Gothic architecture and art, structures largely cathedrals and churches and works of art first created in france in the 12th cent. Known for its pointed arches, flying buttresses, and detailed tracery, gothic architecture emerged in 12thcentury northern france and the style continued into the 16th century. The most internal distinctive feature of german gothic design was the great height of the. Its origin is attributed to english author horace walpole, with his 1764 novel the castle of otranto, subtitled in its second edition a gothic story. Good book, nicely priced, to add to architecture library.
Gothic architecture the yale university press pelican. In the 12th century, advancements in engineering allowed for increasingly colossal buildings, and the styles signature vaulting, buttresses, and pointed building tops paved way for taller structures that still retained natural light. This wideranging book provides for the first time a com. Gothic architecture, architectural style in europe that lasted from the mid12th century to the 16th century, particularly a style of masonry building characterized by cavernous spaces with the expanse of walls broken up by overlaid tracery. German architects worked with vault structures in an attempt to create the largest possible spaces with ceiling design. German gothic church architecture professor norbert nussbaum, norbert nussbaum, scott kleager on. Gothic architecture was late to take root in germanspeaking lands but, once established, architects there became exceptionally accomplished and innovative, and produced some of the more outstanding buildings in europe of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Hall church, church in which the aisles are approximately equal in height to the nave.
German gothic church architecture by norbert nussbaum. The middle or body of a church, extending from the transepts to. Hall churches are another distinctively german adaptation to the french gothic style. Buy german gothic church architecture by professor norbert nussbaum online at alibris. Heidelberg castle, badenwurttemberg altes rathaus old town hall, bavaria ulm munster church, badenwurttemberg. German gothic church architecture yale university press. The term gothic architecture originated as a derogatory description. These areas of the holy roman empire, including bohemia, austria, northern switzerland, alsace, silesia, and east. If you are interested in a detailed examination of gothic architecture and enjoy the scholarship surrounding the intricacies of the subject, there is likely no better place to start than here. Gothic fiction, which is largely known by the subgenre of gothic horror, is a genre or mode of literature and film that combines fiction and horror, death, and at times romance. The most notable examples are the great gothic cathedrals of france, including notredame cathedral. Gothic architecture and gothic art are the aesthetic expression of that epoch of european history when paganism had been extinguished, the traditions of classical civilization destroyed, the hordes of barbarian invaders beaten back, or christianized and assimilated. Architectural historian norbert nussbaum surveys church construction from the early thirteenth to the early sixteenth century.
Marburg elisabethkirche the earliest gothic church in germany. The octagon, originally part of the emperor charlemagne palace, dates from around 800 and was the first large church to be built in western europe since the roman period. French gothic architecture is an architectural style which emerged in france in 1140, and was dominant until the mid16th century. During the 15th century germany experimented with medieval architecture designs. There are many books in the world that can improve our knowledge. The heavenward urge of this new form of christian art contrasted sharply with the massive, earthbound motifs of romanesque structures. List of books and articles about medieval churches.
This book gives the reader new knowledge and experience. The liebfrauenkirche church of our beloved lady in trier start of construction around 1230 is considered the first gothic church in french gothic style on. Backsteingotik is a specific style of gothic architecture common in northern europe, especially in northern germany and the regions around the baltic sea without natural rock resources. Most churches built after the norman period adopted the gothic style of architecture. Jonathan smith humanities department university of michigandearborn dearborn, mi 481281491. German gothic church architecture by professor norbert. It is germanys most visited landmark, attracting an average of 20,000 people a day, and is currently the tallest twinspired church at 157 m 515 ft tall. Gothic architecture is a european style of masonry that values height, intricacy, sizable windows, and exaggerated arches. Cathedrals gothic architecture, citing vasaris arguments for its german origins.
German gothic church architecture norbert nussbaum. This magisterial study of gothic architecture traces the meaning and development of the gothic style through medieval churches across europe. The beginnings of the gothic period can be traced back to france and therefore it is not surprising that german cities in close proximity also show unique examples of gothic architecture. Learn more about gothic architecture, its characteristics, and its history. Gothic architecture and churches architectural digest. The round arch, an expression of closed, selfcontained movement, was replaced by the pointed arch, a symbol of the surge upward, the striving towards an unattainable goal. Norbert nussbaum this book provides a complete view of german gothic church architecture. List of books and articles about gothic architecture.
Ranging geographically from poland to portugal and from sicily to scotland and chronologically from 1093 to 1530, the book analyzes changes from romanesque to gothic as well as the evolution within the gothic style and places these changes in the. However, very thorough, covers most regions of europe. We gratefully acknowledge the use of material from the seminal work on early european sculpture, namely sculpture. The book is part of the larger pelican history of art series, and is published by yale university.
This tour provides a comprehensive survey of their achievement. Duby and jl daval 198991 published by taschen gmbh, a book we strongly recommend for any serious students of german gothic sculpture and architecture. Architectural historian norbert nussbaum surveys church construction from the early thirteenth to the early sixteenth century in the germanlanguage regions of medieval europe. The interior is typically lit by large aisle windows, instead of a clerestory, and has an open and spacious feeling, as of a columned hall. The author traces french origins, details german gothic development and stylistic manifestations, and concludes with important saxon and southern german churches of the late 15th and early 16th centuries.
The ceilings of norman medieval churches were domed, thereby evenly distributing the weight of the roof over the pillars, since the main points of the domes rested on top of the pillars. This book provides a complete view of german gothic church architecture. Gothic fiction tends to place emphasis on both emotion and a. This is a list of buildings which are representatives of gothic architecture.
A characteristic of french gothic church architecture is its height, both absolute and in proportion to its width, the verticality suggests an aspiration to. The cathedral basilica of saint denis is a large medieval abbey church in the commune of saint denis, renowned for its gothic architecture. The buildings are built more or less using only bricks. All of these elements shifted and changed as english gothic architecture developed. Architectural historian norbert nussbaum surveys church construction from the early. List of books and articles about gothic architecture online. German gothic church architecture nussbaum, norbert. Wilson may be too opinionated for his own good, at least, not good for a textbook. This lesson focuses on church architecture because during this time, the church was the largest, most imposing. Late gothic 15thcentury architecture reached its height in germanys vaulted hall. A talk presented at science and british culture in the 1830s, trinity college, cambridge, july 1994. It is a renowned monument of german catholicism and gothic architecture and was declared a world heritage site in 1996.
Although buildings in germany possess many universal structures specific to gothic architecture, many of the buildings possess a distinct national character that is not found in other european countries. Ranging geographically from poland to portugal and from sicily to scotland and chronologically from 1093 to 1530, the book analyzes changes from romanesque to gothic as well as the evolution within the gothic style and places these changes in the context. One way to identify invention and imitation in relation to gothic architecture in. There is somewhat less to say about german gothic than one might think, but nussbaum does well contextualizing and fitting the german traditions and culture into the broader european perspective. The size and stylistic unity of this gothic marvel will astonish you.