Gothic Gothic
(from Italian gotico, lit. - Gothic, from the name of the Germanic tribe of Goths), Gothic style, artistic style, which was the final stage in the development of medieval art in Western, Central and partly Eastern Europe (between the mid-XII and XV-XVI centuries) . The term "Gothic" was introduced during the Renaissance as a derogatory designation for all medieval art that was considered "barbaric." From the beginning of the 19th century, when for the art of the 10th-12th centuries. the term Romanesque style was adopted, the chronological scope of Gothic was limited, and early, mature (high) and late phases were distinguished. Gothic developed in countries where the Catholic Church dominated, and under its auspices the feudal-ecclesiastical foundations were preserved in the ideology and culture of the Gothic era. Gothic art remained predominantly cult in purpose and religious in theme: it was correlated with eternity, with “higher” irrational forces. Gothic is characterized by a symbolic-allegorical type of thinking and a conventional artistic language. From the Romanesque style, Gothic inherited the primacy of architecture in the art system and traditional types of religious buildings. The cathedral occupied a special place in Gothic art - the highest example of the synthesis of architecture, sculpture and painting (mainly stained glass). The space of the cathedral, incommensurate with man, the verticalism of its towers and vaults, the subordination of sculpture to dynamic architectural rhythms, and the multicolored radiance of stained glass windows had a strong emotional impact on believers.
The development of Gothic art also 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 - urban, trade and craft, as well as court and knightly circles. With the development of social consciousness, crafts and technology, the foundations of the medieval religious-dogmatic worldview 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. Urban architectural ensembles included religious and secular buildings, fortifications, bridges, and wells. The main city square was often lined with houses with arcades, trade and warehouse premises in the lower floors. The main streets radiated from the square; narrow facades of two-, less often three-story houses with high gables lined the streets and embankments. The cities were surrounded by powerful walls with richly decorated travel towers. The castles of kings and feudal lords gradually turned into complex complexes of fortresses, palaces and places of worship. Usually in the center of the city, dominating its development, there was a castle or cathedral, which became the center of city life. In it, along with divine services, theological debates were held, mysteries were played, and meetings of townspeople took place. The cathedral was thought of as a kind of body of knowledge (mainly theological), a symbol of the Universe, and its artistic structure, combining solemn grandeur with passionate dynamics, an abundance of plastic motifs with a strict hierarchical system of their subordination, expressed not only the ideas of medieval social hierarchy and the power of deities, powers over man, but also the growing self-awareness of the townspeople, the creative greatness of the efforts of the human collective.
The bold and complex frame structure of the Gothic cathedral, which embodied the triumph of daring human engineering, made it possible to overcome the massiveness of Romanesque buildings, lighten the walls and vaults, and create a dynamic unity of the internal space. In Gothic there is an enrichment and complication of the synthesis of arts, an expansion of the system of plots, which reflected medieval ideas about the world. The main type of fine art was sculpture, which received rich ideological and artistic content and developed plastic forms. The rigidity and isolation of Romanesque statues was replaced by the mobility of the figures, their appeal to each other and to the viewer. Interest arose in real natural forms, in physical beauty and human feelings, and the themes of motherhood, moral suffering, martyrdom and the sacrificial fortitude of man received a new interpretation. Gothic organically intertwined lyricism and tragic affects, sublime spirituality and social satire, fantastic grotesque and folklore, sharp life observations. In the Gothic era, book miniatures flourished and altar painting appeared, and decorative art, associated with the high level of development of guild craft, reached a high level of development.
Gothic originated in Northern France (Ile-de-France) in the middle of the 12th century. and reached its peak in the first half of the 13th century. Stone Gothic cathedrals received their classical form in France. As a rule, these are 3-5-nave basilicas with a transverse nave-transept and a semicircular choir ("ambulatory"), to which radial chapels are adjacent ("crown of chapels"). Their high and spacious interior is illuminated by the colorful shimmer of stained glass windows. The impression of uncontrollable movement upward and towards the altar is created by rows of slender pillars, the powerful rise of pointed pointed arches, and the accelerated rhythm of the arcades of the upper gallery (triforium). Thanks to the contrast of the high main and semi-dark side naves, a picturesque richness of aspects and a feeling of the infinity of space arises. The structural basis of the cathedral is a frame of pillars (in mature Gothic - a bunch of columns) and pointed arches resting on them. The structure of the building consists of rectangular cells (grasses), delimited by four pillars and four arches, which, together with arched ribs, form the skeleton of a cross vault, filled with lightweight small vaults - strippings. The lateral thrust of the arch of the main nave is transmitted with the help of supporting arches (flying buttresses) to the outer pillars - buttresses. The walls, freed from the load, are cut through with arched windows in the spaces between the pillars. Neutralizing the expansion of the vault by moving the main structural elements outside made it possible to create a feeling of lightness and spatial freedom of the interior. The two-tower western facades of French cathedrals with three “perspective” portals and a patterned round window (“rose”) in the center combine upward aspiration with a clear balance of divisions. On the facades there are pointed arches and rich architectural, plastic and decorative details - patterned wampers, phials, crabs, etc. Statues on consoles in front of the columns of the portals and in their upper arched gallery, reliefs on the plinths and tympanums of the portals, as well as on the capitals columns form an integral symbolic plot system, which includes characters and episodes of the Holy Scriptures, allegorical images. The best works of Gothic sculpture - decorative statues of the facades of the cathedrals in Chartres, Reims, Amiens, Strasbourg - are imbued with spiritual beauty, sincerity and nobility of feelings. The decor is rhythmically organized and strictly subordinate to the architectural divisions of the facade, which determined the harmonious tectonics and proportions of the statues, the solemnity of their poses and gestures. Other parts of the temples were also decorated with reliefs, statues, floral designs, and images of fantastic animals; The decoration is characterized by an abundance of secular motifs (scenes of the work of artisans and peasants, grotesque and satirical images). The themes of the stained glass windows were also varied, the palette of which was dominated by red, blue and yellow tones.
