiens Cathedral– one of the most famous Gothic cathedrals in the world and one of the largest in France (length 145 m). On the western façade of the building there are three sculptural portals; The central portal is decorated with the famous statue of Christ blessing. The huge windows of the choir and main nave have lost their medieval stained glass. The interior space of the Amiens Cathedral, high and spacious, seems at the same time refined and austere, majestic and cozy.

Milan Cathedral(Italian: Duomo di Milano) - the cathedral in Milan. Built in Flaming Gothic style from white marble. Construction began in 1386. Gothic specialists were invited from France and Germany, although the initial project was still developed by an Italian, Simone de Orsenigo. It is a late Gothic architectural structure that contains a forest of spiers and sculptures, marble pointed turrets and columns, woven together by a web of soaring supports. There are 3,400 statues in the cathedral alone. The total length of the temple is 158 meters, the width of the transverse nave is 92 m, the height of the spire is 106.5 m. The cathedral can accommodate up to 40,000 people.

Cologne Cathedral The Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Peter is the main attraction of Cologne. Construction The cathedral was started in 1248. Cathedral building- This is a 5-nave basilica, made of reddish trachyte stone in the form of a Latin cross, having a gallery and seven radiating chapels. The length of the temple is 144 m, width - 86 m, its total area is 7,914 m². The towers of Cologne Cathedral are 157 m high and are decorated with openwork wrought iron spiers. Outside Cologne Cathedral has many supporting pilasters, phials, flying buttresses, galleries, and through grilles. The main portal of the temple is decorated with rich sculptures, decorative carvings, and pointed arches that repeat from tier to tier. The large main hall of the cathedral is surrounded by chapels and chapels, and 44-meter columns were installed to support its star vaults. The interior space of the cathedral is simply grandiose, this effect was achieved not only due to its impressive size, but also as a result of the difference in heights: the height of the middle nave is two and a half times higher than the height of the side ones, and the nave and choir are located at different levels. Interior and exterior The cathedral can be described as austere grandeur, imbued with and conveying the spirit of the Middle Ages.

Doge's Palace(Italian: Palazzo Ducale) in Venice is a monument of Italian Gothic architecture (XIV - XV centuries), whose original style combines elements of Romanesque art, Gothic and Oriental influences. Located in the center of Venice, in Piazza San Marco, next to the Church of St. Mark. From the 9th century residence of the Venetian rulers - the Doges. The palace was built in 1340-1438. on the site of previous palace-fortresses. The Doge's Palace does not represent an absolutely holistic, complete composition. The most expressive are the southern, facing the lagoon, and western facades. They are decorated with a two-tier colonnade. The lower massive columns, unusually short, as if half cut off or sunk into the ground, with foliate Gothic capitals, carry a pointed arcade. Higher up, lighter and slender columns (their number is twice as large as the lower ones) support three-lobed arches and form a shady loggia. The upper mass of the building is unusually heavy (the current windows were not initially provided for), and this gives the feeling that the entire building not only grew out of the water, but also seemed to be upside down and we see not the palace itself, but only its reflection. This composition, which contradicts all the rules of architectonics (the bottom should be heavier and the top lighter), has a unique explanation among the Venetians: amid the unsteady picture of glare and reflections in the water in Venice, it is necessary to visually strengthen and emphasize the upper boundaries of the composition.

Sculpture

Of all the types of fine art of the Gothic period, sculpture belongs to the greatest importance. Having developed on the basis of the achievements of late Romanesque sculpture, Gothic sculpture also developed in close connection with architecture. The Gothic cathedral was especially richly decorated, which Victor Hugo figuratively compared to a giant book. The main place in its external and internal decorative decoration belonged to sculpture And relief. Compositional and ideological concept sculptural decor was subordinated to the program developed by theologians. In the temple - a particle of the universe - they sought to embody the religious concept of human history with its sublime and base sides. Thousands sculptures And reliefs were carried out in workshops at cathedrals. Many generations often took part in their creation artists and apprentices. Focus sculptural compositions have become portals, where large in size sculptures apostles, prophets, saints followed in lines, as if greeting visitors. Tympanums, arches of portals, spaces between them, galleries of the upper tiers, niches of turrets, vimpergi were decorated reliefs And sculptures. Many small figures and scenes were placed in archivolts, transepts, on consoles, plinths, pedestals, buttresses, and roofs. The capitals were entwined with leaves and fruits; half-bloomed leaves (crabs) quickly ran along the projections of the cornices, the ribs of the turrets, and the flying buttresses; the spiers were crowned with a flower (crucifer). The window frames were filled with carved openwork patterns.

