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Chartres Cathedral and Artistic Transition

Aug 8, 2024

Chartres Cathedral Lecture Notes

Overview

  • Chartres Cathedral in France
  • Built during the Middle Ages
  • Blueprint used from Middle Ages to Renaissance

Cathedral Blueprint

  • Twofold reasoning:
    1. Shape of the cross (Christian symbol)
    • Symbol used during Roman Empire
    • Christians used secret symbols to mark homes
    • Cross symbolizes Jesus' crucifixion
    1. Communal worship
    • Altar and extended ASP for larger congregations
    • Side altars for various saints

Architectural Styles

  • Two major art movements: Romanesque and Gothic
  • Chartres Cathedral built in both styles:
    • Romanesque style for first half
    • Gothic style for second half
  • Gothic style:
    • More decorative, slender, elongated
  • Romanesque vs. Gothic Sculpture:
    • Romanesque: less naturalistic
    • Gothic: more naturalistic, yet different from Greek/Roman sculptures
    • Middle Ages art: Stylized, less focus on human form and emotion

Middle Ages Art and Religion

  • Importance of stylized art to avoid sacrilege
  • Comparison to Classical period:
    • Middle Ages: Hidden human body, minimal emotion
    • Classical period: Pride in human form, naturalistic
  • Middle Ages: Viewed God as wrathful (Old Testament)
  • Renaissance: Viewed God as loving (New Testament)

Key Artists Leading to the Renaissance

  • Duccio and Giotto
    • Important Middle Ages artists
    • Their work foreshadowed the Renaissance
  • Giorgio Vasari:
    • Wrote "Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects"
    • Emphasized Duccio and Giotto
  • Duccio and Giotto's Contributions:
    • More naturalistic settings
    • Focus on environment and realistic scenes
    • Example: Giotto’s "Lamentation"
      • Figures surround Jesus, some with backs turned
      • Experimentation with foreshortening and different angles

Transition to the Renaissance

  • Giotto's Contributions:
    • Naturalistic settings, expressive faces
    • Introduction of foreshortening in painting
  • Importance of the Middle Ages:
    • Dormancy period between Classical and Renaissance
    • People believed God was angry due to plagues and invasions
  • Significance of Duccio and Giotto in leading to the Renaissance

Conclusion

  • Next lecture: The Renaissance

Full transcript