The established Gothic frame system appeared in the abbey church of Saint-Denis (1137-44). Early Gothic also includes cathedrals in Laon, Paris, and Chartres. The grandiose mature Gothic cathedrals in Reims and Amiens, as well as the Sainte-Chapelle chapel in Paris (1243-48) with numerous stained glass windows, are distinguished by the richness of rhythm, perfection of architectural composition and sculptural decoration. From the middle of the 13th century. majestic cathedrals were built in other European countries - in Germany (in Cologne), the Netherlands (in Utrecht), Spain (in Burgos, 1221-1599), Great Britain (Westminster Abbey in London), Sweden (in Uppsala), the Czech Republic (choir and transept St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague), where Gothic construction techniques received a unique local interpretation. The Crusaders brought Gothic principles to Rhodes, Cyprus and Syria.
At the end of the XIII - beginning of the XIV centuries. The construction of cathedrals in France was experiencing a crisis: the architectural forms became drier, the decor was more abundant, the statues received the same emphasized S-shaped bend and features of courtliness. Since the 14th century City and monastery hall churches acquired great importance ( cm. Hall temple), castle and palace chapels. Late (“flaming”) Gothic is characterized by a whimsical pattern of window openings reminiscent of flames (the Church of Saint-Maclou in Rouen). In secular urban architecture, mainly compositional and decorative Gothic techniques were used. Town halls with lavish decoration, often with a tower, were built on the main square of cities (town hall in Saint-Quentin, 1351-1509). Castles were transformed into majestic palaces with rich interior decoration (the papal palace complex in Avignon), and mansions (“hotels”) of wealthy citizens were built. In late Gothic, sculptural altars in interiors became widespread, combining painted and gilded wooden sculpture and tempera painting on wooden boards. A new emotional structure of images has emerged, characterized by dramatic (often exalted) expression, especially in the scenes of the suffering of Christ and the saints, conveyed with merciless truthfulness. Paintings on secular subjects appeared (in the papal palace in Avignon, XIV-XV centuries). In miniatures (mainly books of hours) there was a desire for the spiritual humanity of images, for the conveyance of space and volume. The best examples of French Gothic decorative art include small ivory sculpture, a silver reliquary, Limoges enamel, tapestries and carved furniture.
In Germany, the heyday of Gothic dates back to the mid-13th century. (western choir of Naumburg Cathedral). Hall churches appeared here early (Elisabethkirche in Marburg, 1235-83); in the southwest a type of single-tower cathedral developed (in Freiburg im Breisgau, Ulm); in the north, brick churches were built (the monastery in Corin, 1275-1334; Marienkirche in Lübeck), in which the simplicity of plans, volumes and structures was combined with patterned masonry, the use of glazed and figured bricks. Stone, brick and half-timbered structures are varied in type, composition and decor ( cm. Half-timbered buildings) secular buildings (city gates, town halls, workshops and warehouse buildings, dance halls). The sculpture of the cathedrals (in Bamberg, Magdeburg, Naumburg) is distinguished by the vital concreteness and monumentality of the images, and powerful plastic expression. Late German Gothic (late 14th - early 16th centuries) gave brilliant examples of hall churches (Annenkirche in Annaberg-Buchholz, 1499-1525) and palace halls (Albrechtsburg in Meissen) with complex vault patterns. Altar sculpture and painting reached their peak. Gothic style also became widespread in Austria (the Gothic part of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna) and Switzerland (the Cathedral in Bern).
The glory of Dutch Gothic was brought by the towers of the cathedrals in Antwerp and Mechelen, but especially by the richly decorated civil buildings (cloth rows in Ypres, 1200-1304, Bruges; town halls in Brussels, Leuven).
In Great Britain, the preconditions for Gothic arose earlier than on the European continent, but its development, interrupted by internal historical upheavals, was slow. English cathedrals, mostly monasteries, usually have a low, elongated volume with a rectangular choir end and a tower above the middle cross. The strict geometric simplicity of the volumes is, as it were, compensated by the richness and complexity of the patterns on the facade and vaults. According to the forms of decoration, styles are distinguished: early (“lanceolate”; Salisbury Cathedral), “decorated” (close to “flaming” Gothic; Exeter Cathedral, between 1275-1375) and “perpendicular”, characterized by a fractional rhythm of verticals on the walls and windows and the intricate weaving of ribs on the vaults and ceilings (King's College Chapel, Cambridge, 1446-1515). The flowering of English book miniatures, alabaster and wood carvings, and embroidery is associated with Gothic. The influences of English, French and German brick Gothic influenced the Gothic architecture of Norway (Cathedral in Trondheim, Gothic parts - 1180-1320), Denmark (Cathedral of St. Knud in Odense, around 1300 - 15th century), Sweden (church in Vadstena, 1369 -1430).
In Spain, extensive city cathedrals (in Seville) usually had wall planes clearly divided into tiers and small windows. The interior was divided in two by an altar image (retablo) with sculpture and painting. The Gothic architecture of Catalonia and Southern Spain was influenced by Moorish art (the single-nave late Gothic cathedral in Girona, 1325-1607). Large vaulted halls were created in secular buildings (the Stock Exchange in Palma on the island of Majorca, 1426-51). In the 16th century Gothic designs were carried over to the Spanish colonies in America.
