Scholasticism, Measure and Light in Gothic Architecture

Scholasticism, Measure and Light in Gothic Architecture

Ecclesiastical Architecture in Medieval Society

Eschatology

Gothic originated in present day France spread to modern day Italy, UK, Spain, Germany, Austria etc revived in 19c as a style

Gothic anatomy and nomenclature

Gothic development & character

Gothic differences to Romanesque interior

Perception and appearance of God iconographic value is reduced perceiving God through His marvels, e.g. light, number, geometry heightened symbolism of natural phenomena

early Gothic St Denis, 1138-1144

trinity over main entance

Suger of Saint-Denis, supplicant on a medieval window

early Gothic Notre Dame, Paris; 1165-1200

high Gothic Chartres, 1194-1220

Cathedral of Chartres, western spires

high Gothic Rheims; 1211-1260

Rayonnant Gothic Beauvais; 1225-1272

Gothic Bourges; 1195-1220

high Gothic Amiens; 1220-1247

Gothic Architecture and Building medieval times - medieval architect medieval drawing - medieval design design and medieval communication sources of knowledge - exempla, records, surviving tracts

Gothic Architecture and Building medieval times - medieval architect medieval drawing - medieval design sources of knowledge

pythagoras

VITRUVIUS, BOOK I, CHAPTER 2. On what things architecture consists 1. Architectura autem constat ex ordinatio, quae graece taxis dicitur, et ex dispositione, hanc autem Graeci diathesin vocitant, et eurythmia et symmetria et decore et distributione quae graece oeconomia dicitur. Translation 1. Now architecture consists of order, which in Greek is called taxis, and of arrangement, which the Greeks name diathesis, and of proportion and symmetry and decor and distribution which is called oeconomia.

VITRUVIUS, BOOK I, CHAPTER 2. On what things architecture consists 2. Ordinatio est modica membrorum operis commoditas separatim universique proportionis ad symmetriam comparatio. Haec conponitur ex quantitate, quae graece posotes dicitur. Quantitas autem est modulorum ex ipsius operis sumptio e singulisque membrorum partibus universi operis conveniens effectus. Dispositio autem est rerum apta conlocatio elegansque conpositionibus effectus cum qualitate. Species dispositionis, quae graece dicuntur ideae, sunt hae: ichnographia, orthografia, scaenographia. Ichnographia est circini regulaeque modice continens usus, e qua capiuntur formarum in solis arearum descriptiones. Orthographia autem est erecta frontis imago modiceque picta rationibus operis futuri figura. Item scaenographia et frontis et laterum abscendentium adumbratio ad circinique centrum omnium linearum responsus. Hae nascuntur ex cogitatione et inventione. Cogitatio est cura studii plena et industriae vigilantiaeque effectus propositi cum voluptate. Inventio autem est quaestionum obscurarum explicatio ratioque novae rei vigore mobili reperta. Hae sunt terminationes dispositionum. Translation 2. Order is the balanced adjustment of the details of the work separately, and, as to the whole, the arrangement of the proportion with a view to a symmetrical result. This is made up of dimension wich in Greek is called posotes. Now dimension is the taking of modules from the parts of the work; and the suitable effect of the whole work arising from the several subdivisions of the parts. Arrangement, however, is the fit assemblage of details, and, arising from this assemblage, the elegant effect of the work and his dimensions, along with a certain quality of character. The kinds of the arrangement (which in Greek are called ideae) are these: ichnography (plan); orthography (elevation); scenography (perspective). Ichnography (plan) demands the competent use of compass and rule; by these plans are laid out upon the site provided. Orthography (elevation), however, is the vertical image of the front, and an figure slightly tinted to show the lines of the future work. Scenography (perspective) also is the shading of the front and the retreating sides, and the correspondence of all lines to the vanishing point, which is the centre of a circle.these three arise from imagination and invention. Imagination rests upon the attention directed with minute and observant fervour to the charming effect proposed. Invention, however, is the solution of obscure problems; the treatment of a new undertaking disclosed by an active intelligence. Such are the outlines of arrangement.

Augustine, St. (354-430 CE)

Syncreticism faith and reason christian truth and pagan knowledge

Robert Grosseteste wrote about Optics & Light (de Luce) wrote about Colour wrote about Aristotelian empiricism wrote about mathematics

Syncreticism peripatetic (aristotlelian) empiricism neo-platonic ideas, timaeus - cosmogony, proportion, harmony republic - light and goodness

medieval aesthetic sensibility When the Scholastics spoke about beauty they meant by this an attribute of God. The metaphysics of beauty (in Plotinus, for instance) and the theory of art were in no way related. Contemporary man places an exaggerated value on art because he has lost the feeling for intelligible beauty which the neoplatonists and the Medievals possessed... Here we are dealing with a type of beauty which Aesthetics knows nothing. Curtius, E R European Literature and the Latin Middle Ages

medieval aesthetic sensibility Cistertian and Carthusian influence mendicant and ascetic

medieval aesthetic sensibility Cistertian and Carthusian influence Peter Abelard at Chartres(1079 1142) - Neo platonic St Bernard of Clairvaux (1091 1153) - ascetic and mendicant

medieval aesthetic sensibility St Thomas Aquinas drawing from Aristotle s metaphysics

St Thomas Aquinas

transcendental beauty But the superessential beautiful is called Beauty because of the quality which it imparts to all things severally according to their nature, and because It is the Cause of the harmony and splendour in all things, flashing forth upon them all, like light, the beautifying communications of Its originating ray; and because It summons all things to fare unto itself (from whence It hath the name fairness ), and because It draws all things togther in a state of mutual interpenetration. Dionysius the areopagite, The Divine Names

PROPORTION AND GEOMETRY ST. AUGUSTINE; PYTHAGORAS, TIMAEUS

Geometrein geo: earth metrein: to measure

Earth Measure

Earth Measure Measurement and Units

Earth Measure Measurement and Units Measurement and Number

Idealised Measurement Parallels in nature or cosmogony

Monad 1 Natural number

Monad 1 Natural number

dyad 2 1st stage of creation feminine

3 2nd stage of creation Masculine Union of 1 & 2

5 Union of masculine & feminine Etc.

Proportion & Number

LIGHT ST. AUGUSTINE; DIONYSIUS, REPUBLIC (VI)

SYMBOL & ALLEGORY Hylomorphism