Gothic Architecture Research Articles

Unknown Gothic construction at the Latin Cathedral in Lviv

Little-known architectural and archaeological objects studied during the rescue archaeological research on the Cathedral Square in Lviv in 2006: remains of ancient wooden roads, a stone-brick building, and a brick fence of the temple area have been introduced into scientific circulation. Based on stratigraphic and historical-architectural analyses, the dating of the relics was justified, their functional interpretation was carried out, as well as the historical-cartographic identification of some of them. In the first cultural layers formed on a part of the area, complexes of finds from the Early Iron Age (VII–VI centuries BC) and Middle Ages (XI–XIII centuries) were discovered. Until the period of the locational city of the ХІV–ХVІ centuries two tiers of wooden roads were assigned, the discovered fragments of which have reached our days in a good condition of preservation. It was established that their construction consisted of transverse depressions, longitudinal timbers, and transverse boardwalks secured with wooden joints. It is noted that the found fragments of contours and directions of ancient roads indicate a freer planning structure of the Lviv city center in the Gothic period. An unknown stone-brick building located in the corner of the church area is recognized as one of the most mysterious. It was established that its deep pit cuts through a layer of stone paving on yellow sand, which covers a complex of wooden streets and can be dated back to the second quarter of the ХVІ century. Taking into account the Gothic style of brickwork preserved on the third tier of the interior, as well as the stratification of the internal filling, the construction is dated back to the third quarter of the ХVІ century and it was interpreted as the family tomb of one of the richest residents of the city. The unconventional spatial orientation of this type of building is associated with the possible contour of the fence of the area of the church cemetery, which in the plan had a corresponding break in the corner, and the later brick fence of the cathedral area appears in the ХVІІ – the first half of the ХVІІІ century when the burial construction was no longer functioning. It has been established that the cartographic analysis of the situation gives grounds to assume that in the 1760s the tomb was completely leveled, and in its place, there was a corner gate. It is noted that in 10 years, cartographers will record the appearance of a right angle of the fence at the corner of the plot, as well as the making of a new gate, limited by thickened pillars. It is indicated that the foundation of one of them was identified and recorded during archaeological research. As a result of rescue excavations, some architectural and archaeological relics were identified in the modern environment of the square to emphasize the importance of these objects of cultural heritage in the history of Lviv. Key words: Lviv, architectural archaeology, Gothic construction, stone fence, wooden streets, cultural heritage.

Illuminating the sunbeam through glass motif

In the Middle Ages, the image of a sunbeam passing through glass or crystal was a popular metaphor for explaining Mary’s perpetual virginity. One of the most frequently repeated quotations that employs this metaphor has long been attributed to the twelfth-century Cistercian abbot St Bernard of Clairvaux, which might suggest that the emergent Gothic style contributed to its contemporaneous propagation in text and image. However, this much-repeated quotation is in fact the commentary of a seventeenth-century Dominican scholar, who mixed a widespread medieval trope with Bernard’s own discourse. A reevaluation of the use of the sunbeam motif in text and image suggests that, whereas it was commonly used to explain the Virgin Birth in literature, in visual art it was more frequently associated with the Incarnation. Furthermore, as I argue, the translation of the motif from text to image appears to have been catalyzed by a materially focused affective piety and the devotional texts of late medieval mystics such as the Meditationes vitae Christi and St Bridget of Sweden’s Revelations.

Below Victory

Recent advances in Ground Penetrating Radar have caused the imaging technology to pivot from a simple construction engineering tool to a valuable new option for archaeology. Newfound abilities to model sound echoes resonating through stone have revealed archeological discoveries where excavation is not possible. Working with a transdisciplinary team, the artist secured a GPR scan of 2,000-year-old Gallo-Roman temple ruins below the plaza of a gothic cathedral in France. The technology's sounding image of the hidden site became a visual language that was explored in a 2-year series of artworks based on the discovery. The art + science research project resulted in data visualizations across many creative media including site-specific public trompe l'oeil, augmented reality, and hundreds of design experiments. Using the GPR dataset as a foundational resource in art-making, the project expanded the interpretation of Digital Heritage. Collectively, the works reinforced the understanding of a site hidden since Antiquity but also considered public non-sites in pandemic times. The advances in this scanning technology proved to be a powerful creative tool to highlight themes of how we protect and understand heritage, how we create public experiences in socially distanced times, and our responsibility to continually reconsider complex history.