In Italy in the XIII-XIV centuries. Gothic elements were included in the Romanesque architecture of churches. Lancet Gothic vaults and decor were combined with the static nature of the architectural masses, the proportional clarity of spacious interiors, and polychrome marble cladding of facades and interiors (the Cathedral in Siena, the Church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence). The Gothic style in Italy was most clearly manifested in civil construction - town halls (Palazzo Publique in Siena, Palazzo del Podesta in Florence) and palaces (Doge's Palace in Venice). Their harsh (in Siena, Florence) or elegant (in Venice) decor contrasted with the monolithic masonry of the walls. The influence of Venetian Gothic influenced the architecture of Dalmatia ( cm. Croatia), Greece, Crete, Cyprus. In the fine arts of Italy, the development of Gothic was limited by the early development of the Renaissance culture. Gothic buildings in Eastern Europe are often characterized by fortress-like features, laconicism and external severity of forms, contrasting with the elegant decor of windows, towers, and portals. In Hungary, Gothic style spread at the end of the 13th-15th centuries. (Church of St. Michael in Sopron, castle in Visegrad). The heyday of Czech Gothic dates back to the 14th-15th centuries. (St. Vitus Cathedral and Charles Bridge in Prague, hall church of St. Barbara in Kutna Hora, hall churches in South Bohemia). Gothic also spread to Slovakia, Slovenia, and Transylvania. In Poland, Gothic developed in the 13th-15th centuries. The wars with the Teutonic Order stimulated fortress construction, and the development of cities contributed to the flourishing of secular architecture (the town hall in Torun, city fortifications with barbicans in Krakow and Warsaw, the Jagiellonian University in Krakow). In the south of Poland, churches were built of stone and brick (Church of the Virgin Mary in Krakow), in the north - of brick (Church of the Virgin Mary in Gdansk). In Latvia, the transition to Gothic took place in the 13th-14th centuries. (Dome Church in Riga; castle in Cesis, XIII-XVI centuries). In South Estonia in the 14th century. brick Gothic churches were built (Jaani Church in Tartu). The Gothic appearance of Tallinn was determined in the 14th-15th centuries. (Vyshgorod and the burgher part of the city with the town hall, the Oleviste Church). By the XIV-XV centuries. include early Gothic monuments of Lithuania (castle in Trakai), in the XV-XVI centuries. The Onoe Church in Vilnius and the Perkuno House in Kaunas receive rich brick decor.
In the late Gothic era, the accumulation of empirical knowledge, growing interest in reality, in the observation and study of nature, and the increased role of creative individuality prepared the way for the Renaissance system of worldview. This process manifested itself in the XIV - early XVI centuries. in French and Burgundian miniatures, in sculpture (Klaus Sluter) and painting (Melchior Bruderlam and others), German, Czech, Polish decorative plastic arts (Peter Parler), in altar sculpture and painting (Master Theodoric and others). In the XV-XVI centuries. it was accelerated by the influence of the Italian and Dutch Renaissance. Throughout the 16th century. Gothic almost everywhere gave way to Renaissance culture.
Abraham and three angels." Miniature from the "Psalter of St. Louis". France. 1253 - 1270. National Library. Paris.
Mary". Fragment of the sculptural group "Meeting of Mary and Elizabeth". Western facade of the Cathedral in Reims. Around 1230.
Literature: VII, vol. 2, book. 1, M., 1960; VIA, vol. 4, L.-M., 1966; Ts. G. Nesselstrauss, The Art of Western Europe in the Middle Ages, L.-M., 1964; O. A. Lyaskovskaya, French Gothic. XII-XIV centuries, M., 1973; Harvey J., The gothic world. 1100-1600, L., 1950; Sedlmayr K. Die Entstehung der Kathedrale, (Z., 1950); Jantzen H., Die Gotik des Abandlandes. Kcln, 1962; Martindale A., Gothic art, L., 1967; Svoboda K. M., Die Spätgotik, W., 1978; Rüdiger W., Die gotische Kathedrale: Architektur und Bedeutung, Köln, 1979.
Source: "Popular Art Encyclopedia." Ed. Polevoy V.M.; M.: Publishing house "Soviet Encyclopedia", 1986.)
Gothic(from Italian gotico, literally - Gothic, from the name of the Germanic tribes - ready), an artistic style that completed the development of medieval Western European art (mid-12th-16th centuries; flourishing - 13th century). The term originated in Italy during the era Renaissance. The word “Gothic” had a negative connotation: Renaissance masters perceived medieval art as “barbaric,” opposite to the culture of antiquity. Later, the attitude towards Gothic changed, in the 19th century. they even tried to imitate her ( neo-gothic). The Gothic era is a time of heyday of urban culture, awakening interest in man and the world around him, ideas about which expanded thanks to the Crusades and the travels of merchants. The style manifested itself in both church and secular art (architecture and decoration castles, town houses, town halls, exchanges, well decorations, etc.).
