Gothic

We explain what Gothic art was and its characteristics. Furthermore, its manifestations in architecture, painting and sculpture.

What is Gothic art?

Gothic art, in its different manifestations (architecture, painting and sculpture, mainly), It was an artistic style that emerged during the heyday and crisis of the Middle Ages (from the mid-12th century to the Renaissance) in different countries in Europe.

Gothic art developed in a context of economic and urban growth, at a time when enormous changes were taking place in the West, such as the transition from feudalism to capitalism and the rise of the bourgeoisie. This artistic movement It was born in France and later spread to the rest of Western Europe as a successor of Romanesque art.

The term “Gothic” was used by the Renaissanceists of the 15th and 16th centuries in a pejorative way, to suggest that medieval art had been the invention of the barbarian tribes that besieged the Roman Empire, the Goths. This negative consideration persisted until the 19th century, when a critical reevaluation of Gothic architecture was made.

The term “Gothic” has since taken on new meanings.

Characteristics of Gothic art

Among the general characteristics of Gothic art we can mention:

• It was a predominantly religious art. Although there was civil architecture and art, most of the works were at the service of the Catholic Church, which after the success of the Crusades (the wars organized by the Church in Muslim territory) obtained great economic and political power. Architecture, represented above all by imposing cathedrals, was the most important discipline of the period.
• Applied new construction techniques. Gothic architects developed innovative techniques such as the pointed arch, the cross vault and the flying buttress, which gave rise to magnificent structures and buildings of enormous height.
• Incorporated new symbols. Gothic art added a new symbology linked to the Christian faith. Representations of the Virgin Mary and the saints became highly relevant in this period of growing power and wealth for Europe.
• Developed a new artistic language. Gothic art was characterized by its religious scenes represented in sculpture, painting and stained glass. The images of biblical passages and the lives of the saints were presented with extreme realism and a high level of detail, which served as a means of propagating faith in a context where few people knew how to read.

gothic architecture

Architecture was the most important artistic expression of the Gothic. It was characterized by being majestic and imposing, but at the same time delicate and light, with emphasis on verticality and height.

The large and tall cathedrals were the maximum expression of Gothic architecture. The entry of light into these buildings was a constant, and was achieved through large stained glass windows, windows and rose windows (huge circular windows with stained glass windows arranged on the facades). main). Light was a fundamental element in religious architecture, as it symbolized the divinity that illuminated the world and the soul of the believer.

Gothic architecture introduced innovative structural elements such as the pointed arch or pointed arch, the ribbed vault and the flying buttress:

• The pointed arch Unlike the semicircular (rounded) arch of Romanesque art, it is a pointed arch, which offered Gothic architects structural and aesthetic advantages such as verticality, luminosity, dynamism and greater resistance to tension.
• The ribbed vault or ribbed vault It consists of a structure formed by pointed arches that intersect diagonally. It was an unprecedented innovation due to its lightness, resistance and efficiency in distributing weight, which allowed the creation of much larger, more complex and elevated structures.
• The flying buttress. Also known as an “external relief arch”, it is an external arch that joins a buttress (an external pillar) to a high point of a vault. The buttresses were crucial for Gothic architecture by counteracting the lateral thrust of the cross vaults towards the exterior walls of the buildings.

gothic painting

Gothic painting itself appeared at the beginning of the 13th century, almost 50 years after Gothic art became common in architecture and sculpture. He developed a more somber and emotional style than Romanesque painting and opted for realistic representations rather than the simplified images of its predecessors.

The themes of Gothic painting continued to focus on religious or classical figures but unlike Romanesque art, which presented expressionless and solemn images, the Gothic sought to bring sacred figures closer to human reality. The characters began to show emotions, pains and sensations.

On the other hand, progress was made in terms of perspective and in the treatment of pictorial supports, which allowed work to be developed mainly in stained glass, miniatures, painting on panels and frescoes or murals.

gothic sculpture

Gothic sculpture was present throughout Europe during the three centuries that Gothic art prevailed. Although the representation of sacred images was a source of debate throughout the Middle Ages, sculpture preserved the religious theme, like the rest of the arts. It was characterized by presenting a much greater degree of realism, proportion and accuracy anatomical than Romanesque sculpture.

The attention to textures and details such as facial expressions and the folds of clothing was highlighted. Gestures, postures and movement were used to express increasingly realistic and complex emotions: anger, ecstasy, pity, serenity, pain.

Religious scenes were represented with increasing dynamism and detail. From the 13th century onwards, sculptures became progressively separated from architectural structures, although without ever becoming completely independent.

The portals of the cathedrals are an emblematic example of Gothic sculpture.

Romanesque art and Gothic art

The Gothic was born from the modernization and updating of the Romanesque. Romanesque art was predominant in Europe during the 11th and 12th centuries, and was typical of a feudal society, thought of in rural and religious terms.

The Romanesque buildings were dark due to the lack of windows and openings (voids). They were profusely adorned by sculptures and paintings with Christian motifs represented in a hieratic manner (that is, schematic, without movement and simplified). The arts were intended to spread faith and not serve an aesthetic purpose.

The Gothic style broke with many of these schemes: the entry of light through enormous openings, windows and stained glass It was accompanied by pure and stylized forms and elevated buildings that evoked the ascent to heaven. Painting and sculpture became more realistic, more mimetic and closer to the aesthetic values ​​of classical antiquity.

References

• Panofsky, Erwin. (2007). Gothic and scholastic architecture. Siruela.
• Tatarkiewicz, W. (2001). History of six ideas. Technos.