History of World Art II: Day 9 - Important Cathedrals

Chartres Cathedral - Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres was mostly constructed between 1193-1250; it is considered one of the finest examples of French Rayonnant stayle, or French High Gothic style. It is located 50 miles southwest of Paris.

The cathedral was an important destination for Christian pilgrims who would travel to be blessed by its famous relic, the Sancta Camisa, a tunic that was believed to have been worn by the Virgin Mary at Christ's birth. The tunic is turns out was not holy but the belief that it was a gift from Charlemagne was a legend created to authenticate other relics at the Abbey of St Denis.

Chartres North Facade

Chartres Rose Window

Chartres North Transept Porch with Elaborate Carvings

There are three levels; an arcade, triforium and clerestory. In the design they got rid of the gallery which allowed them to design richly glazed arcade and clerestory levels that are much larger and almost equal in height. The richly colored stained glass is elaborately decorated with images depicting stories of the old testament. The Rose window is made up of 12 petals representing the apostles that radiate around an image of Christ. The many windows create a kaleidoscope of color as the sun moves through the sky. There is a new depth of relief not seen in older cathedrals especially in the tympanum and jambs. The walls have been opened up to allow for more windows and light. Flying buttresses help to support the great height of the very tall nave that is adorned with pointed arches.

Laon Cathedral - Cathedral of Our Lady of Laon was built earlier then the cathedrals of Sens and Notre-Dame of Paris, and ranks with them in importance - it is considered one of the most important examples of the Gothic architecture of the 12th and 13th centuries. A new cathedral was built on the site of a Pre-Romanesque church by Bishop Élinand, but was torched during the Easter Insurrection 1112 and the current unpopular Bishop Waldric was killed. The cathedral survived and was repaired and reconstructed in rededicated in 1114 under Bishop Barthélemy de Jur.

The Triforum above the nave arcade is opened up with three layers of arches which opens up the Clerestory and allows light in.

Laon Cathedral - Four tiered Nave

Rose Window at Laon

Notre-Dame de Paris (c.1345) - Notre-Dame de Paris is considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in Franc. It is on theÎle de la Cité Right Bank of the River Seine and houses the Archdiocese of Paris. One of claims to fame for the Notre-Dame de Paris is a reliquary with the Crown of Thorns that is supposed to be housed in their treasury.

The sculptures and stained glass are done in a naturalistic style indicative of Gothic art and in contrast with earlier Romanesque art. It was also among the first buildings in the world to use flying buttresses or arched exterior supports to hold up the massive structure and keep the walls and ceiling from collapsing - they came about to keep the thinner walls of the Gothic style from collapsing when they began getting stress-fractures from the extremely high walls pushing outward. The thinness of the walls came from opening up the nave and reducing the walls and replacing them with stained glass and carved tracery.

Notre-Dame de Paris - western facade

Notre-Dame de Paris - exterior of the apse

Notre-Dame de Paris - flying buttress

Amiens Cathedral - The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens or simply known as Amiens Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Amiens. It is the tallest complete cathedral in France with the vaults of the nave soaring to 140 feet high. Beauvais Cathedral was the only cathedral to surpass Amien's vault height, but it is incomplete as it there were many problems with collapse during construction which pushed building/engineering to it's limits; it is now believed that resonant vibrations from high winds caused the collapse of the choir vault.

Amiens is a showcase of Gothic style with soaring vaults, colorful windows, 4-part rib vaults, and buttressing system. The carvings of the tympanum, and throughout are naturalistically done with expression and grace. The entrances are deeply inset and decorated with images in high-relief. The portrayal of Jesus on the trumeau is of a forgiving God as opposed to a vengeful and punishing God as he is shown in earlier Romanesque carvings.