Architecture during the Gothic era was the leading art form. She combined sculpture, painting, and arts and crafts into a holistic ensemble. The city cathedral became the embodiment of the synthesis of arts. The temple building was perceived as a model of the Universe. Wanting to give architectural forms greater lightness and aspiration to heaven, Gothic architects created a fundamentally new type of construction. Lancets borrowed from the architecture of the East arches became its basic elements. Door, window and arched openings also received upward, pointed outlines and vaults. Two diagonally intersecting pointed arches created a strong frame that supported the vaults. Reliably protruding ribs of the arches - ribs- transferred the weight of the vault down to the heels of the arches and further - to the supports and semi-columns running along them. The pointed arches reduced the lateral thrust (pressure) of the arch; the remaining weight was taken on by the structural parts brought outside - buttresses and flying buttresses. From the outside, this design resembled a ship with oars or the skeleton of a giant fantastic creature (which is why it is often called skeletal). All this made it possible to make the walls extremely light and to cut through the buildings with huge windows. The stone thickness was replaced by transparent glass, which let streams of sunlight into the temple, which were perceived as a reflection of divine light. The slender Gothic statues that adorned the facades of the cathedrals echoed the turrets reaching into the sky or the clear rhythm of the semi-columns on portals. The Gothic structural system was first used in the temple of the Abbey of Saint-Denis near Paris (1137-44). The leading type of temple building was basilica; Hall churches were also built (Annenkirche in Annaberg-Buchholz, 1499–1525), where the main and side naves were the same height, and chapels.
The Gothic style originated in Northern France, although its premises can also be found in the art of other European countries, in particular England. It was in France that Gothic developed as an integral artistic system; here its classic examples were created (Notre Dame in Paris, 1163–1257; the cathedrals of Chartres, 1194–1260; Reims, 1211–1311; Amiens, 1220–88). From here the Gothic style spread to Germany (Cologne Cathedral, 1248–1880), England, the Czech Republic (choir and transept of St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, 1344–1420), Spain (Burgos Cathedral, 1221–1599), and partly Italy (Milan cathedral, 1386–1856), where it acquired a national coloring (there are also direct borrowings from French monuments).
The facades of Gothic churches in France had two towers on the sides. In Germany, they created a type of single-tower temple: at the main, western facade, only one high tower rose, which gradually narrowed upward and ended with an openwork stone tent with a spire (cathedrals in Freiburg im Breisgau, ca. 1200 - late 15th century; in Ulm, 1377–1529, the height of the tower completed in the 19th century is 162 m). In England, they preferred to install such a tower at the intersection of the longitudinal nave and transept. English cathedrals had very long and low naves, blending with the open spaces of the British plains; the tower visually collected them and emphasized the center of the building (Salisbury Cathedral, 1220-66). In Germany, and especially in England, with the help of additional, decorative ribs, complex and unusual designs of vaults were created - star-shaped, fan-shaped, mesh (Westminster Abbey in London, 1245–1745). The architects working in Spain not only imitated the French masters (the cathedral in Leon, 1205-88), but also created their own image of a Gothic temple, where the power of Romanesque buildings was combined with the spirituality of Gothic, its elegant decor and harmony (the cathedral in Seville, 1402– 1506). The Gothic style of Southern France and Catalonia (Eastern Spain) was distinguished by its originality, where the temples on the outside resembled fortresses, but on the inside they were a spacious hall framed by two rows of chapels and were devoid of lush, ornate decor (the Cathedral in Albi, the Church of Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona) .
A new stage has arrived in the history of medieval sculpture. Masters strived for greater naturalness in the depiction of the human face and body, poses and gestures. At the same time, the S-shaped bend of the figures, the complex rhythm of the folds of clothes, and the elongated proportions conveyed the intense spiritual life of the characters. Artists looked more closely at the world around them and revealed various emotions and temperaments in their works. The saints were depicted as contemporaries of the sculptors - knights, townspeople or peasants; The image of Christ was distinguished not only by its greatness, but also by its greater gentleness, and the Mother of God was depicted as a Beautiful Lady - a young, graceful and friendly aristocrat. Impressive concreteness of images and powerful plastic expression distinguish the sculpture of the cathedrals in Bamberg, Magdeburg, Naumburg; all - 13th century. As in the Romanesque era, stone statues and reliefs decorating the facades and interiors of temples, tombstones, crucifixes, figurines, sculptures of carved wooden altars were painted.
Painters created frescoes and altar compositions, but most clearly Gothic painting was embodied in stained glass, which filled the huge openings of lancet windows and round rose windows, and in the upper floor of the Sainte-Chapelle chapel in Paris (1243-48) completely replaced the walls. The art of book miniatures flourished. Miniatures of the 13th century. features an exquisite rhythm of lines, bright patterned backgrounds; The pages are framed with images of birds, animals, flowers, insects and “droleri” - funny scenes. At the turn of the 14th–15th centuries. convention is being replaced by an interest in the chiaroscuro modeling of faces and figures, in the transmission of real life observations (“Small Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry”, ca. 1380-85)
The decorative and applied arts of the Gothic era reached a brilliant peak. Church utensils were distinguished by openwork, light forms, costumes were distinguished by colorful richness, and in the 14th–15th centuries. also the complexity of the silhouette and cut. The furniture was covered with lace carvings. The walls were decorated with colorful carpets - trellises with images of people and animals.
fr. gothique - from the name of the German tribe of Goths) is an artistic style, mainly architectural, that originated in the 12th century. in France and in the late Middle Ages, spreading throughout Western Europe; Gothic architecture is characterized by pointed vaults on ribs (ribs), an abundance of stone carvings and sculptural decorations, the use of stained glass, and the subordination of architectural forms to vertical rhythm.
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GOTHIC
Italian - Gothic, Germanic - Goths) - artistic style of Western European art of the second half of the X ((- XV centuries.
