Height And Light

HEIGHT AND LIGHT

The Great Cathedrals of the Middle Ages

The Romanesque Era

The Lead-Up to the Gothic Age

Aerial view of the Abbey of ConquesBuilt 1050-1100

. . . . to see relics like this one

Pilgrimstraveledto churches

Reliquary of Sainte Foy

Nave of the church of Sainte Foy

The Last Judgment was a typical subject matter for portals in the Romanesque era

The Age of the Great Cathedrals

Chartres Cathedral

Thirteenth Century

Chartres Cathedral

Cathedrals towered overcities of the Middle Ages

The plan of Romanesque and Gothic churches often resemblesthat of a cross. The basic parts are nave, transept and apse.

Chartres’ Plan, Its Basic Layout:

The Flying Buttress: A Great Innovation ofThe Gothic Cathedral

The flying buttress allowed the stone walls of a cathedral to be eliminatedand replaced by stained glass windows that let in “lux nova,” what Abbot Suger called “new light.”

Flying buttresses absorb the pressure of the weight of a cathedral’s masonry

Chartres’ nave: a worshiper wouldfeel insignificant in this buildingthat reminded him that God has ultimate power (and the way to reach God,of course, was through the church)

Chartres’ nave arcade, triforiumand clerestory windows

1) Paris2) Chartres3) Reims4) Amiens

Churches were illuminated by beautiful stainedglass windows

One of the most famous stained glass windows from Chartres:

Notre-Dame de la Belle-Verrière

The Church was dedicated to Mary. It is said to even have a relic thatbelonged to her: part of her mantle

• The rose window was a typical feature of cathedral facades and interiors

• This is the north rose window from Chartres, made c. 1235

• It features the Virgin Mary in a roundel in the center, surrounded by four doves that symbolize the Holy Ghost and angels with censers and candlesticks.

• Beyond is a circle of diamond-shaped panels showing seated, crowned figures – the kings of Judea in chronological order.

• The outermost circle shows standing figures of prophets wearing “Jews’ caps” and holding scrolls.

• In small quatrefoils are fleur-de-lis, which represent the French monarchy. Thus the window links the royal family of Christ with French royalty

• Gold castles on a red background also link the French monarchy with the Virgin Mother

• The link between the French monarchy and Mary is also present because King Louis VII and Queen Blanche of Castile donated the rose window to the church

The jamb figures below were created a generation after the ones on the left.

How have the sculptures changed over the course of the Gothic period?

Jamb figures looked like they were part ofa column

The two towers of the west front ofChartres are of different periods.

Can you tell which one is earlier and which one is later?

The Canterbury Cathedral, exterior choir and ambulatory, interior nave and choir, andtomb

WHAT EFFECT DID ALL THIS CATHEDRAL BUILDING HAVE

ON THE JEWS?

NOT SUCH A ROSY PICTURE:

The Strasbourg Cathedral, Strasbourg, France

Built 1190-1439

Left: Ecclesia PortalRight: Synagoga Portal

Again, but in glass: Ecclesia and Synagoga Stained glass in the Elizabeth Church, Marburg, Germany

LEFT: Anti-Semitism - Pope Gregory orders the Talmud to be burned A.D. 1239 after a disputation. Panel - Pedro Berruguete, 15th century.

Note the non-heretical book floating above the fire

RIGHT: In this 14th Century Catalan wall-painting a Jew is shown wearing the customaryyellow circle which all Jews were forced by law to wear sewn on their outdoor clothing.