[Gothic Art (2)(continued (13)):] Early Gothic Architecture [14th March 1991]

[Redbook8:325-326][19910314:1020g][Gothic Art (2)(continued (13)):] Early Gothic Architecture [14th March 1991]

19910314.1020

[continued]

‘The architecture of the twelfth century was dominated from first to last by engineers. The technical features of the ribbed vault (a vault in which stone ribs carried the vaulted surface), the pointed arch, the flying buttress (normally a half arch carrying the thrust of a roof or vault across an aisle to an outer pier or buttress) are all present in a number of earlier, Romanesque buildings, and one of the major 12th- and earlier 13th-century achievements was to use this engineering expertise to create major buildings that became, in succession, broader and taller. How their visual appearance changed is easy to see if one compares, for example, the early 13th century Reims cathedral, in France, with the late 11^th century Durham cathedral, in England. A broad comparison of this sort also brings out the artistic ends to which the new engineering means were applied. Skilled use of the pointed arch and the ribbed vault made it possible to cover far more elaborate and complicated ground plans than hitherto. Skilled use of buttressing, especially of flying buttresses, made it possible both to build taller buildings and to open up the intervening wall spaces to create larger windows. In the 12^th century, larger windows produced novel lighting effects, not lighter churches.* **The stained glass of this period was heavily coloured*** and remained so – for example, at Chartres cathedral – well into the 13^th century.’

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*{NB}

{↑

(But see [[Redbook8:328][19910314:1020#]][Gothic Art (2)(continued (#)):] High Gothic [continued (#)] [14th March 1991],] 328)}

**{cf IX. [] 140 (Islam)}

***cf Soul-colours

(earlier Vol[ume]s)

****– E[ncyclopaedia] B[ritannica] 13: 990-991

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