The term "Gothic" was introduced by Renaissance humanists who wanted to emphasize the "barbaric" nature of medieval art by indicating its connection with the art of the Goths. In fact, the Gothic style had nothing in common with the Goths and was a natural development and modification of the Romanesque style.
Gothic art, like Romanesque art, remained predominantly cult in purpose and religious in theme. It was called upon to embody church dogma in symbolic and allegorical images. But Gothic developed in the context of the strengthening of cities, the formation of centralized states, the growth and strengthening of trade and craft, as well as courtly-knightly, that is, secular circles. Therefore, in Gothic art, interest in the inner world of man appears, the range of topics expands, and elements of realism emerge.
The highest achievement of Gothic architecture was the city cathedral - unprecedented in height and size. Its architectural forms are subject to vertical rhythm. Pointed vaults, giant openwork towers on the western facade, high stained glass windows - everything symbolizes the rush to the sky. The rich decoration of the cathedral also serves the same purpose: stone lace walls, statues, reliefs.
Sculpture, the main type of Gothic fine art, receives new ideological and artistic content and new forms of expression. The numbness of Romanesque statues was replaced by the mobility of the figures, their appeal to each other and to the audience, and an interest in human beauty and his feelings arose. Even genre scenes, images of working life, and folklore scenes appear.
Book miniatures were further developed, where interest in everyday life, landscape, as well as decorative and applied art was noticeable.
In the XIV - XVI centuries. Gothic was gradually replaced by Renaissance culture.
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Gradually it began to be replaced by a new style - Gothic.
This period in the development of medieval art in the territories of Central, Western and Eastern (partial) Europe fell on the XII-XVI centuries. At first, the term "Gothic" referred to architecture, but gradually it covered almost all types of fine arts.
History of style
It began its march across Europe from the middle of the 12th century. from France. From the 13th century it has already spread to the territories of modern England, Austria, Germany, Spain, and the Czech Republic.
Gothic Cathedral in Coutances (France)
Gothic came to Italy somewhat modified; it was called “Italian Gothic.” And Eastern Europe adopted this style later and said goodbye to it also later - in the 16th century.
Although it would probably be wrong to talk about saying goodbye to Gothic: in the middle of the 19th century. (this period was called the period of eclecticism - a mixture of styles) architecture often began to resort to Gothic elements, and later they started talking about neo-Gothic. Neo-Gothic(“new Gothic”) arose in England in the 40s of the 18th century. - it was a revival of the forms and design features of medieval Gothic.
At the beginning of the 19th century. the term “Gothic novel” appeared, which denoted the literary genre of the Romantic era (literature of mystery and horror, the action in such works often took place in “Gothic” castles or monasteries).
In the 1980s, the term “gothic” began to denote a musical genre (“gothic rock”). A “gothic subculture” then formed around him.
So we can say with some confidence that Gothic is alive rather than outdated or dead.
Meaning of the term
The word "Gothic" comes from Italian. gotico (unusual, barbaric) and was first used as an expletive. Giorgio Vasari(the founder of modern art criticism, Italian painter, architect and writer) first used this term to separate the Renaissance from the Middle Ages. During the Renaissance (Renaissance), the art of the Middle Ages was considered “barbaric.”
Gothic art was cultic in its purpose, and religious in theme. It addressed the highest divine powers, eternity, and the Christian worldview. Art historians distinguish early, mature and late Gothic.
Gothic architecture
Since the Gothic style began to take shape in architecture, we will begin our story with it. So, France.
The French Gothic style has become exemplary. In the territories of most countries of Western and Central Europe, it has already begun to acquire national architectural traditions.
Upper Chapel of Sainte-Chapelle
Why France?
The fact is that a distinctive feature of royal power in France was its sacred character: it was believed that kings were endowed with power exclusively by God during the performance of the rite of anointing. Confirmation became the main rite of passage during the coronation of all French kings, from Charles the Bald in 869 to the events of the Great French Revolution. This feature of royal power became the driving force through which a new style of architecture was formed, which would be imitated throughout what is now France and most of Europe during the high and late Middle Ages.
The cathedral was the center of city life in the Middle Ages. On Sundays, masses were held there. On the remaining days of the week, business negotiations were held there between merchants, meetings of the city community were held, etc. The cathedral played a big role in education, since the stained glass windows represented entire books on religion, history, and crafts. Churches served as a refuge for criminal suspects who wished to be tried under episcopal laws rather than in city courts. The cathedral played a big role in the planning of the city: not a single building was supposed to be higher than it. The cathedral defined the silhouette of the city and was visible from afar. All the streets diverged from the porch.
Cathedral in the panorama of Angers
A typical layout of a Gothic cathedral: a lower tier consisting of three portals, a middle tier with a skylight, and an upper tier with two towers. This scheme would later become classic for large cathedrals in France. Gothic style is characterized by pointed arches, narrow and tall towers and columns, an ornate façade with carved details, and multi-colored stained glass lancet windows. All style elements emphasize verticality. 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.
Scheme of a Gothic temple
With the advent of the cross vault, cathedrals acquired the appearance of huge openwork fantastic structures. The basic principle of the design: the vault does not rest on the walls (as in Romanesque buildings), now the pressure of the cross vault is transferred by the arches and ribs (rib is the protruding rib of the Gothic frame cross vault) to the columns (pillars). This innovation made it possible to lighten the structure due to the redistribution of loads, and the walls turned into a simple light “shell”, their thickness no longer affected the overall load-bearing capacity of the building, which made it possible to make many windows, and wall painting, in the absence of walls, gave way to stained glass art and sculpture .
