Art History I

Gothic art finds its roots in the powerful architecture of the cathedrals of northern France. It is a medieval art movement that evolved throughout Europe over more than 200 years.Leaving curved Roman forms behind, the architects started using flying buttresses and pointed arches to open up cathedrals to daylight. A period of great economic and social change, the Gothic era also saw the development of a new iconography celebrating the Holy Mary - in drastic contrast to the fearful themes of dark Roman times. Full of rich changes in all of the various art forms (architecture, sculpture, painting, etc.), Gothic art paved the way for the Italian Renaissance and International Gothic movement.

As this exciting contribution to interdisciplinary studies in the arts shows, the art and architecture of the Middle Ages were reworked, reframed and reinterpreted in diverse ways from as early as the sixteenth century. In addition, the definition of Gothic art and architecture was used, questioned, and challenged in a range of literature from the Renaissance onwards. The diverse essays in Gothic Legacies: Four Centuries of Tradition and Innovation in Art and Architecture demonstrate that the Gothic spirit manifested itself in many visual forms, including furniture, set design, cathedrals, book illustration, and urban architecture. Edited by Laura Cleaver and Ayla Lepine, Gothic Legacies showcases new research by scholars who are united by an interest what Gothic could mean in particular contexts, and how it was used across different periods, cultures, and media. The book's twelve essays are divided into thematic sections, which identify recurring themes in discussions of the Gothic. The authors explore debates around the understanding and use of spolia and ideas about heritage, the relationships between Gothic art and literature, and the invocation of concepts of the Gothic in opposition to other categorisations (notably Classicism and Modernism). In doing so they shed light on rich dialogues between the present and the past (real or imagined). Featuring interdisciplinary and international contributions from medieval and modern period scholars with fresh academic perspectives, this volume constitutes a valuable resource for anyone with an interest in how and why the art of the Middle Ages was to play such an important role in forming and revising personal, national, and international identities in subsequent works of art and architecture.