Sound Scattering by Gothic Piers and Columns of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Although the acoustics of Gothic cathedrals are of interest to researchers, the acoustic impact of their many columns is often neglected. The construction of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris spanned several centuries, including a wide variety of architectonic elements. This study investigates the sound scattering of a selection of seven designs that are relevant to this building as well as to the architectural style itself. These were measured on scale models (1:8.5 to 1:12), using a subtraction method, for receivers at about 3 m at full scale and a far-field source. They were also numerically simulated using a finite-difference time-domain method in two-dimensional space with an incident plane wave. The method integrates a finite volume framework to employ an unstructured mesh conforming to the complex geometries of interest. The two methods are in strong agreement for the considered configurations. Relative levels to the direct sound of backscattered reflections between −10 dB and 2 dB and between −15 dB and −6 dB in the transverse directions were estimated for the dimensions considered, relative to reported reflection audibility thresholds. Cross-sections with smaller scale geometrical elements on their perimeter can produce diffuse reflections similar to those of surface diffusers.

Inconspicuous Modernism in the Handlová Church

The Church of St. Catherine in Handlová makes no pretence of surprising us with anything special at the first sight. When inspecting from the exterior, we can easily classify this building as a representative of Slovakia’s Gothic architecture. And to some extent it is. However, the truth is that the church’s current state is the […]

DEM Analysis of the Mechanical Role of Backfill of Jointed Masonry Fan Vaults: Results of Virtual Experiments

ABSTRACT Fan vaulting is a magnificent innovation of English Gothic architecture that has been admired since the 14th century. However, how this breathtaking structural form works under mechanical loads (like self-weight and support displacement) is still poorly understood. One of the many interesting open issues is the mechanical role of backfill. This paper studies how the existence and the height of the backfill affect the horizontal and vertical reactions expressed on the fan vault by the tas-de-charge and the lateral longitudinal wall. In order to analyse this, discrete element models are prepared for small-span and large-span fan vaults constructed of jointed masonry, with Voronoi-shaped elements forming the backfill, and then the structures are submitted to self-weight and gradually increasing quasi-static outwards support displacements. The ratio of horizontal versus vertical reactions is applied to quantify how stable these vaults are in the case of different levels of backfill. The effect of shell thickness is also addressed.

반투명 표피를 사용한 건축에서 느끼는 미의식의 신경 미학적 연구

The functional separation of structure and skins in architecture has emerged in Gothic architecture. The Industrial Revolution accelerated the production of metal and glass, which led to the functional separation of structure from the skins becoming a common architectural design style after the 19th century. The architectural skins is liberated from the structure and assumes the role of expressing beauty. In this context, there are some suggestions on the visual design points of architectural skins and architectural structure given from the perspective of neuro-aesthetics in this paper. This study was conducted in accordance with the following procedure. First, The concept and experimental data related to fluency theory and aesthetic A-HA theory are used to determine human susceptibility to transparency. There is a way found to generate good feelings that is semi-translucent architectural skins. Second, Determine the ideal architectural features through the "Prospect and Refuge" model based on the "Embodiment Theory" and the "Dwelling Theory". Third, Analyze the visual role of semi-translucent architectural skins and building structure based on the "Prospect and Refuge" model from the perspective of symbolism. Fourth, Found the effect of expectation on memory representation in perceptual processing through the comparative analysis of aesthetic model. Fifth, Vitruvius's architectural theory regards utilitas(functionality), firmitas(strength), and venustas(aesthetics) as the expected universal values of architecture. Sixth, In terms of memory representation, some suggestions on the visual characteristics of building structures in buildings are proposed with translucent building skins. On this basis, this study puts forward the following suggestions. Buildings with semi-translucent skins are attractive. Semi-translucent building skins should indicate that it is supported by a solid structure. In terms of visual perception, the firmness of the structure on the back of the semi-translucent skins satisfies the universal aesthetic consciousness. The good feelings generated in this automatic cognitive processing process based on unconscious implicit memories can have a positive impact on cognitive outcomes. In terms of visual perception, the stability of the structure projected on the back of the translucent skin satisfies a general aesthetic sense.Therefore, an expression with visual appeal - translucent architectural skins and visually perceived stable building structures are proposed in this study.