The most famous architectural monuments in the Gothic style in France: Notre Dame Cathedral, Reims Cathedral, Chartres Cathedral, Gothic gallery of the monastery of Mont Saint-Michel.
Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral
Catholic cathedral in the center of Paris, the geographical and spiritual center of the French capital. Built from 1163 to 1345. Its height is 35 m, length is 130 m, width is 48 m, the height of the bell towers is 69 m, the weight of the Emmanuel bell in the southern tower is 13 tons.
The architecture of the cathedral contains echoes of the Romanesque style of Normandy, but uses innovative architectural achievements of the Gothic style, which give the building a lightness and create the impression of a simple vertical structure.
The main facade of the cathedral has three portals. Above the three pointed portals of the entrances there are sculptural panels with episodes from the Gospel.
Central and two side portals of Notre Dame Cathedral
Above the central entrance there is an image of the Last Judgment. Seven statues each support the entrance arches. In the center is Christ the Judge.
The lower lintel depicts the dead rising from their graves. They were awakened by two angels with trumpets. Among the dead are one king, one pope, warriors and women (symbolizing the presence of all mankind at the Last Judgment). On the upper tympanum there is Christ and two angels on both sides.
The doors are decorated with forged reliefs.
The upper part of the cathedral is decorated with images of gargoyles (protruding ends of beams decorated with the faces of fantastic creatures) and chimeras (individual statues of fantastic creatures).
The Chimera was created by the restorer, the architect Viollet-le-Duc.
The oak, lead-covered spire of the cathedral was also added by the restorer instead of the one dismantled in 1786. Its height is 96 m. The base of the spire is surrounded by four groups of bronze statues of the apostles. In front of each group is an animal, a symbol of the evangelist: a lion is a symbol of Mark, a bull is a symbol of Luke, an eagle is a symbol of John and an angel is a symbol of Matthew.
Most of the stained glass windows were made in the mid-19th century. The main stained glass window (rose) above the entrance to the cathedral has partially survived from the Middle Ages (9.6 m in diameter). In the center is the Mother of God. The large bell and the smaller bells each have their own name.
The first large organ was installed in the cathedral in 1402.
Sculpture
Sculpture played an important role in creating the image of the Gothic cathedral. In France, she designed mainly its external walls. Tens of thousands of sculptures populate the mature Gothic cathedral.
During the Gothic period, round monumental sculpture actively developed. But at the same time, Gothic sculpture is an integral part of the cathedral ensemble, because together with architectural elements, it expresses the upward movement of the building. It enlivens and spiritualizes architectural masses.
Sculptures in Magdeburg Cathedral (Germany)
Painting
One of the main directions of Gothic painting was stained glass, which gradually replaced fresco painting. The color palette of Gothic stained glass became richer and more colorful. Not only colored glass, but also colorless glass began to be used in stained glass.
Stained glass window of St. Joseph in the parish church of St. Trinity in Rovište (Croatia)
The Gothic period saw the heyday of book miniatures: manuscripts were illustrated, richly illustrated books of hours and psalters were created for home use. 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” (c. 1411-1416).
The portrait genre is developing. Naturalism, which laid the foundations for the development of the Renaissance, begins to return.
Jean, Duke of Berry, fragment of a miniature from his Magnificent Book of Hours by the Limburg brothers
Gothic in Russia
In the Middle Ages, Russia was under the influence of Byzantine civilization; Gothic art was practically unknown here. Although a certain similarity with European Gothic can be seen in the architecture of the walls and towers of the Moscow Kremlin.
The Nikolskaya Tower was rebuilt in the Gothic style at the beginning of the 19th century.
An example of Gothic buildings on the territory of Rus' - Chamber of Facets(1433), and also belfry of St. Sophia Cathedral(1439) Veliky Novgorod. It was rebuilt several times in the 16th-20th centuries.
The Vladychnaya (or Faceted) Chamber is an architectural monument of the 15th century, built in the brick Gothic style. It is located on the territory of the Novgorod Detinets. This is one of the oldest surviving civil buildings in Rus'. The building is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites along with other historical buildings of Veliky Novgorod.
Chamber of Facets
Gothic architecture appeared in Russia only in the neo-Gothic era (at the end of the 18th century). Its appearance is associated with the name of the architect Yuri Matveevich Felten.
Chesme Palace
In St. Petersburg, neo-Gothic buildings were built according to his design. Chesme Palace(1774-1777) and Chesme Church (1777-1780).
Chesme Church
The most outstanding monument of Russian Gothic - imperial residence in Tsaritsyn(XVIII century)
The ensemble of several buildings and structures was erected according to the design of the architect Vasily Bazhenov, and after his removal - according to the design of Matvey Kazakov (Grand Palace). Next to elements typical of European Gothic, there are elements typical of Russian Baroque architecture and the leading movement at that time - classicism. The residence consists of the Grand Palace, the Opera House, the Bread House and other buildings. Empress Catherine II, by whose order the residence was built, considered Bazhenov’s version of the residence too gloomy (“This is not a palace, but a prison!”); perestroika lasted for many years and stopped after the death of the empress.
Tsaritsyno
Currently, this palace complex has been restored and reconstructed.
In Samara at the beginning of the 20th century was built Catholic church in neo-Gothic style. It has the shape of a cross. The facade is decorated with pinnacles. The height of the towers is 47 m. In its original form, the temple was richly decorated, and an organ sounded inside until 1913. Currently in the altar there is a fresco - a copy of Salvador Dali's painting "Christ of St. John of the Cross".
Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Samara
Examples of medieval Gothic in Russia can be seen in Kaliningrad region(formerly East Prussia), as well as in Vyborg.
