Sacred geometry power point

Sacred GeometrySacred GeometryThe Gothic Cathedral, Dante’s The Gothic Cathedral, Dante’s Divine Divine

ComedyComedy and Gothic Music and Gothic Music

God the GeometerGod the Geometer

The Geometry of the The Geometry of the CosmosCosmos

Numbers and Christian Numbers and Christian SymbolismSymbolism

The School of Chartres The School of Chartres and Plato’s and Plato’s TimaeusTimaeus

The Age of SynthesisThe Age of Synthesis

ScholasticismScholasticism The Interconnectedness of LifeThe Interconnectedness of Life

Divine PlanDivine PlanSocial OrderSocial OrderChurch OrderChurch Order

VisionVisionObservableObservableHiddenHiddenSymbolicSymbolic

Abbot Suger and St. DenisAbbot Suger and St. Denis ““[t]he entire sanctuary is thus pervaded by [t]he entire sanctuary is thus pervaded by

a wonderful and continuous light entering a wonderful and continuous light entering through the most sacred windows....The through the most sacred windows....The work which nobly shines makes our minds work which nobly shines makes our minds shine so that they may go through the true shine so that they may go through the true lights to the true light, where Christ is the lights to the true light, where Christ is the true door.”true door.”

The new architectureThe new architecture Ribbed groin vaultsRibbed groin vaults Flying ButtressesFlying Buttresses Pointed arches Pointed arches Arcade above the nave and choir Arcade above the nave and choir

colonnadescolonnades The introduction of stained glass, The introduction of stained glass,

“garnished with all manner of precious “garnished with all manner of precious stones” (Revelation 21:19).stones” (Revelation 21:19).

The Cathedral of Notre Dame at The Cathedral of Notre Dame at ChartresChartres

Architectural formatArchitectural format

Based on Plan Based on Plan developed during developed during Romanesque.Romanesque. Choir has been Choir has been

lengthened.lengthened. Transept has been Transept has been

shortened.shortened.

Uniform geometrical Uniform geometrical system applied to plan system applied to plan and elevation.and elevation.

External ModificationsExternal Modifications

Notre Dame in Paris

Interior ModificationsInterior Modifications

Pointed ArchPointed ArchRib vaultsRib vaultsArcade above naveArcade above nave

Chartres Cathedral West FacadeChartres Cathedral West Facade

Application of the Golden Application of the Golden Mean to the façade as a Mean to the façade as a whole.whole.

Tripartite division: tower Tripartite division: tower and doors.and doors.

Tripartite division: doors, Tripartite division: doors, lancets and rose window.lancets and rose window.

Three doors and three Three doors and three lancets with larger central lancets with larger central door/window. door/window.

Chartres Cathedral “Royal Portal”Chartres Cathedral “Royal Portal”

Central Portal: Last JudgmentCentral Portal: Last Judgment

Observer leaves physical Observer leaves physical world behindworld behind

Visionary image of Christ Visionary image of Christ in mandorlain mandorla

Four symbols of the Four symbols of the EvangelistsEvangelists

12 Disciples with Enoch 12 Disciples with Enoch and Eliasand Elias

North PortalNorth Portal

Ascension or Christ Ascension or Christ Before CreationBefore Creation

Labors of the Month Labors of the Month (Harvesting and Pruning (Harvesting and Pruning the Vine) and Signs of the the Vine) and Signs of the Zodiac (Cancer and Zodiac (Cancer and Aries) Aries)

South PortalSouth Portal

Portal of the VirginPortal of the Virgin New prominence of the New prominence of the

VirginVirgin Mary as emblem of purityMary as emblem of purity

Tympanum and LintelTympanum and Lintel Virgin EnthronedVirgin Enthroned Presentation of Jesus in Presentation of Jesus in

the Templethe Temple Annunciation, Visitation Annunciation, Visitation

and Nativityand Nativity Shepherd and tension Shepherd and tension

between Man as corrupt between Man as corrupt and goodness of Creationand goodness of Creation

South Portal, VoussoirsSouth Portal, Voussoirs

Seven Liberal Arts as Seven Liberal Arts as women on the outside.women on the outside.