Heyday sculptures begins at the turn of the 12th-13th centuries. in France. Becoming Gothic sculptures associated with the construction of Chartres, Reims and Amiens cathedrals, numbering up to two thousand sculptural works. Among the Reims sculptures the powerful figures of two women draped in long robes stand out. This is Mary and Elizabeth. Each of them has an independent plastic meaning and is placed on a separate pedestal, at the same time they are internally united. Mary, with her inner enlightenment and spiritual uplift, is contrasted with the image of the elderly Elizabeth, drooping, with a haggard, wrinkled face, filled with tragic foreboding. The images created by Reims masters attract with moral strength, height of spiritual impulses and at the same time vital simplicity and character.

The interpretation of traditional images is changing. IN sculpture the image of Christ is given, a kind and at the same time courageous man who protects people and suffers for them. In “Blessing Christ” (Amiens Cathedral) his features are marked with the stamp of moral, earthly beauty. The calm and at the same time commanding hand gesture definitely stops the viewer, calling for the fulfillment of duty, for a worthy, clean life. Calm, wide lines, summarizing the upper part of the figure, emphasize the restrained nobility of his image; The cascade of clothing drapery, rushing upward, accentuates the expressiveness of the gesture. Scenes from the earthly life of Christ are depicted, in which his closeness to suffering humanity is revealed. This is the image of “Christ the Wanderer” (Rheims Cathedral), self-absorbed, sorrowful, reconciled with fate. Among the people, we especially love the image of the Madonna with a baby in her arms, embodying girlish purity and maternal tenderness. Portals are often dedicated to her. She is depicted with a flexible figure, with her head gently bowed towards the baby, smiling gracefully, with half-closed eyes. Feminine charm and softness mark the "Gilded Madonna" of the south façade of Amiens Cathedral (c. 1270-1288).

Two women's sculptures The Strasbourg Cathedral (30s of the 13th century) attracts with its spiritual purity, grace, and elegance of harmonious proportions. One of them symbolizes the triumphant Church, the other - the defeated Synagogue.

Into the world of sublime Gothic images sculptures everyday motifs are often included: grotesque figures of monks, genre figures of butchers, pharmacists, grape pickers, and merchants. Subtle humor reigns in the scenes of the Last Judgment, which have lost their harsh character. Among the ugly sinners are often kings, monks and rich people. The “Stone Calendars” (Amiens Cathedral) are depicted, telling about the work and activities of the peasants characteristic of each month.

In Germany sculpture was less developed. More ponderous in its forms than the French, it captivates with the power of dramatic images. The individualization of character and feelings gives rise to almost a portrait of Elizabeth of Bamberg Cathedral (1230-1240), with stern, intense features of a strong-willed face, with a gloomily excited gaze. Sharp angular shapes and restless broken folds of clothing enhance the drama of the image.

Equestrian images appear early in Germany. The Bamberg horseman is the embodiment of courage and knightly energy. German Gothic played an important role in the development of portraiture sculptures. IN sculpture Margrave Ekkehard of Naumburg Cathedral (mid-13th century) is given a typical image of an imperious, rude knight with a sensual, arrogant face. Fragility and lyricism distinguish his wife Uta - melancholic, internally focused, with a uniquely individual expressiveness of seemingly suddenly captured movements.

Late Gothic sculpture was greatly influenced by Italian art. Around 1400, Klaus Sluter created a number of significant sculptural works for Philip of Burgundy, such as the Madonna of the facade of the church of Philip's burial and the figures of the Well of the Prophets (1395-1404) at Chammol near Dijon. In Germany, the works of Tilman Riemenschneider, Veit Stoß and Adam Kraft are well known.

Painting

The Gothic movement in painting developed several decades after the appearance of elements of the style in architecture and sculpture. In England and France, the transition from the Romanesque to the Gothic style occurred around 1200, in Germany - in the 1220s, and in Italy most recently - around 1300.

One of the main directions of Gothic painting was stained glass, which gradually replaced fresco painting. The technique of stained glass remained the same as in the previous era, but the color palette became much richer and more colorful, and the subjects were more complex - along with images of religious subjects, stained glass windows on everyday themes appeared. In addition, not only colored glass, but also colorless glass began to be used in stained glass.

The Gothic period saw the heyday of book miniatures. With the advent of secular literature (chivalrous novels, etc.), the range of illustrated manuscripts expanded, and richly illustrated books of hours and psalms were also created for home use. Artists began to strive for a more authentic and detailed reproduction of nature. Prominent representatives of Gothic book miniatures are the Limburg brothers, court miniaturists of the Duke of Berry, who created the famous “The Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry” (circa 1411-1416).

The portrait genre is developing - instead of a conventionally abstract image of a model, the artist creates an image endowed with individual traits inherent in a particular person. One of the first Gothic portraits that has survived to this day is “John the Good” (1359), whose authorship has not been established.