Church of Hyacinth in Vyborg
The Gothic style is an artistic style that was the final stage in the development of the Middle Ages of art in Western Central and partly Eastern Europe (between the mid-12th and 16th centuries). The term “Gothic” was introduced during the Renaissance as a derogatory designation for all medieval art considered “barbaric.” 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.
Gothic developed in countries where the Catholic Church dominated, and under its auspices the feudal-ecclesiastical foundations were preserved in the ideology and culture of the Gothic era. Gothic art remained predominantly cult in purpose and religious in theme: it was correlated with eternity, with “higher” irrational forces.
Gothic is characterized by a symbolic-allegorical type of thinking and a conventional artistic language. From the Romanesque style, Gothic inherited the primacy of architecture in the art system and traditional types of cultures and buildings. The cathedral occupied a special place in Gothic art - the highest example of the synthesis of architecture, sculpture and painting (mainly stained glass). The space of the cathedral, incommensurate with man, the verticalism of its towers and vaults, the subordination of sculpture to the rhythms of the dynamism of architecture, and the multicolored radiance of stained glass windows had a strong emotional impact on believers.
The development of Gothic art also 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 craft, as well as court 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.
Urban architectural ensembles included cultural and secular buildings, fortifications, bridges, and wells. The main city square was often lined with houses with arcades, trade and warehouse premises in the lower floors. The main streets diverged from the square, the narrow facades of two, less often three-story houses with high gables lined the streets and embankments. The cities were surrounded by powerful walls with richly decorated travel towers. Castles gradually turned into complex complexes of fortresses, palaces and cultural buildings. Usually in the center of the city, dominating its development, there was a cathedral, which became the center of city life. In it, along with divine services, theological debates were held, mysteries were played, and meetings of townspeople took place. The cathedral was thought of as a kind of body of knowledge (mainly theological), a symbol of the Universe, and its artistic structure, combining solemn grandeur with passionate dynamics, an abundance of plastic motifs with a strict hierarchical system of their subordination, expressed not only the ideas of medieval social hierarchy and the power of divine forces over man , but also the growing self-awareness of the townspeople, a frame made of pillars (in mature Gothic - a bunch of columns) and pointed arches resting on them.
The structure of the building consists of rectangular cells (grasses), delimited by 4 pillars and 4 arches, which, together with arched ribs, form the skeleton of a cross vault, filled with lightweight small vaults - strippings.
Plan of the Cathedral in Reims (France) 1211-1311
The lateral thrust of the arch of the main nave is transmitted with the help of supporting arches (flying buttresses) to the outer pillars - buttresses. The walls, freed from the load, are cut through with arched windows in the spaces between the pillars. Neutralizing the thrust of the vault by moving the main structural elements outside made it possible to create a feeling of lightness and the creative greatness of the efforts of the human team. Gothic originated in the northern part of France (Ilde-France) in the mid-12th century. and reached its peak in the first half of the 13th century. Stone Gothic cathedrals received their classical form in France. As a rule, these are 3-5-nave basilicas with a transverse nave - transept and a semicircular choir ("deambula-torium"), to which radial chapels ("crown of chapels") are adjacent. Their high and spacious interior is illuminated by the colorful shimmer of stained glass windows. The impression of uncontrollable movement upward and towards the altar is created by rows of slender pillars, the powerful rise of pointed pointed arches, and the accelerated rhythm of the arcades of the upper gallery (triforium). Thanks to the contrast of the high main and semi-dark side naves, a picturesque richness of aspects and a feeling of the infinity of space arises.
On the facades of the cathedrals there are pointed arches and rich architectural and plastic decorations, details - patterned wimpers, phials, crabbies, etc. The statues on the consoles in front of the columns of the portals and in their upper arched gallery, the reliefs on the plinths and tympanums of the portals, as well as on the capitals of the columns form an integral symbolic plot system, which includes characters and episodes of the Holy Scriptures, allegorical images. The best works of Gothic plastic decor, statues of the facades of the cathedrals in Chartres, Reims, Amiens, Strasbourg are imbued with spiritual beauty, sincerity and nobility.
On the main square of cities, town halls were built with lavish decoration, often with a tower (town hall in Saint-Quentin, 1351-1509). Castles turned into majesties. palaces with rich interior decoration (papal palace complex in Avignon), mansions (“hotels”) of wealthy citizens were built.
The bold and complex frame structure of the Gothic cathedral, which embodied the triumph of daring human engineering, made it possible to overcome the massiveness of Romanesque buildings, lighten the walls and vaults, and create a dynamic unity of the internal space.
In Gothic there is an enrichment and complication of the synthesis of arts, an expansion of the system of plots, which reflected medieval ideas about the world. The main type of fine art was sculpture, which received rich ideological and artistic content and developed plastic forms. The rigidity and isolation of Romanesque statues was replaced by the mobility of the figures, their appeal to each other and to the viewer. Over time, an interest in real natural forms, physical beauty and human feelings arose. The themes of motherhood, moral suffering, martyrdom and the sacrificial fortitude of man received a new interpretation.
In French Gothic, lyricism and tragic affects, sublime spirituality and social satire, fantastic grotesque and folklore, and sharp life observations are organically intertwined. During that era, book miniatures flourished and altar painting appeared; Decorative art, an art associated with a high level of development of guild craft, reached a high level. In late Gothic, in France, sculptural altars in interiors became widespread, combining painted and gilded wooden sculpture and tempera painting on wooden boards. A new emotional structure of images has emerged, characterized by dramatic (often exalted) expression, especially in scenes of the suffering of Christ and the saints. The best examples of French Gothic art include small ivory sculpture, silver reliquaries, Limoges enamel, tapestries and carved furniture.
