Realism and Emotion in Gothic Art - Essay Example

The term maintained its deprecating association until the 19th century. During this period, a positive critical revaluation of Gothic architecture took place. The term Gothic remains a standard one in study of art history even if modern scholars have long realized that Gothic art has nothing to do with the Goths. 2. Gothic Art and Architecture The most important and original art form during the Gothic period is architecture. Its principal structural characteristics began out of medieval masons’ efforts to solve the problems connected with supporting heavy masonry ceiling vaults over wide spans.

An example of the earliest Gothic sculptures which is said to be a revolution in style is the Western (Royal) Portal at Chartres Cathedral (ca. 1145). These jamb statutes affixed to the columns next to the doorways are tall, slender standing figures of kings and queens from whom the Portail Royale derived its name. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, these figures were erroneously identified as the Merovingian monarchs of France. 3. Gothic Painting Gothic painting did not emerge until the beginning of the thirteenth century.

This became visible nearly 50 years after the start of Gothic architecture and sculpture. The transition from the Romanesque art to Gothic is very vague and inaccurate. However, beginnings of darker and more emotional styles were seen as deviating from the previous period. Paintings during this period were practiced in four primary crafts such as frescos, panel paintings, manuscript illumination and stained glass. Simone Martini is one of the most original and influential artists of the Gothic era.

He painted many frescos and altarpiece panels such as the Virgin and Child (1320) for the Church of Saint Catherine in Pisa. He added refined contour of line, grace of expression and serenity of mood in his paintings. 4. Trend to Realism and Emotion The growing concern for realism and emotion can be traced across Gothic art forms. The two major and important arts forms during the Gothic era are sculpture and painting. The trend toward greater realism and emotion can be said to have been entrenched from the era.

The general effect of the development of the Gothic style is now shown on the west front of the Chartres Cathedral (c. 1140-50). This is the first impulse of Gothic art towards realism. One can see the development of sculpture during this early period of Gothic art which is towards increased realism and that deviates from the wooden feel of Romanesque sculpture. This was achieved in a series of stylistic impulses and not by continuous evolution. The figures in the sculpture on the west front of Chartres are barely “real” and their forms are strongly aligned with the architectural composition.

The work of the goldsmith Nicholas of Verdun showed the second creative impulse of Gothic art. His artwork is marked by graceful, curving figures and soft Greek-like ridged-and-troughed drapery or the so-called Muldenstil. A third impulse towards realism in Gothic sculpture, based on 10th century Byzantine prototypes, seems to have originated at Notre-Dame, Paris (c.1200)2. This style is characterized by figures with a