Since the last quarter of the 14th century, the visual arts of Europe have been dominated by a style later called international Gothic. This period was transitional to Proto-Renaissance painting.

Conclusion

I found this work very informative and interesting. It allowed me to study in detail the art of Western European Gothic, understand its essence, comprehend the reasons for its emergence and development, and its relationship with the social life of Europe. The abstract revealed issues of value and aesthetic originality of Western European Gothic art.

To summarize, we can say that Gothic art put forward a new range of ideas and images, new aesthetic ideals, new artistic techniques and new content. Feeding on the ideas of Christianity, this art penetrated deeply into the inner world of man. The interest of Gothic art in the moral character of man, in what is defined by the word “spirituality”, is enormous.

Western European Gothic art created grandiose artistic ensembles; it solved gigantic architectural problems, created new forms of monumental sculpture and painting, and most importantly, it represented a synthesis of these monumental arts, in which it sought to convey a complete picture of the world. And this is the enormous contribution of Gothic art to world culture.

List of used literature

1. Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia.1969-1978.

2. Werman K. European art of the Middle Ages. (History of art of all times and peoples, vol. 2). - M.: AST; St. Petersburg: Polygon, 2000.

3. Gnedich P. P. History of Arts. Painting. Sculpture. Architecture. - M.: Eksmo, 2002.

4. "The Art of the Middle Ages", reference book. Moscow, 1980.

5. History of art of foreign countries (Middle Ages, Renaissance): Reader. / Ed. Ts.G. Nesselstrauss - M.: Fine Arts, 1982.

6. Cohn-Wiener. "History of Fine Arts Styles", Moscow, 2000.

7. Lyubimov L. “The Art of Western Europe”: A book for reading. – M.: Education, 1982.

8. Electronic resource. Access mode: www.arhitekto.ru

Historical and cultural development are inextricably linked. This process can be seen especially clearly in Western European countries, where changes in the technical, civil and religious spheres manifested themselves not only in the strengthening and development of cities, but also became the cause of cultural flourishing. The result of the latter was the emergence of Gothic art. This direction fully corresponded to the spirit of its time - it was controversial, monumental and affected all classes.

History of formation

XII - XIII centuries. became the period of the highest development of medieval Christian culture for most European countries. The growth and expansion of cities, the emergence of chivalry, the development of craftsmanship, science and the strengthening of human consciousness became decisive factors in the formation of Gothic art.

Initially, the “Gothic style” was used in architecture, and later began to penetrate other areas of life. . He originated in the French city of Ile de France and replaced the Romanesque style. The church of the monastery of Saint-Denis is the first Gothic building.

The Gothic heritage given is expressed in this photo.

Architecture Features

During the birth of the Gothic movement, architecture was one of the dominant forms of art. This was especially true for cathedral premises. Cathedrals and churches house the most beautiful examples of architecture, sculpture and painting. Subsequently, merging with the traditions of wooden architecture and stone architecture of Ancient Rus', this direction found its manifestation in the Russian architectural style -.

In the Middle Ages, the cathedral was not just a church, but an important element of the life of the city; not only ritual services were held there, but also theatrical performances, academic lectures or city council meetings.

In many ways, the interior of the Gothic cathedral received its current appearance thanks to not only aesthetic, but also technological innovations that became the basis of the movement, namely:

Pointed arches. Such structures are able to withstand the load of the upper vault of the building, which makes it possible to get rid of a large number of internal walls inherent.
A frame construction system that became an equally important discovery of Gothic architecture. It made it possible to make buildings taller, and at the same time reduce the thickness of load-bearing walls.

The combination of the above elements made it possible to significantly expand the area of the temple premises. As an example, the photo shows the Milan Duomo Cathedral. They were also seen in colonial style.

Characteristic features of the cathedral interior

As for the interior decoration, buildings made in the Gothic style were decorated with massive windows, stained glass windows and wall paintings; columns with arches or flying buttresses (open semi-arches) were also used. The Gothic architectural style is replete with vertical lines, emphasizing the sublimity and beauty of the created structures.

The facades of the houses were decorated with columns, stucco with Celtic or floral designs and grotesque sculptures of mythical heroes and creatures. Therefore, buildings erected in the Gothic style are distinguished by their monumentality, an abundance of straight lines, soaring spiers and unprecedented spaciousness of rooms.

Furniture

The same canons apply to furniture. Almost all interior items in the Gothic style were produced based on church motifs. During the heyday of the Gothic period, the furniture industry was already fully formed, and almost all modern types of furniture were present in it.

The invention of the sawmill is a major factor in the development of the furniture craft.

Thanks to this, it became possible to make objects not from heavy wood, but from thin boards. This made it possible to produce high-quality furniture not only for churches, but also for ordinary homes. Panels with ribbon weaving or openwork patterns were used for decoration. The frame of the products was also decorated with architectural elements - turrets, spiers.

