Greek Temples and French Gothic Cathedrals - Coursework Example

Greek temples and French Gothic cathedrals The architectural feats of an era immortalize it. It not only reflects the prevalent art form of the time but also presents a glimpse of the social, political and religious life. Of all the ancient civilisations of the world the Greek civilisation is known for its rich culture and traditions. Besides Homer’s epics, the still extant Hellenistic architecture is a significant source of knowing the Greeks with their own set of customs and rituals, culture and interest. If one closely follows the different architectural constructions down the ages the gradual transition from an older to a newer and more experimental form becomes apparent. From the early Greek temples to the Gothic cathedrals is a long and interesting journey for any art lover. It also unfolds the story of each generation and their priorities both artistic and menial. The Greek temple is the remnant of the ancient Greek civilisation. The architecture itself speaks volumes about the taste and intellectual abilities of the people apart from giving a distinct idea of the then religious outlook and the rites and rituals. A Greek temple might not be a real visual treat but it bewilders one with its constructional genius with massive columns put up one against the other. One keeps wondering at the technology and the labour that went into the building and the construction. Each temple had its cult-image or the statue of their community God who would protect them against all evils. These statues in the later prosperous Greek societies were often made of rich stuff like chryselephantine a mixture of gold and ivory. Paestum: Ground Plan of Hera Temple (Odyssey, Adventure in Archaeology, 2001) The temples are usually characterised by their trademark shape and design. They are built in the shape of a megaron, which is a form of a house that had existed since the Bronze Age. The megarone consisted of a rectangular room also known as cella or naos. It had got walls or antae projecting to form a porch or pronaos. At times in order to provide more support a ‘false’ porch or opisthodomos was constructed at the back portion of a temple.(Odyssey, Adventure in Archaeology,2001) The entire building had a platform or stylobate as its base which was 3 to 4 steps elevated from the ground.(Porter, 2008). But the uniqueness of Greek architecture best captured in the temples was its columns with its base, capital and horizontal entablature. The Greeks created the three variations of columns the Doric, the Ionic and the Corinthian. The most widely used column type was Doric. It was the simplest type and perhaps appeared more dignified. (Greek Architecture-Other Characteristics, 1915). The origin of the Doric order could be traced back to that of the mainland of Greece, western Greece and southern Italy. It was of a squat built than the other forms and tapered towards the top. It stood directly on the stylobate, which was built, slightly concave. Its simplicity was in the unadorned capitals with its square abacus, convex echinus and necking, supporting an entablature. The entablature had three parts. They were the architrave, the frieze and the cornice. The Doric entablature was made of the triglyphs, a band of three vertical bands separated by grooves and the metopes or the ‘receding stone panels.’(Classical Greek Architecture) In this respect a very interesting fact comes up. The Doric order had its predecessor in wood. In fact it was made by the petrification of wood. Many of its decorations hailed back to the era of the wooden shrine. The fluting of the columns represented the cutting of tree trunks into grooves. (Serena, 2006) The Doric made way to the Ionic and the Corinthian, which looked more sophisticated. The difference between all three was decided by the capital and freize also the latter ones were slimmer and more fragile. Whereas the Doric had a simple capital the other two projected decorative designs. In the Ionic order there were two scrolls and in the Corithian there were four such scrolls along with two rows of stylized acanthus leaves. (Greek Architecture) The barrel-vault, a variation of arch was found in the temple of Apollo, which was reconstructed under Alexander. (Boyd, 1978:86) One of the most fascinating as well as disturbing aspect of Greek architecture is that it is time-warped. In all its form be it in wood or stone and marble it in a way refused to under go any change in its structure, form or architecture. The material changed from mud and bricks to precious stones but not the format. This emphasizes on the conservativeness of the Greek civilization. William Moris (1893) was much critical about its stagnating nature. It had tried to retain its identity fighting against change unbending to the requirement and changing tastes of people and finally getting lost with the emergence of the Romanesque mode of architecture. It was Prof. Goodyear (1876) who pointed out a vital feature of the Greek architecture. The Greeks tried to create an illusion of size and proportion about the temple structures. To this end they formulated their constructional plan where none of the building elements were in symmetry yet creating a balance of symmetry and harmony. According to many archaeologists this could be held as a reason of the decline of the Doric order. To place a triglyph exactly at the centre of each column and