Running head: THE CHRISTIAN EXPRESSION OF GOTHIC CATHEDRALS

The Christian Expression of Gothic Cathedrals An Assignment Submitted by Name of Student Name of Establishment Class XXXX, Section XXXX, Fall 2012

THE CHRISTIAN EXPRESSION OF GOTHIC CATHEDRALS The Christian Expression of Gothic Cathedrals

The term Gothic originated from the Italian language; the initial meaning of Gothic was rude and barbarous. However, today Gothic is generally associated with medieval phenomena, objects, and events. In accordance with contemporary historians and culture experts, the Gothic art works symbolised medieval Christian beliefs and majestically expressed the age of faith (Lillich, 2011; Scott, 2011; Fiero, 2011, p. 307). Encompassing Gothic cathedrals, sculptures, stained glass, wall paintings, and other remarkable objects, art works of the Gothic style evoke feelings of adoration and awe of Christian precepts today. Astonishing and magnificent Gothic cathedrals have become one of the most significant cultural achievements of the Christian heritage though they were built in the time of rudimentary technology and hard manual labour. The Gothic art replaced the Romanesque style, reflecting formation of European nations and states, development of cities, trades, and secular culture. Christianity was in the center of all sociocultural processes, subordinating and supervising all institutions of the medieval society. It penetrated all spheres of life and influenced all hierarchical systems of the medieval society. However, significance and value of a secular, rational basis increased in all areas of life of the medieval society. According to Toman (2004), the universities appeared to be the new power in urban life and scholasticism reached its height (p. 12). The church was gradually losing its dominating positions in the spiritual sphere (Lillich, 2011; Scott, 2011). Therefore, in the Middle Ages, Catholicism aspired to preserve and even expand its powers to authority over individuals, community, and the state in both material and spiritual spheres. In accordance with descriptions provided by Fiero (2011, p. 309) and Scott (2011, p. 18), monumental structure, extreme height, the standard cruciform footprint, pointed arches, rib

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vaults, ornamental and visual complexity, stained glass windows, and numerous sculptures were specific ingredients of the Gothic cathedral. Majestic buildings of Gothic cathedrals represent the unique integration of the medieval Christian ideas, increased consciousness of an urban community, and new humans perception of the world. Unlike the Romanesque church, the Gothic cathedral soared heavenward (Fiero, 2011, p. 307) due to its specific type of construction, thus, reflecting one of the basic Christian ideas of salvation in the heavens. The Gothic cathedral was built to honour Christian saints, specifically the Virgin Mary, apostles, the divine epiphany, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, etc. Pictorial themes, sculptures, stained glasses, structure, and all representational forms of the Gothic cathedral personified doctrines and values of Christianity and were urged to promote mystical perception of God. Gothic cathedrals are prime examples of sacred places, and the relics, statuary, altars, and other material objects they contain are examples of sacred objects (Scott, 2011, p. 147). The Gothic cathedrals served as both cult structures and municipal centres; they were used for religious, social, public, administrative, and political purposes. Diverse secular and liturgical ceremonies were held in cathedrals, gathering thousands of citizens. Theological debates were arranged, mysteries were played, and municipal meetings were held there. The first Gothic cathedrals and cathedral class churches were built in France between 1170 and 1270 (Fiero, 2011); afterwards, they were constructed in England, Wales, Scandinavia, Germany, Italy, and other European countries. The Abbey Church of St. Denis, Chartres cathedral, Reims cathedral, Amiens cathedral, the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, and Noyon cathedral are considered to be the oldest medieval structures of the Gothic style.