The most common attribute of a home in those days was a chest, which was used not only for storing all kinds of valuables, but also as a place to sit. These remained to the classic representation of the English style. It was decorated with various openwork panels and frames. Later, chests developed into kitchen cabinets and cupboards.

In general, Gothic furniture is quite simple; these include various shelves, screens, chests, carved cabinets, armchairs and four-poster beds.

The main types of raw materials for such products were the most durable types of wood - oak, spruce and pine.

Room cladding

As for the decoration of the walls of dwellings, for these purposes they used stone masonry, which was covered with narrow lace painting, carpets or lined with wooden panels. In a Gothic interior, the surface of the walls was often divided horizontally into upper and lower. These surfaces were contrastingly different in color and texture.

Stone, boards or slabs were used as flooring, and living areas were covered with carpets.

Speaking of ceilings, builders traditionally left the ceiling beams and rafters exposed. Occasionally it was decorated with openwork paintings or sculptural elements.

Window

Another very important distinctive feature of the Gothic style in the interior is lancet windows. They stood out in size and were decorated with ornaments, turrets or stained glass windows.

Fashion trends of medieval Europe

The Gothic style, which penetrated so deeply into architecture, sculpture and painting, could not but be reflected in the clothing of the late Middle Ages. However, it is worth understanding that during the development of Gothic, class differences between people were quite strong, so the clothes of feudal lords, ordinary townspeople and peasants were significantly different. Thus, only representatives of the upper classes had the right to wear silks and long trains.

Gothic clothing clearly demonstrated the desire for straight lines and elongated silhouettes. With the development of Gothic, shoes with elongated toes and pointed hats began to enter medieval fashion. The most preferred material was velvet. Clothes were richly decorated with ribbon or floral patterns.

The Gothic style in men's clothing suggested two types of suit - short and narrow or long and loose.

The clothing of noble men often included the following elements:

cothardie– narrow caftan with wide or narrow sleeves;
blio– a short caftan with a narrowed top and wide flaps that are not sewn on the sides;
purpoin– a short jacket with narrow sleeves, it was customary to wear it with narrow pants and stockings;
amice– unsewn fabric folded in half with a slit for the head. It was customary to wear it as a cloak. The amice was sometimes sewn on the sides, leaving slits for the arms; this option was called a frock coat. Cloaks could be either long or short.

Women's clothing consisted of a kameez (vest) and a cotta (a type of dress). The cotta featured a narrow top, a long, wide skirt and lace-up at the side or back. Gothic dresses had an elongated waist and several draping folds were made on the front of the skirt. Ladies of noble birth had a train on their skirt, and the longer it was, the higher the status of its owner.

The most common type of women's headdress was the gorge. It looked like a fabric tube that widened towards the bottom and had a slit at the back.

Art

The heyday of Gothic art occurred at the beginning of the development of medieval scientific thought. Thus, the monasteries lost their role as the dominant centers of culture. Masters began to turn not only to religious motifs, but also to more ordinary subjects. In general, Gothic art fully reflects the contradictions of its era - a bizarre interweaving of realism and humanity, as well as a dogmatic religious heritage. In this period, secular architecture began to emerge - in addition to town halls and churches, stone houses were also erected for wealthy citizens, and a type of urban multi-story building was formed.

However, the classical Gothic style was most clearly manifested in church architecture. Thus, cathedrals and churches contain not only all the distinctive features and innovations of style, but also unique decorative and sculptural elements.

Its influence can be clearly seen in such movements of medieval art as the Romanesque style and Gothic.

Inseparably from architecture, sculpture also developed in medieval Gothic art. The plots and content of the latter were completely subordinated to religious motives. Often real historical events, living bishops and kings were embodied in sculptures.

Below are a few distinctive features of Gothic sculptures:

Maximum endowment of heroes with human emotions and traits.
The isolation of the sculpture from the wall, in contrast to the Romanesque style. Thus, Gothic sculptures are always three-dimensional; they are located on pedestals near the wall and often extend beyond its boundaries.
The abundance of volumetric folds and naturalistic images and proportions of the characters’ bodies.

Along with sculpture, stained glass painting also developed widely. The technique of making stained glass has not changed, but the color palette and themes have become much richer and more varied. So, along with the depiction of religious subjects, stained glass windows on everyday themes began to appear.

Also, a special place in Gothic culture is occupied by books, which are already beginning to be written not only by clergy, but also by city craftsmen. Often these were novels, fables, chronicles, treatises and parables. Along with the book business, book miniatures are also developing. Gothic book illustrations are particularly realistic and of extremely high quality.