space was not only an impossibility but would have marred the symmetry of the building. (Classical Greek architecture) Prof. Goodyear (1876) spoke of another crucial aspect of Greek architecture and that is nothing in it was purposeless. Though a modification of Egyptian and Assyrian architecture, it made use of every inch of the wall that was built. The utilitarian aspect of Greek architecture had been the discourse of Morris (1893) too as he said: “the Greek ornament was cruelly limited and conventional; but everything about it was in its place, and there was a reason for everything, even though that reason was founded on superstition.” Caught in the wave of transition the Greek form of architecture would have got completely lost if not for its columns. The structure was long discarded to give way to a new kind of architectural form with its predominating arch of the Romanesque tradition. However the columns were being liberally used. The arch attributed a new freedom to architecture. From the Romanesque evolved the medieval Gothic cathedral with its enormous and luxurious ornamentations and pointed arch. Morris (1893) called the Gothic architecture ‘Organic’ form of art as from its inception from the ruins of the Greek-Roman tradition it promised a growth that was never there before. The Gothic form of architecture is much more complex than the Classical Greek form. The Gothic form reached its perfection in the French Gothic cathedrals a style came to be known as the High Gothic. The progression from Early to High Gothic had been slow and gradual and in steps. The Early Gothic was still impregnated with the Romanesque art form and architectural style. It was long before it could actually break the fetters of the older form and evolve something new. French Gothic came to be called modern architecture and it completely did away with lintel-architecture (Morris, 1893) as something redundant. It took the columns and the arch and went head on to create another phase in the history of architecture. It also modified the Romanesque dome or rounded arch into pointed arch after facing technical difficulty with the former (Characteristics of Gothic Architecture, 1915). It introduced ribbed vaulting as the roof support. The pointed arch with the ribbed vaulting revolutionised architectural purpose. As a result of these constructional innovations the space within was almost doubled. Instead of the brooding and gloomy picture that comes to the mind by the term ‘gothic’ there was something contrary to it. The new form of architecture ensured space, light and air inside the cathedral building. The reason of this sudden burst of spaciousness came from the fact that the architects had discovered that the entire skeleton structure could very well bear the load of the building and the cumbersome curtain walls were not necessary for this purpose. The flying buttresses are another discovery, which in helping to counter the pressure from outwards allowed the growth of higher and more complex structures. The flying buttresses were first used in the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and eventually became popular because of their efficacy. (Abelard, 2006). The entire skeleton comprised of heavy piers, the arches, the buttresses and the vaulted ribs, which made possible the stolidity characteristic of Gothic architecture. (Beach and McCurry, 2007) This gave way to enlarged windows of stained glass typically high Gothic. The cathedrals were built in such fashion so that the foundation and structure could tackle wind speed without collapsing due to its great height and massive size. It could be understood the amount of innovation that the new art form called for. Just as the temple of Athena in Parthenon marked the highest point of Greek architecture (Alvey, 2008), a similar example of the best of the French Gothic architecture is expressed in the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris. Although secular models too were made in the Gothic style but none gained much popularity. It seemed as though only something as sacred and spiritual as the house of god suited the lofty standards of the Gothic architecture. (Heindorf, 2007). However it is the Pont du Gard in the south of France that gives some clear idea about the procedure of vault erection in Roman buildings. (Fitchen, 1981:11). One of the basic differences beside the more apparent architectural difference between the Greek temple and Gothic cathedrals is the inner view of the buildings. Though the outward erection of the Greek temple was imposing enough to evoke awe but the inside was more of a pagan shrine with neither the dignity nor the gloss, which is there in its front view. On the contrary the Gothic cathedrals had well-planned and well-structured altar area in keeping with its external elegance. (Heindorf, 2007) Despite the structural differences there is a striking resemblance between the Greek temples and the Gothic cathedrals. It is in their gigantic dimensions and clarity of purpose. In both the forms the one thing that stands out is the ideological principle. Each in its own way symbolizes originality bespeaking of harmony and unity and is the medium of assessing the sensibilities of the era. Both in a way had strong impact upon the social, political and religious life. As Prof. Goodyear (1876) said that to the ancient Greeks the statue and the temple were a religion. The temple was not merely