Aesthetic judgments of Vasily Grigorovich-Barsky on the example of descriptions of architecture

Describing his wanderings in famous travelogue, Vassiliy Grigorovich-Barskiy was paying special attention to architecture. As time went on, the descriptions became more specific, which makes it possible to articulate his aesthetic views. In the beginning of his wanderings, he just says that Italian architecture of palaces and churches is beautiful. Then, in Venice, he describes with piety the cathedral of St Marco, which was, to his mind, initially an Orthodox church. Thus, the confessional belonging, although in the past, could be a reason for Barskiy to pay it more attention. The similar situation repeats with the Umayyads’ mosque in Damascus – for Barskiy it is the church of John the Baptist, turned into mosque, that’s why he is risking his life to get inside and to describe it.The traveler appreciates the regularity of architecture and clarity of its forms, which is demonstrated in his judgement about St Mamas monastery in Morphou on Cyprus he founds the most beautiful one in the island. At the same time, he is fascinated with very fine Gothic architecture of ruined Abbey of Bella Pais (also on Cyprus). Barskiy makes no difference between styles of architecture. Barskiy says that some of the buildings including Orthodox churches are ugly. There are buildings which are not regular, not decorated, destroyed and being destroyes ones. Consequently, his judgements tend to be free from religious and confessional belonging and the author aims for being objective.

Multi-Hinge Failure Mechanisms of Masonry Arches Subject to Self-Weight as Derived from Minimum Thickness Analysis

ABSTRACT The present study investigates the relation between the optimal geometry (quantified via the minimum thickness) and the number of concurrent hinges at the masonry arch’s limit state. The Heymanian assumptions regarding material behavior are adopted, and only constant thickness arches subject to static (i.e., self-weight) loading are considered. First, the only numerically verified completeness of the failure mode types (including 6 and even 7 hinges) of gothic arches is analytically proven. Next, it is investigated whether a higher number of hinges can concurrently occur for arbitrary, symmetric concave arches. A numerical procedure is presented which generates suitable arch geometries corresponding to a k-hinge mechanism, where k is an arbitrary odd integer not smaller than 5. For the generated class of arches, a higher number of concurrent hinges leads to lower minimum thickness values. However, it is explicitly proven that a higher number of hinges is not necessary for lower minimum thickness values. A small database about the geometry of the transversal arches of English and French medieval gothic cathedrals concludes the first part to allow comparison with the derived results. In the second part of the paper, existing literature results on the limit state analysis of gothic arches are extended by the effect of stereotomy on the failure mode type and minimum thickness value.

Абсурдизация действительности в сатирической пьесе Увидеть Солсбери Виктора Шендеровича

In 2018, the story of the unsuccessful poisoning of the Skripals by Russian special services shocked the world, and the further appearance of “Petrov” and “Boshirov” in an interview with Margarita Simonyan with completely implausible explanations led to the emergence of many memes and humorous works. The satirical play by Viktor Shenderovich To see Salisbury (2019) can be considered as one of the most significant reactions created by Russian-speaking society to the lies of the state. It is successfully performed abroad and, of course, has no chance of being staged in Russia. The author asks the question: what if everything that Petrov and Boshirov told in a scripted interview on the air of on Russia Today is true, and they are not unsuccessful spies, but a couple of gay lovers who are interested in Gothic cathedrals and the Charter of Liberties? Reflections on their own blurry unstable identity led the characters to an existential crisis in the spirit of the Theatre of the Absurd. This paper analyses how the absurdity of reality in the play serves to create a comic effect. Shenderovich grounds his satire based on direct citation of the precedent text of the interview, known a priori to every Russian-speaking recipient, on the intertexts of the Russian linguistic culture, fills the gaps of perception with paradoxes, and answers the questions asked by the audience after the RT broadcast (Why do the passport numbers differ by one digit? Why do the characters know Simonyan’s personal phone number? etc.).

