Week 6- Gothic

 This week in History of Interiors we learned about Gothic. The Gothic era started in 1140 and ended around 1500. Many historical events occurred during this period including the Black Plague and the construction of Notre-Dame.  

During this time Churches were the center of city life, and people wanted their church to be the grandest, resulting in many cathedrals being constructed, many in and around Paris, France. Because of this, Gothic design is based on religion and was an expression of this. 

Gothic was born from the Romanesque era and became a bridge to the Renaissance. Architecturally, it is known for its pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses.  


(Notre Dame in Paris) (Modern Day Application- Washington D.C. Cathedral)


I would like to note that while the second picture does not look like a modern day example it is. The Washington D.C. National Cathedral took a very literal influence from that of the Gothic Era. It was built in 1907-1990, only taking 83 years to build, this is a fraction of the time, as many cathedrals took hundreds of years to be built. It is truly a wonder and is one of very few Cathedrals built so grand in the United States.

The cathedrals were meant to appear weightless, installing stained glass windows, often adding a Rose Window with tracery, giving the experience of earthly transcendence.  

(Rose Window)                                                                  (Modern Day Application)


The floor plans were often in the shape of the Latin Cross adding even more symbolism. These cathedrals had many different elements to their structural elements, shown in the picture below.  

There are many different Cathedrals that are still around today from this period; St. Denis, Notre Dame at Chartes, Notre Dame at Paris (the more famous one). The second set of Cathedrals were made slightly later, having a lower and longer appearance such as the Wells Cathedral. In Germany they tended to have larger towers: the Regensburg Cathedral. In Spain they had more complex floor plans and were wider: Barcelons Cathedral. In Italy they often portrayed multiple colors known as polychrome decoration: Siena Cathedral.  

(Gothic Pointed Arch with stain Glass) (Orinda Community Church, Orinda, CA)


One Step Further:

This Modern Day Application is a combination of both the Gothic arch and the stain glass windows combined as shown above. This three windows were done by Dr. John Wallis with the goal of symbolizing the Trinity, beginning the process in the 1920's and finishing in 1958. The left window is the Work of the Spirit Window, the Holy Spirit calling us into worship, the middle being the Incarnation Window for the Son of God dying for our sins, and the Creation Window for God the Father being our Creator and Sustainer. The closer you look the easier it is to see the symbolism throughout the windows.


(Creation Window)


https://www.orindacommunitychurch.org/sacraments


Extra Credit Additional Links:


Gothic Architecture Explained- 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G94jFWH8NSM


A Complete Introduction to Gothic Architecture-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYhOaQhV6QE



 

Comments

  1. Bethany Huizenga INT270October 10, 2024 at 3:37 PM

    I love your picture of stained glass! They are beautiful! Also i really enjoyed your modern take on a rose window. Dr. John Wallis work is amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. KatieOctober 11, 2024 at 5:43 PM

    Your summary was really good, and the pictures you used are incredible!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Professor VanderNoordaaOctober 12, 2024 at 8:23 AM

    Sami- I loved how you gave us a clear introduction to the importance of the church within the communities or this time. Your comparison of Notre Dame and the Washington DC Cathedral was excellent. I enjoyed reading the details of the construction of the Washington DC Cathedral. Your deeper dive into work of Dr. John Wallis was perfect for your conclusion. 50/50 points

    ReplyDelete

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