Bearded men as Bearded men as philosophers associated philosophers associated with eachwith each

Pythagors and Music; Pythagors and Music; Donatus and GrammarDonatus and Grammar Dependence of secular Dependence of secular

learning on divine wisdomlearning on divine wisdom Important enough to be Important enough to be

included in theological included in theological image image

Frieze of CapitalsFrieze of Capitals

Life of JesusEntry into Jerusalem

Betrayal

Entombment

Chartres Interior ViewsChartres Interior Views

Chartres, additional interior viewsChartres, additional interior views

West end windows from the interiorWest end windows from the interior

Symbolism of the RoseSymbolism of the Rose

Circles and numbersCircles and numbers

Pointing toward the HolyPointing toward the Holy

West Portal Lancet WindowsWest Portal Lancet Windows

Tree of Jesse: Christ’s Tree of Jesse: Christ’s predecessorspredecessors

Incarnation WindowIncarnation WindowPassion WindowPassion Window

Chartres, Stained Glass, west lancet Chartres, Stained Glass, west lancet windowswindows

Detail of Passion Window

““La Belle Vierge”La Belle Vierge”

Contemporary with west Contemporary with west lancetslancets

Mary enthroned in Mary enthroned in heavenheaven

Good Samaritan Window and Creation Good Samaritan Window and Creation of Adam and Eveof Adam and Eve

Window donors (bakers), Signs of Window donors (bakers), Signs of Zodiac, 3 Kings from Incarnation Zodiac, 3 Kings from Incarnation

WindowWindow

Chartres Cathedral, Labyrinth

Gregorian Chant Neumes for the Kyrie Eleison

Notre Dame Organum: Notre Dame Organum: Gaudie Maria virgoGaudie Maria virgo

Dante degli Alighieri, 1265-1321Dante degli Alighieri, 1265-1321

Florentine poetFlorentine poetExplored theme of Love Explored theme of Love

in poets to Beatricein poets to BeatriceExiled from Florence in Exiled from Florence in

1301 and never returned1301 and never returnedComposed the Composed the Divine Divine

ComedyComedy, an epic poem, , an epic poem, in Tuscan Italian in Tuscan Italian elevating the latter as an elevating the latter as an important language and important language and the former as the the former as the standardstandard

Formal Structure of the Divine ComedyFormal Structure of the Divine Comedy

Three canticas of 33 cantos each plus an Three canticas of 33 cantos each plus an additional introductory canto for the first canticaadditional introductory canto for the first cantica

Composed in Composed in terza rimaterza rima, 3-line verses, each line , 3-line verses, each line 11 syllables long with a rhyme scheme, ABA 11 syllables long with a rhyme scheme, ABA BCB CDC that ties the verses to each other and BCB CDC that ties the verses to each other and compels forward movement.compels forward movement.

Content Structure of the Content Structure of the Divine Divine ComedyComedy

Epic journey from Inferno to Purgatorio and Epic journey from Inferno to Purgatorio and finally Paradisofinally Paradiso

Inferno consists of 9 circles in which each Inferno consists of 9 circles in which each condemned receives appropriate torture.condemned receives appropriate torture.

Purgatorio with 7 terraces each associated with Purgatorio with 7 terraces each associated with one of the deadly sins.one of the deadly sins.

Paradiso comprised of nine spheres of Heaven.Paradiso comprised of nine spheres of Heaven.Begins his journey on Holy Thursday 1300 Begins his journey on Holy Thursday 1300

guided by Vergil, author of the Aeneidguided by Vergil, author of the AeneidEnters Paradiso with the help of BeatriceEnters Paradiso with the help of Beatrice

Dante holding a copy of his Dante holding a copy of his Divine Divine Comedy Comedy in a painting by Micheliniin a painting by Michelini

Botticelli’s rendering of the InfernoBotticelli’s rendering of the Inferno

Diagram of Dante’s InfernoDiagram of Dante’s Inferno

Dante’s CosmologyDante’s Cosmology