Culture

Considering the issue of cultural development of Western European countries during the Gothic period, the following features can be highlighted:

The dominant role of the Christian religion in society. Although in art there began to be a desire to humanize characters and realistically convey emotions, man still continued to be viewed as a sinful creature requiring salvation and purification of the soul.
The national cultures of European peoples are actively developing on the basis of folklore.
Strengthening knightly culture. The code of chivalry is often reflected in the poetry and literature of this period.
Scientific thought and university education are developing.

Prominent cultural figures

Klaus Sluter

The progenitor of the Gothic architectural style is Abbot Suger. As a clergyman of the monastery of Saint-Denis, he rebuilt the then dilapidated abbey church in a previously unprecedented style. The reconstructed church embodied all the main technical and aesthetic techniques of the movement, which was later called Gothic.

Speaking about the personalities who contributed to the development of Gothic culture, one cannot fail to mention Klaus Sluter. One of his most famous works is the sculpture The Well of Moses. It is made in the form of a hexagonal base of the Crucifixion, which is surrounded by monumental statues of Old Testament prophets. In the corners of the group there are sculptures of mourning angels. Sluter's works clearly demonstrate Gothic naturalism and monumentality. His heroes are flexible and close to nature.

Another native Gothic art form is book miniatures. Prominent representatives of this genre are the Limburg brothers. Their miniatures were distinguished not only by their high realism and conveyance of volume, but also by their poetic and truthful depiction of everyday life and nature.

Video review of attractions in the Gothic style

Conclusion

The Gothic style marked an entire era in the history of medieval Europe. The transition to this direction became possible thanks to changes not only in aesthetic perception, but also scientific and technical development. In general, the Gothic style is distinguished by its special monumentality and striving for the sublime. However, this direction is not yet distinguished by any special grace or luxury. Although everyday scenes are beginning to be reflected in art, religious themes still remain dominant.

The same can be seen in other historical styles, such as

Gothic characterizes the third and final stage in the development of medieval art in Western Europe.
The name itself comes from the barbarian tribe of Goths, who sacked Rome in 410. It was precisely the fall of the “eternal city” of Rome that marked the end of antiquity and the onset of the Middle Ages of European cultural history. The term "Gothic" appeared during the Italian Renaissance as a mocking nickname for the "barbaric" era of the Middle Ages, which had no artistic value.

For a long time it was considered as such, until at the beginning of the 19th century. was not rehabilitated by the romantics. “Gothic” was originally the name given to the entire Middle Ages, and only later to its late period, which was distinguished by its striking originality of artistic style. Since the beginning of the 19th century, when the term Romanesque style was adopted for art, the chronological framework of Gothic was limited, it was divided into early, mature (high) and late phases.
It is difficult to draw a chronological boundary between the Romanesque and Gothic styles. Many experts consider the fact of the birth of the Gothic style to be the culmination of Romanesque art and, at the same time, its negation. For a long time, elements of both styles coexisted and were combined, and the transitional era of the 12th century itself. had a pronounced “renaissance” character (see Renaissance). The 12th century is the heyday of the Romanesque style, but since 1130 new forms have appeared.

The architect N. Ladovskii wrote uniquely about the crisis of the Romanesque style as the reason for the appearance of the Gothic: “New architectures were created by savages who came into contact with culture. This is how Gothic was created. The savages came, saw architecture that was new to them, did not understand it and created their own; the Romans, having many completely completed forms, could not move further." The Gothic style in Western Europe reached its peak (High Gothic) in the 13th century. The decline occurs in the 14th - 15th centuries (flaming Gothic).

Gothic is a more mature art style of the Middle Ages than Romanesque. Religious in form, Gothic art is more sensitive than Romanesque to life, nature and man. It includes in its circle the entire sum of medieval knowledge, complex and contradictory ideas and experiences.

In the dreaminess and excitement of Gothic images, in the pathetic rise of spiritual impulses, in the tireless quest of its masters, new trends are felt - the awakening of the mind and feelings, passionate aspirations for beauty. The increased spirituality of Gothic art, the growing interest in human feelings, in the highly individual, in the beauty of the real world, prepared the flowering of Renaissance art.

Gothic is characterized by a symbolic-allegorical type of thinking and a conventional artistic language. The birthplace of Gothic is France, the royal region of Ile-de-France, from where it spread as a sign of royal power throughout France at the end of the 12th century. the style also came to other countries of Western Europe.

The development of Gothic occurs during the period of dominance of the religious worldview: the main creation of Gothic art in France was the city cathedral, erected by large construction teams (lodges) and distinguished by the perfection of its architectural design, richly decorated with sculptural images and stained glass windows.