the place for spiritual soul searching but literally the house of god of a particular community. To the Greeks gods and goddesses were part of their day-to-day living. From this belief they erected a household for the god with all domestic amenities. (Odeyssey, Adventure in Archaeology, 2001). The Greek gods and goddesses were more of human beings with superior and supernatural powers. Thus they should be appeased or else they could bring utter destruction. It was a custom for people to impart any profit or share any accomplishment with their god or seek blessing before undertaking any venture be it battle or trade and commerce. Any festival was celebrated surrounding the temple with competitions, dramatic presentations, song and dance, which would end with a mass worship to the god for prosperity and abundance. It becomes evident that religion formed the core of the Greek society and exerted influence in every sphere of their life. The Gothic cathedrals too had their share of importance in the socio-religious and political scenario of the middle ages and later. They held a different kind of significance and were not necessarily the be-all and end-all for a community. Besides being the centre for religion they also served as centres of financial transactions, trade and commerce. Small scale or local economy thrived on it as people from near and far came in flocks on religious tours. This also helped in the strengthening of community ties with the villages. (Daisy, 2006) The Cathedrals were also centres of learning and education. People were taught sermons and through the morality plays the concept of virtue and vice were being imparted. (Characteristics of Gothic Architecture, 1915) The cathedrals had an immensely important political role as the Church had always claimed its supremacy over the State. Napolean’s coronation in the premises of Notre Dame Cathedral in order to prove the State’s supreme power only fanned the controversy about the religious-political debate. (Discover France, 2008). From the Greek temples to the Gothic cathedrals the evolution had made human society more and more complex. As art and architecture is the reflection of the intellectual evolution, the change becomes all the more palpable. Finally it could be said that Greeks like their architecture had a much simplistic way of life and the Gothic with all its innovations initiated the beginning of the modern era, which is anything but simple. References 1. Abelard, 2006. “Gothic Cathedral and Church Construction”, Available at: http://www.abelard.org/france/cathedral-construction.php Accessed on 23July 2008 2. Alvey, K. Greek Architecture and its Legacy in 20th Century American Architecture: A Comparative Analysis of the Parthenon and the Lincoln Memorial. Greek Architecture. Available at: http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/1070/greekarchitecture.html Accessed on 23July 2008 3. Beach, C.B. and Morton McCurry, F. 2007.Pine Arts(Greek)670 Fine Arts(Gothic). Stasophere. Available at http://chestofbooks.com/reference/The-New-Student’s-Reference-Work-Vol2/pp0120.html Accessed on 23July 2008 4. Boyd, T. D. 1978. The Arch and the Vault in Greek Architecture. American Journal of Archaeology, vol 82, No1, pp 83-100. Published by Archaeological Institute of America. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/503797 Accessed on 25July 2008 5. Characteristics of Gothic Architecture. 1915. Old and Sold Antiques Digest. Available at: http://www.oldandsold.com/articles10/famous-buildings-27.shtml Accessed on 23July 2008 6. Classical Greek architecture.2002. Everything2, Available at: http://everything2.com/e2node/classical%2520Greek%2520architecture Accessed on 23July 2008 7. Daisy. 2006. French Gothic Cathedrals Available at: http://www.daisychurch.com/cathedral/early.html Accessed on 23July 2008 8. Discover France. 2008. History of Notre-Dame de Paris, Available at: http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Cathedrals/Paris/Notre-Dame.shtml Accessed on 23 July 2008 9. Fitchen, J. 1981. The Construction of Gothic Cathedrals: A Study of Medieval Vault Erection. University of Chicago Press. 10. Greek Architecture-Other Characteristics. 1915. Old and Sold Antiques Digest. 11. Available at: http://www.oldandsold.com/articles10/famous-buildings-6.shtml Accessed on 23July 2008 12. Heindorf, A.M. 2007.Gothic Art and Architecture. Available at: http://arthistory.heindorffhus.dk/frame-Style08-Gothic.htm Accessed on 23July 2008 13. Morris, W (1893) Gothic Architecture:A Lecture for the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society. Hammersmith: Kelmscott. Available at http://www.marxists.org/archive/morris/works/1889/gothic.htm Accessed on 23July 2008 14. Odessey, Adventure in Archaeology. 2001. Available at http://www.odesseyadventures.ca/articles/greektemple/greek_temple.htm Accessed on 23July 2008 15. Porter, J. 2008. Greek Temple Design. U of Sask. Available at: http://homepage.usask.ca/~jrp638/CourseNotes/temples.html Accessed on 23July 2008 16. Serena, I. 2006. Mythology:Greek Temples. About Inc. Available at: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mythology-658/Greek-Temples.htm Accessed on 23July 2008 17. “The Greek Temple: A Lecture by Professor Goodyear at Cooper Institute”. 1876. The New York Times Available at: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9500E7D9143AE63BBC4B52DFB466838D669FDE Accessed on 23July 2008 Read More