The History of Western Art by Ketkar Sandhya

Author:Ketkar, Sandhya [Ketkar, Sandhya]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jyotsna Prakashan
Published: 2020-04-19T16:00:00+00:00

Thus, manuscript book-designing is an invaluable treasure of Christian art.

Middle Ages: Gothic Art

1150 AD to 1400 AD

Fresh art-theories, disdained as ‘Gothic’, emerged in the latter half of the 12th century. The term ‘Gothic Art’ that disparaged the art of this century rather contemptuously, prevailed during the age of Renaissance. This adjective ‘Gothic’ was derived from the name of the barbaric tribe, ‘Goth’. ‘Gothic Art’ period is a very significant phase in the History of Western Art. Though there are diverse views expressed on Gothic art, yet in fact, it is arguably a towering manifestation of the human mind. In terms of ingenuity and innovativeness this art was equivalent to the Classical Greek Art. Gothic art is an absolutely evolved form of Christian art. The region of Ile-de-France was the prime centre of Gothic art.

The reason for the rise of Christian art in the form of Gothic art is the economic progress of those times, when trade and commerce thrived. Business was done through ocean and road routes built by the Romans. Rivers too served as a means of communication. Earlier commodities were exchanged in trade. Later though, money became a medium of exchange. This added a new twist to trade-commerce. With money at their disposal, traders possessed legal and special rights. In order to be protected from bandits, and also for convenience and mutual support, traders formed organizations. Therefore, whatever progress happened in art, was due to these traders’ organizations.

The perspective of regarding women underwent a slight change in the society of that period; which indirectly affected art too. Women began to be considered venerable. Jesus Christ’s mother Mary came to be regarded as an icon of women. Grand cathedrals called ‘Notre Dame’ (Our Lady or Virgin Mary), came to be built in her reverence, in France and other places. The trade organizations gave donations for the cathedral constructions, artistic and artisan works of the buildings that were erected in cities. There were organizations formed by the artisans too, like those set up by traders. These were literally universities which produced art and artisans.

In this era of peace and glory, one more intellectual class emerged. In the first half of the 12th century, in Paris, the University form of education that championed the cause of a new educational system came into existence. The University that gave education in arts and knowledge was indeed an organization of teachers and students. In the medieval age era, man’s main objective was one, and that was of integration.

The buildings of this era are said to be of Gothic style. This style of architecture became such a convention, and common, that several structures, based on this style, began to be built in the whole of Europe. It continued to be imitated right till the 18th century. The phase of architecture that started in the latter half of the 12th century is known as the pre-Gothic era (1140 AD to 1194 AD). The ‘Notre Dame’ cathedral in Paris is a famous huge structure of this period. The 13th century was a period of prosperity of the Gothic art.

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