The Gothic design of the building provided for the allocation of a building frame: the supports were carried by pointed arches (ribs) that formed the basis of the vault with lightweight formwork, the expansion of which was extinguished by the buttresses brought outward and the connecting arches transmitting the expansion - flying buttresses.

The wall therefore did not play a constructive role in Gothic; it was replaced by wide openings of windows and portals, the lightweight building grew indomitably upward, rushing to the sky with high tents of towers, spiers, pinnacles and fleurons (decorations in the form of a flower), giving rise to the idea of the harmony and diversity of the divine universe . The interior space of the temples, permeated with light, acquired unity.

The role of leading architects (their names have been preserved), who used scaled drawings, increased. Urban planning and civil architecture developed (residential buildings, town halls, shopping arcades, city towers with elegant decor).

In sculpture, stained glass, painted and carved altars, miniatures, and decorative items, the symbolic-allegorical structure is combined with new spiritual aspirations and lyrical emotions; interest in the real world, nature, and the wealth of experiences is expanding. In the XV-XVIV centuries. Gothic is replaced by the Renaissance.

Although the term "Gothic style" is most often applied to architectural structures, Gothic also covered sculpture, painting, book miniatures, costume, ornament, etc.

Conditions for the formation and development of the Gothic style
Three striking phenomena of Gothic culture can be defined by the following words: city, chivalry, carnival.
Gothic. Knight's shield
Gothic art is the art of flourishing trade and craft commune cities that achieved a certain independence within the feudal world. It was caused by the new conditions of social life in Europe - a high rise in productive forces, the growing flame of grandiose peasant wars and victory by the beginning of the 13th century. communal revolutions.

In some countries, royal power, based on an alliance with the cities, rises above the forces of feudal fragmentation. Workshops and guilds are strengthening their positions. Cities-communes, city-republics, and privately owned cities are being established. Magdeburg Law is legally established. This began in the 12th century in the German city of Magdeburg.

The development of Gothic art reflected fundamental changes in the structure of medieval society: the beginning of the formation of centralized states, the growth and strengthening of cities, the advancement of secular forces, trade and crafts, as well as courtly and knightly circles.

With the development of social consciousness, crafts and technology, the foundations of medieval religious-dogmatic worldviews weakened, the possibilities of knowledge and aesthetic understanding of the real world expanded; New architectural types and tectonic systems took shape. Urban planning and civil architecture developed intensively.

Religion remained the main form of worldview, and the church continued to exert its influence on art. However, the needs of life in trade and craft cities give rise to the desire for knowledge and constant quest. With the formation of city and church schools, the influence of monasteries on the masses began to weaken. Science centers—universities—are emerging in Bologna, Oxford, and Paris. They become arenas for religious disputes and hotbeds of freethinking.

Within the framework of scholasticism, heretical teachings arise, caused by a new perception of the life of city residents and the growth of critical thinking. Scholasticism was permeated by an interest in experimental knowledge, clearly manifested in the work of Roger Bacon. At the end of the 12th and 13th centuries. The views of the Arab philosophers Averroes and Avicenna, close to materialism, are spreading.

Attempts are being made to reconcile Christian dogmas and observations of reality. The real world is no longer completely denied, it is considered as the creation of a deity. The tragic hopelessness that the church instilled in people is being replaced by a brighter and more joyful perception of the world.

Morals are softening. At the same time, the self-awareness of the people is growing. During the struggle at the height of the jacquerie and the uprisings of the artisans, demands for brotherhood and equality are put forward, succinctly expressed in a short saying: “When Adam plowed and Eve spun, who was then a nobleman?”

The originality of noble culture is reflected in the existence of such a phenomenon as knighthood. The knight's code of honor presupposed certain standards of communication between warriors in battle, at a tournament, and in everyday life. The cult of personality of the vassal's service to the overlord found its expression in the worship of the Beautiful Lady.

Carnival allowed European culture to live a full emotional life. In the carnival worldview, the strict verified order of the universe created by God was filled with the element of bodily-sensory images (ideas).

This corporeal world actively manifested itself during carnivals, which occupied a significant part of the Christian city. The complicated world of emotional movements of medieval man was reflected in music in its own way: the Parisian Notre Dame school replaced unison singing with the beginnings of polyphony.

Provençal troubadours, French trouvères, German minnesingers, Italian poets turned to a living spoken language and glorified real life within the confines of an ideally formed “divine universe.”

The last word about the changed worldview of the Gothic man was uttered by theology. It was precisely this that represented the philosophical point of view on the world; it was precisely this that all the sciences of the Middle Ages served. The outstanding thinker of that time, Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), develops the problem of dualism - the separate existence of soul and body, spirit and body. The shell, form and its internal content depend on integrity and perfection, proper proportion or consonance, and clarity. “In everything that does not arise by chance, it is necessary that the form (idea) be the final goal of any emergence,” writes Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologiae.
Sources.