THE CHRISTIAN EXPRESSION OF GOTHIC CATHEDRALS

One of the most majestic Gothic cathedrals, Rheims cathedral or Notre-Dame de Reims, was designed to replace a Catholic church destroyed by the fire in 1211. It was a place of French kings coronation; therefore, the destination of this cathedral predetermined its splendor and magnificence. For the people of the Middle Ages, the Cathedral represented the ideal of Celestial Jerusalem at the heart of the city. It was the symbolic centre of ecclesiastical authority, exercised by the Archbishop (Gothic Art Masterpiece, 2008). The harmonious combination of its sculptural ensemble and architecture of the 13th century, the stylistic diversity of statuary, the cathedrals extraordinary size, fine tapestries, impressive rosaces, grandiose heavenward towers, and stained glass contribute to the uniqueness of Rheims cathedral. The construction of Notre-Dame de Reims lasted roughly three centuries and was accompanied by some mysterious deaths of clerics and long-running debates between clergy and townsmen. Today, the cathedrals towers stand approximately 83 metres high; the structure is 149 meters long and 34 metres wide. Notre-Dame de Reims includes three portals embellished by statuary. The stained glass windows and sculptural ensemble of Rheims cathedral were designed to support and strengthen Christian ideology. Over 2,300 sculptures including monumental statues of saints, kings, prophets, and angels were created to embellish Notre-Dame de Reims so that the cathedral could glorify Christianity in general and the Church of Reims in particular. Sculptures of the western portals are dedicated to the Passion of Jesus Christ representing episodes of the Bible. Such repeated statues as Saint Nicaise, Joseph, the Virgin Mary, the Church and the Synagogue were created either to evoke and support religious beliefs or announce an event in the New testament (Gothic Art Masterpiece, 2008). The south portal of the western faade is laden with massive sculptures of six prophets; being created by Remois artists, these majestic figures made

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churchgoers believe in invincibility of Christianity. The Radiating Chapels, the portals of the north arm of the transept, and the buttresses are decorated with sculptures of angels, which were believed to ward off evil (Fiero, 2011, p. 311). The Galleries of Kings, as well as their numerous figures on the transept, great rose window, western faade, and archivolts were designed to convey the message of the divine acceptance of the monarchy. Thus, although it is difficult to accurately identify original intentions of Remois clergy concerning their iconographic choices, their major purpose could be determined as to convey Christian doctrine trough statuary. A great number of fragile stained glass windows of Notre-Dame de Reims were destroyed though the Gothic cathedral windows have been always regarded as precious objects (Fiero, 2011). Some windows were restored and even designed by Marc Chagall and Brigitte Simon; the medieval stained glass windows of Rheims cathedral have been preserved, as well. The invention of stained glass provided medieval artists with new opportunities to associate the lux nova (new light) with God and Gods love (Fiero, 2011). Passing through stained glass, the light withdrew churchgoers from their temporal needs and led to spiritual welfare. The apostles, saints, bishops, the Bibles episodes, God the Father, the Virgin Mary, and faces of beautiful workmanship are depicted on the preserved stained glass. The main themes of stained glass of Reims cathedral reveal the tensions, hopes, and fears... before and during the period the Gothic cathedral was going up (Lillich, p. 6). Numerous images of bishops testify to the existence of the medieval tendency to glorify clergy and ecclesiastical rights and privileges. In conclusion, the Gothic cathedral is an extremely valuable source of historical, religious, and sociocultural knowledge. Art works of these majestic buildings provide us with unique opportunities to reveal sociocultural peculiarities, ideals, views, beliefs, and technological achievements of our ancestors and, thus, objectively assess and estimate our own perspectives.

THE CHRISTIAN EXPRESSION OF GOTHIC CATHEDRALS References

Fiero, G. (6th ed.). (2011). The humanistic tradition: Prehistory to the early modern world. New York: McGraw-Hill. Lillich, M. P. (2011). The Gothic stained glass of Reims cathedral. Louisville, KY: the Pennsylvania State University Press. Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims. (2008). Gothic art masterpiece. Available at: http://www.reimscathedral.culture.fr/. Scott, R. A. (2011). The Gothic enterprise: a guide to understanding the Medieval cathedral. California: University of California Press, Ltd. Toman, R. (2004). The art of Gothic. EU: Tandem VerlagGmbH. .