On the Inclination of a Flying Buttress Arch

Historically in architecture, the inclination of a flying buttress arch is determined as the amplitude of the angle that spans between the horizontal straight line and the straight line connecting the two ends of the arch’s lower edge. Nonetheless, this inclination does not represent the entire flyer, but at most only its lower edge. Therefore, using techniques based on geometrical and mechanical criteria, applied to twenty flyer arches belonging to twelve flying buttresses from several European Gothic cathedrals, we present a new proposal for a definition of inclination which represents the entire arch.

The Galenic Heart in the Gothic Cathedral and the Adjournment in Discovery of Circulation.

Aristotle's tripartite concept of man-body, soul and spirit-formed the basis of the Galenic system that distinguished nurturing, vitalizing and animating tributary domains, governed by the liver, heart and brain, respectively. The Gothic cathedral structures into similar tripartite arrangements of nave, choir and sanctuary. We studied whether consistent parallels can be found between the Galenic concept of man, the Galenic heart itself and the structuring of the Gothic cathedral. Galenic literature along with scholastic texts were reviewed. Examples of Gothic cathedrals were visited and studied in locations. We used medieval analytical tools to compare characteristics of cathedral architecture and contemporary concepts on man and the heart. Consistent parallels were found between the Galenic system and the structural parts of the Gothic cathedral. The principle of homology, intrinsic to both the Galenic system and Gothic architecture, identified the same tripartite organization in the Galenic heart itself and the segments could be projected onto the cathedral structure. Thus, the physical/nurturing domain was identified with the right ventricle inlet and the nave; the psychological/vitalizing domain corresponded with the right ventricle outlet/interventricular septum and the cathedral's choir; the animating/spiritual domain paralleled with the left ventricle/aortic valve and the sanctuary in the cathedral. The Aristotelian/Galenic tripartite concept appears consistent with Gothic architecture and both provided a comprehensive view of the world; their relationship stems in a common philosophical and symbolic foundation. The tripartite interpretation was so coherent that it effectively delayed recognition of circulation and the heart's role in it.

The iconography of Saint Denis in early French Gothic architecture

Of the many sculptures on the facades of cathedrals and churches all over France, the curious Head-carriers, also known as Cephalophores, are arguably some of the most thought-provoking sculptural pieces one will come across. This study is concerned mainly with the iconography of St Denis, the first Bishop of France, as articulated on the portals of the Basilica of St-Denis. The events that followed immediately after Denis’ martyrdom by decapitation is mostly regarded as mere fable. Consequently, the symbolic meaning of the unusual movement has evaded scholarship. This work will discuss the symbolism of the Head-carriers and the meaning it gives to the architectural space of the Basilica of St Denis. This study argues that the emblematic ideology behind the sublime interaction between the living and the dead in the Basilica of St Denis, epitomised by the statue of the martyr, is a visual representation of a central message in Christianity which presents death, not as the end, but as a transitory and glorious beginning of oneness with Christ. Through critical visual analysis and metaphysical discussions, the study places Gothic art and architecture in the centre of the enunciation of 16th century Christian doctrine.

Review: Riemenschneider in Rothenburg: Sacred Space and Civic Identity in the Late Medieval City

Review: <i>Riemenschneider in Rothenburg: Sacred Space and Civic Identity in the Late Medieval City</i>

FEATURES OF STAİNED GLASS ART İN THE DESİGN SAMPLES

The main purpose of stained glass art is to achieve a harmonious look in the interior as well as exterior design of architectural monuments. Roman style in the Middle Ages, especially in the period of the Gothic style stained glass art has gone through a period of development to the highest stage of development. It is impossible not to be amazed by the wonderful color composition of stained glass art in the architectural monuments of the Gothic period. In modern times, stained glass art can make a space more monumental as the main decorative element of any space.