Gothic (Gothic style) is a historical artistic style that dominated Western European art from the 13th to the 15th centuries.

General characteristics of the Gothic style

Gothic is mainly an architectural style, but in interior design it is characterized by very significant differences from other styles, its own and incomparable “face”: huge windows, multi-color stained glass windows, lighting effects. Giant openwork towers, emphasized verticality of all structural elements.

Characteristic elements in interior design are slender columns, complex vault shapes, openwork ornaments, rose-shaped windows and lancet vaults, leaded window glass, convex glass, but without curtains.

Fantastic Gothic designs, surpassing all previously existing ones, overcome the bulkiness of stone. As a result, the main features can be considered irrationalism, dematerialization, upward striving, mysticism, lightness, expressiveness.

History of the Gothic style

The ancient Romans called Goths the barbarian tribes that invaded the empire from the north in the 3rd-5th centuries. The term appeared during the Italian Renaissance as a mocking nickname for a “barbaric,” primitive, medieval culture that was a thing of the past. At first it was applied to literature - to denote incorrect, distorted Latin. Medieval architecture was then called by the general word “tedesca” (Italian: “German”). There is an assumption that the word “Gothic” was first used by Raphael, the famous Renaissance artist.

Gothic is the crown of the Middle Ages, it is bright colors, gilding, the shine of stained glass, expression, prickly needles of spiers soaring into the sky, a symphony of light, stone and glass... The Gothic style characterizes the final stage of the development of medieval art in Western Europe. The fact of the birth of the Gothic style can be considered the culmination of the Romanesque style and at the same time its overcoming. For a long time, elements of both styles coexisted, and the transitional time of the 12th century. was of a revivalist nature."

The birthplace of the new style is Paris. Here, in 1136-1140, under the leadership of Abbot Suger (Suzher), two spans of the main nave of the church of the Abbey of Saint-Denis were erected. But building a Gothic temple is a task for generations. Notre Dame de Paris, founded in 1163, took more than two hundred years to build. The Roman Cathedral (length - 150 meters, height of the towers - 80 meters) was built from 1211 to the beginning of the 14th century, the Milan Cathedral - until the 19th century.

A little later, in the 18th-19th centuries, Western tastes began to turn again to the romantic trends of design of the Middle Ages. This led to the revival of the Gothic style during this period. The Gothic revival coincides with the emergence of the Victorian style of interiors.

A paradoxical feature of the Gothic style, the perfect forms of which demonstrate irrationalism, dematerialization and the highest, mystical expression, is that the reason (but not the reason) for its emergence was technical achievements - the rational improvement of building construction. The history of Gothic architecture is the history of the rib and flying buttress. Relieving the walls of the load made it possible to cut them with huge windows - this stimulated the art of stained glass. The interior of the temple became tall and bright.

Features of the Gothic style

Interiors designed in the Gothic style are distinguished by grandeur and grace. The walls cease to be a structural element, become lighter, are lined with wood or decorated with wall paintings of bright colors and wall tapestries. The plank and stone floors of the early Gothic interior were also later covered with carpets. Characteristic elements are openwork ornaments, stone lace carvings, and pointed vaults. Above the entrance, as a rule, there is a huge stained glass rose window. The window panes are lead-framed, convex glass, but without curtains. Wooden beam ceilings or with open rafters; Decorative painting on the ceiling is possible.

Typical furniture products of the Gothic style of interior design: tall double-door wardrobes with four, six or nine panels, as well as sideboards with high legs, high backs of chairs and beds, imitating the architectural details of castles and churches. Later, this influence also affected the ornamentation: precise geometric ornamentation was imposed on carpentry, contrary to the very texture of the wood. The main type of furniture, both in the castles of knights and ordinary townspeople, was a chest, from which over time a chest-bench was formed. The chests served as tables, benches and beds. Often chests were placed one on top of the other, decorating the entire structure with pointed vaults - this is how the wardrobe turned out. The table in the Gothic interior had a deep drawer and a strongly protruding tabletop, the base of which was two end supports. Under the folding tabletop there were many compartments and small drawers. The bed, if not built into the wall, had a canopy or large wardrobe-like wooden frame, and in southern Europe a plank structure with architectural divisions, carvings and colored trim.

In the construction and decoration of Gothic buildings, mainly stone, marble, and wood were used (oak, walnut and spruce, pine, larch and European cedar, juniper). The decor used tiled mosaics and majolica; the chests were covered with leather, rich metal (iron and bronze) fittings, stalactite motifs, and turned bars were used. Figured stucco molding was sometimes painted and covered with gilding.

