Gothic Art: French Gothic

Scholasticism

the system of theology and philosophy taught in medieval European universities, based on Aristotelian logic

Peter Abelard

medieval French scholastic philosopher, leading logician, theologian, poet, composer and musician

Choir

Abbott Suger

St. Denis East

Altar surrounded by ambulatory

St. Deniss support system

rib vaults with pointed arches, more engineered feel

Lancet Windows

pointed arch, long and elegant

Stained glass windows

to moralize and educate

Triforium

add an additional zone of activity, to break up the walls

Early gothic low to high

nave arcade, gallery, triforium, clerestory

Notre Dame height

107 ft

Chartres interior format

kept triforium, ditched gallery, 118 ft

Flying Buttresses

to support taller buildings so they dont collapse

St. Denis, Basilica, 1140-1144

Laon, Cathedral, 1160-1205

Notre Dame, Paris, 1163-1205

Chartres, Cathedral, 1194-1220

Amiens, Cathedral, Robert de Luzarches, 1220-1288

Beauvais, Cathedral, 1227-1284

Saint Chapelle, Paris, 1243-1248