Summary of the e pigraphic examinations performed on stone carved inscriptions made in the M edieval Transdanubia

The Romanesque inscriptions (with Antiqua letters then more and more Uncials) have appeared at about 1000 A.D. in Hungary. This style has lasted until the middle of the 13 th century. The early Gothic style (with the domination of Uncials) appears just after the mid poin t of the 12 th century and also lasts until the middle of the 13 th century. Gothic maiuscula characters were first found in Transdanubia on stones carved in the first half of the 14 th century, but the oldest such inscription found could be dated 1289 in Hun gary. The end of its use dated about 1400. The first relic proving the apparition of the new style of Gothic minuscule in Hungary is a tombstone fragment found in Buda, traced back to 1366.The period of the carved Gothic minuscule writing ended at the midd le of the 15 th century, although some late provincial versions made in 1524 or later. The first known stone carved inscription done in humanistic capitals dates from 1467. The different versions of this type are also observed and persist until 1539 40 or longer, i.e. to the historical end mark of the area.

Jean de Berry’s Croix Couverte at Beaucaire (Gard) in its Pan-European Architectural-Cultural Contexts

This contribution explores a remarkable but very much understudied late medieval roadside monument, the so-called Croix Couverte near Beaucaire in the eastern Languedoc. not only is it one of the earliest extant structures erected in the novel Flamboyant Gothic style, it can also be conclusively linked to the patronage of Jean de Valois, Duke of Berry from 1360, and resident as Lieutenant du Roi at Beaucaire from 1382 to 1384. This study investigates the Croix within several rings of inquiry, which gradually widen as the discussion proceeds, beginning with its local context, and proceeding with a detailed examination of the monument’s place within several architectural traditions (roadside furniture, covered crosses especially; ciboria and honorific baldachins). In order to better comprehend its cutting-edge design, the Croix is then positioned within broader (micro-)architectural trends around 1400, a period often referred to as the age of International Gothic. The final part is devoted to some of the architecturally themed miniatures in Jean de Berry’s famous book of hours, the Très Riches Heures, which reflect and refract many of the broader themes of this study, including the “signing” of landscapes through roadside monuments; the simultaneous control and sanctification of certain locales; and the late medieval fascination with turriform and ciboriform structures in the framing of both the sacred and the political.

Analysis of Unreliable Narration in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart

Edgar Allan Poe was a 19th century American poet, novelist and literary critic. His novel is recognized as the pinnacle of short gothic fiction, a unique existence in any era. The Tell-Tale Heart is a typical Gothic mystery novel of Edgar Allan Poe. The novel tells the process of a crazy young man killing an old man and the psychological changes during the process from a first-person perspective. Much researches had done at home and abroad about The Tell-Tale Heart, mainly around the narrative aesthetics, narrative style and the gothic style, etc., however, few researches focus on reliable narrative, this paper through the study of unreliable narration in The Tell-Tale Heart, let the reader get a better understand of his work The Tell-Tale Heart and Poe’s works.

Пространство Слова: эпиграфика в интерьерах голландских церквей XVII века

The article deals with the problem of the relationships between the word and the image in the monuments of pictorial and graphic art, depicting the text, so-called text painting, «tekstschilderijen» in Dutch. Mostly anonymous, these monumental images of the Word were painted on boards, columns, and church walls throughout the Northern Netherlands during the first century after the Reformation. Formally, these images belong to the history of painting, since the same materials are used: paints on a board or on a stone in a decorative frame, but the way of depicting reminiscent of an enlarged page of Holy Scripture puts them on a par with the monuments of graphic art. The emergence of “verbal pictures”, texts that became ornaments and calligraphy, the scale and structure of which shifted their verbal content from the individual world of personal initiation into the fixed didactics of public space, corresponded to new doctrinal guidelines and radically changed the semantic structure of the Gothic cathedral. The Bible provided a new graphic language: text that was authoritative enough to become canonical and flexible at the same time to take many varieties of forms. “Verbal pictures” were the texts that became ornaments and calligraphy. The dialectical content unity, their design, interaction with the church space and viewing traditions of the text pictures help to reconstruct not only the author's intention as artistic ones, but also the cultural and historical context.

Essence and accident: Byzantine portraiture and Aristotelian philosophy

The presentation of portraits of emperors and saints in Byzantine art can be compared to theories of physiognomy and logic put forward by Aristotle and his Byzantine followers. Similar observations have been made about the portal sculptures of High Gothic cathedrals, but although the ordering of images in the two cases reflected similar patterns of thought, the particular forms of the portraits differed in each milieu, responding to a different relationship between images and the faithful in each society.