Colored stained glass windows in the form of pointed arches are one of the most recognizable features of the Gothic style. Huge windows, for which the walls serve only as a light frame, multi-colored stained glass windows, lighting effects, and finally, a beautiful rose window - all this creates the unique “face” of the Gothic style.

Theologians attributed stained glass the ability to enlighten a person’s soul and keep him from evil. The origins of this type of fine art go back to late antiquity.

The unique effects of stained glass are explained by the transparency of its base - colored glass; the black paint used to draw the contours was opaque. In the ornamental areas of the stained glass window, red and blue tones dominate, in the narrative areas - white, various shades of purple, yellow and green.

“Gothic roses”, colorful stained glass windows, painted sculpture - all this speaks of the special role of color in the Middle Ages. Rich red, blue, yellow, brown shades, as well as gold and silver threads were used in Gothic style interior design. Purple, ruby, blue-black, carnation pink, and green shades were used for contrasting details.

Gothic style interior decor elements

Paintings are rarely used to decorate Gothic rooms. At the same time, the Gothic era is the heyday of book miniatures and the appearance of easel painting, a time of high growth in the decorative arts. In the Gothic style, there is a flourishing of guild craft: in stone and wood carving, in small ivory sculpture, in ceramics and glassmaking, in a variety of metal products decorated with stones and enamel, in fabrics and tapestries - everywhere the sophistication of imagination and the generous richness of decor are combined with brilliant craftsmanship and meticulous finishing.

Conclusion

The key point of Gothic architecture is light, the ever-flowing Divine light - a symbol of enlightenment and wisdom. Therefore, Gothic is the finest hour of stained glass.

Gothic is the first pan-European style. In terms of brightness, expressiveness and paradox, it can only be compared with Baroque. In the twentieth century, Gothic became an international epithet. Everything elongated, pointed, stretching upward with all our might is perceived by us as “Gothic”: ancient Russian tented churches, expressionism of Novgorod icons and even American skyscrapers.

Gotica- a period in the development of medieval art in Western, Central and partly Eastern Europe.

The word comes from Italian. gotico - unusual, barbaric - (Goten - barbarians; this style has nothing to do with the historical Goths), and was first used as an expletive. For the first time, the concept in the modern sense was used by Giorgio Vasari in order to separate the Renaissance from the Middle Ages.

Origin of the term

However, there was nothing barbaric in this style: on the contrary, it is distinguished by great grace, harmony and observance of logical laws. A more correct name would be “lancet”, because. The pointed form of the arc is an essential feature of Gothic art. And, indeed, in France, the birthplace of this style, the French gave it a completely appropriate name - “ogive style” (from ogive - arrow).

Three main periods:
— Early Gothic XII-XIII centuries.
— High Gothic — 1300-1420. (conditional)
- Late Gothic - XV century (1420-1500) is often called “Flaming”

Architecture

The Gothic style mainly manifested itself in the architecture of temples, cathedrals, churches, and monasteries. It developed on the basis of Romanesque, or more precisely, Burgundian architecture. In contrast to the Romanesque style, with its round arches, massive walls and small windows, the Gothic style is characterized by pointed arches, narrow and tall towers and columns, a richly decorated facade with carved details (vimpergi, tympanums, archivolts) and multi-colored stained glass lancet windows . All style elements emphasize verticality.

art

Sculpture played a huge role in creating the image of the Gothic cathedral. In France, she designed mainly its external walls. Tens of thousands of sculptures, from plinth to pinnacles, populate the mature Gothic cathedral.

Round monumental sculpture is actively developing in Gothic. But at the same time, Gothic sculpture is an integral part of the cathedral ensemble; it is part of the architectural form, since, together with architectural elements, it expresses the upward movement of the building, its tectonic meaning. And, creating an impulsive play of light and shadow, it, in turn, enlivens, spiritualizes the architectural masses and promotes their interaction with the air environment.

Painting. One of the main directions of Gothic painting was stained glass, which gradually replaced fresco painting. The technique of stained glass remained the same as in the previous era, but the color palette became much richer and more colorful, and the subjects were more complex - along with images of religious subjects, stained glass windows on everyday themes appeared. In addition, not only colored glass, but also colorless glass began to be used in stained glass.

Ornament

Fashion

Interior

Dressoir is a china cabinet, a piece of late Gothic furniture. Often covered with painting.

The furniture of the Gothic era is simple and heavy in the truest sense of the word. For example, for the first time, clothes and household items are beginning to be stored in closets (in antiquity, only chests were used for these purposes). Thus, by the end of the Middle Ages, prototypes of basic modern pieces of furniture appeared: a wardrobe, a bed, an armchair. One of the most common methods of making furniture was frame-panel knitting. The materials used in the north and west of Europe were mainly local wood species - oak, walnut, and in the south (Tyrol) and east - spruce and pine, as well as larch, European cedar, juniper.