Medieval

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Medieval Gothic
C. 1140-1550
Emotion Passion Faith
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Sculpture-
Terms Jamb Pieta Realism Classicism Quatrefo
il
Typanum
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Chartres 1145- 1st example of Gothic sculpture

• Symmetry
• Clarity
• Statues rather than reliefs
• Realism
• Emphasis on joining of
• spiritual and secular

Jamb statues, west portal Chartres Cathedral 114
5-70
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• Done after fire
• New style-High Gothic
• Heads are not aligned
• with body
• Realism!!
• New classicism-Pathos

Jamb statues, south trancept, Chartres Cathedral,
1215-20
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Death of the Virgin, tympanum Strasburg Cathedral
c.1220

• Classical in nature- robes, very tight
  composition
  
• Gothic- Pathos, emotion, tenderness

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• Annunciation and Visitation, west portal
• Reims Cathedral c. 1225-45
• Height of Gothic Classicism
• Enacting a narrative scene-warmth and affection
• S-curve of figures-contrapposto

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Melchizedek and Abraham, west wall
Reims Cathedral, 1251

• Elegant Style-deep recessed, light v. shadow
• More pictorial than sculptural

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The Virgin of Paris Notre Dame early 14th Century

• 50 years later!
• Classicism is gone
• No Contrapposto
• No elegance, more abstract

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Signs of the Zodiac, Labors of the Month
West Façade, Amiens Cathedral 1220-1230
Realism of the Particulars- specific details,
observations of everyday life- intimate realism
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What earlier sculpture does this remind you of?
Tomb of a Knight, Dorchester Abbey
Oxfordshire, England c. 1260
Gothic style spread to England- mostly seen in
tomb sculpture- death is violent action rather
than peace
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Crucifixion, Naumburg Cathedral c. 1240-50

• The Naumburg Master
• German technique from French
• Sacred subject comes down to earth-weight and
  volume
  
• PATHOS

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• Pieta- Pity and Piety
• Completely made up
• Appealed to private worship
• Reflects the emotional nature of medieval art
• Heads enlarged to show emotion

Pieta, Early 14th c.
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• The International Style
• Claus Sluter-
• Lavish drapery
• Forms reach out into space
• Precise realism
• Portrait-like individualism-first portraits since
  antiquity

Claus Sluter, The Moses Well 1395-1406
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ITALY

• Nicola Pisano, Pulpit,
• Pisa Cathedral, 1259-60
• Greatest of medieval classicists
• Space is squeezed together-shallow
• Still Gothic details

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Lorenzo Ghiberti, The Sacrifice of Isaac, 1401-2

• Continuation of the International style-
• Won competition for Baptistry door
• Very detailed surface
• Calm rather than dramatic
• Admiration of ancient sculpture
• Spatial quality is new