Concept in Definition ABC

The Gothic art is a type of artistic style that saw the light in Western Europe during the last years of the Middle Ages, approximately from the twelfth century until the arrival of Renaissance in the fifteenth century. The kick is given in the northern france and from there it will spread throughout the West. So being contemporary both to the fullness and to the crisis of the Middle Ages, both situations will be reflected in his production.

Artistic style that extends from the end of medieval times to the Renaissance, having been born in Gaul, former France, among the artists and settlers there, the Goths

The name resulted from the invention of the Italian artist and historian of the Renaissance Giorgio Vasari, who decided to write this name to it. would popularize as a consequence of its origin and creators, the Goth artists, as the medieval and barbarian people who knew how to occupy the former Gaul today were called France.

Although in its beginnings it must have suffered the attacks of a pejorative consideration, later, the

movement romantic artistic would take care of revaluing it.

It should be noted that depending on the country in question and the regions, it will take place at different chronological moments, that is, it does not occur in all nations simultaneously.
Therefore, it is that in all its events there are profound differences, pure good in France, although being different from Paris compared to Provence, more close to the classical tradition in the case of Italy and in Flanders, England, Germany, Castile and Aragon with local singularities.

The political situation was decisive in the definition of the characteristics of the style

As has happened with all the artistic movements of each time, the Gothic was not left out of the context and the political conjuncture social life that were lived at that time, so it cannot be ignored that it occurs within the framework of the loss of power of Feudalism and birth of a new conception of life in cities, more urban, and where artistic expression is characterized by being freer and human.

Nor can we ignore the birth of a new social class or estate, the bourgeoisie, with whom this movement wanted to ingratiate itself and then it is that he knew how to channel their demands.
The abundant shapes are an essential feature of this one.

High constructions, introduction of the pointed arch, more open and illuminated

The great novelty that Gothic art provides, with respect to its predecessor, Romanesque, is the building of soaring cathedrals with lots of light.
On architecture The highlight is the introduction of the pointed arch, which is commonly called ogival, from which the rib vault follows, facilitating the displacement of the thrusts to external buttresses, being precisely this what allowed the construction of buildings more high and wide.

The Romanesque, in what it did architecture was characterized by massive and closed structures that came to face with the lighter, open and illuminated buildings of the Gothic.
The weight stopped being on the walls and passed to the columns, the groin vaults and other elements that served as support for the constructions.

The change was progressive obviously but each building began to have windows and they were also taller.
In that evolution slow from one style to the other is that many consider them at the same time, however this was not the case, there was a coexistence until the Romanesque gave definitive way to the Gothic.

Derived from conception philosophical-theological of the time is that light was incorporated into the buildings; a light not concentrated but rather diffuse and colored thanks to the games proposed by the rose windows and the stained glass windows. The light would be what would allow us to approach the purest form.

Notable examples include the Abbey of Saint Denis and the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. Constructions that, although they do not show much height or ornamentation, but are already aesthetically different in terms of the light they have.

In the sculpture the stone carvings of the previous movement are maintained, although a more natural style is printed on the elongated and rigid predominant one.

And as for painting, although there is no concrete break with respect to its predecessor, little by little more somber, dark and emotional characteristics were added.

Themes in Gothic Art