Late (“flaming”) Gothic is characterized by a whimsical pattern of window openings reminiscent of flames (the Church of Saint-Maclou in Rouen). Paintings on secular subjects appeared (in the papal palace in Avignon, 14-15 centuries). In the miniatures (the main books of hours) there was a desire for the spiritualized humanity of images, for the conveyance of space and volume. Secular buildings were erected (city gates, town halls, workshops and warehouse buildings, dance halls). The sculpture of the cathedrals (in Bamberg, Magdeburg, Naumbubga) is distinguished by vital concreteness and monumentality of images, powerful plastic expression. Parts of the temples were decorated with reliefs, statues, floral patterns, and images of fantastic animals; The decor is characterized by an abundance of secular motifs (scenes of the work of artisans and peasants, grotesque and satirical images). The themes of the stained glass windows were also varied, the palette of which was dominated by red, blue and yellow tones.
The established Gothic frame system appeared in the abbey church of Saint-Denis (1137-44). Early Gothic also includes cathedrals in Laon, Paris, Chartres, for example, Notre Dame Cathedral on the Ile de la Cité in Paris. The grandiose mature Gothic cathedrals in Reims and Amiens, as well as the Sainte-Chapelle chapel in Paris (1243-1248) with numerous stained glass windows, are distinguished by the richness of rhythm, perfection of architectural composition and decorative sculpture. Since the mid-13th century, majestic cathedrals were built in other European countries - in Germany (in Cologne), the Netherlands (in Utrecht), Spain (in Burgos, 1221-1599), Great Britain (Westminster Abbey in London), Sweden (in Uppsala), Czech Republic (choir and transept of St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague), where the Gothic. builds, the techniques received a unique local interpretation. The crusaders brought the principles of Greece to Rhodes, Cyprus and Syria.
At the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th century, the construction of cathedrals in France was experiencing a crisis: the architectural forms became drier, the decor was more abundant, the statues received the same emphasized Z-shaped bend and features of courtliness.
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A huge number of subcultures that came to us from abroad are popular in Russia. Some of them have a small number of fans, while others have a large community in many large cities. Today we will talk about Gotah, and about the Gothic youth movement, which means you can find out a little below.
However, before you continue, I would like to advise you to read a couple more popular articles on the subject of fashionistas. For example, who are Emo, who are called Vanillas, who is Chalkasty, what does the word Fuckboy mean, etc.
So let's continue What does Gothic mean?? This term was borrowed from English" gothic", and is translated as "rude", "cruel", "barbaric".
Gothic is a medieval style (intimidatingly majestic) of Western European architecture, which is distinguished by pointed buildings, an abundance of stone carvings, pointed vaults, and many ominous sculptural decorations
Initially, this movement included exclusively teenagers and young adults, but over time the range of ages has expanded, and no one is surprised to see a fifty-year-old goth.
In fact, this movement completely lacks any ideology, as such. The only thing that unites all this motley public is a desire for death, they aestheticize and cultivated.
It is clear that the Goths, like other movements, perceive themselves as a kind of protest against diversity, mass consumption, bad taste, etc. At a time when the pop music rolls its eyes romantically and sings about love, the stern Goths, frowning their brows, go on cemetery, where they conduct their primitive rituals.
True, if you think that the Goths are one of those who dream of cutting themselves out of our mortal world, then you are very mistaken. Most of them appreciate and love life in all its manifestations, and they use their gloomy outfits and atypical make-up as shocking. Kids just want people to finally pay attention to them and start taking them seriously. Although there are people who look very much like Goths, but at the same time they are not Goths, and they will be offended if you suddenly classify them as part of this subculture. For such individuals, the most important thing is shocking!
What do goths wear?
Now let’s briefly talk about what the Goths have in their wardrobe. Every representative of this gloomy trend who has the slightest self-respect has in his stash only clothes black flowers, sometimes decorated with silver ornaments or pastel inserts. Their jewelry is only made of noble silver; the Goths cannot even stand gold. The fact is that the symbol of gold is sunlight, the joy of being, an excellent mood, and silver - many refer to the satellite of our planet - Moon, gloomy, dark and mysterious.
Initially, goths They were practically no different from punks, with the exception of clothes in dark shades. But in our time, the Goths represent a very vivid image that cannot be confused with any youth culture.
The canonical goth looks like a real vampire, as he is presented in Hollywood, he has a sickly white face, black clothes, and black hair, black eyes and lips are highly desirable. Hairstyle in the form of a mohawk, temples can be partially shaved, and painted in acidic shades.
The recent fashion for Gothic dresses for girls, stylized at the end of the 19th century, implies abundant lace, hats and flowing hair.
Nowadays, the so-called nu-goths who prefer loose-fitting clothes, for example, various robes, wide T-shirts, short dresses in urban style.
Now there are quite a lot of movements that have borrowed a lot from the “tru-goths”. These include pastel goths, the fashion for which is only growing. And if for Gothic The canon requires an abundance of black, then for pastel goths, exclusively light, pastel shades in clothes.
Cyber Gothic is another interesting style that includes industrial, rivetheads and those same goths. This subculture was formed among fans of industrial music. They can be distinguished from simple Goths by the acid colors in their clothes, dreadlocks and cyberlocks (the hairstyle Decl had when he was popular with children), respirators or masks, goggles (strange glasses that look like welding glasses),