Buttress - 4 views

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  #1 Alwen Bledsoe on 22 Feb 11

   

  Definition: The buttress was conceived by Abbot Suger in the 1100s in France as an architectural solution to the medieval desire to build cathedrals with high ceilings and large windows, making these churches into buildings that would maximize both height and light. Buttresses are supports built either against or projecting from a wall (generally on the outside of a church and using counter-pressure) in order to help support the building. As Hernandez notes in his lecture, the buttress allowed medieval church architects to rely less on columns, which often interfered with the view of windows and the altar, both integral to the medieval worship experience.
  
  Historical significance: This development allowed for the extensive use of stained glass and imagery in these churches' windows. These windows were of great use to Medieval Christians because so few were literate and Bibles were in short supply and incredibly expensive, making pictures on windows (and the light they let in) a major way to tell the Christian story and educate the laity. These windows were also important in the way they allowed light and the various symbolic meanings of light to enter into the worship space (i.e., bluish-whitish light that symbolized the Spirit), enhancing the experience and catechesis of the worshippers. The incredibly tall ceilings also allowed for these buildings to be designed in such a way as to draw the believer's eye upward, pointing literally and figuratively toward heaven and the God believed to reside there.
  
  Artifact:
  
  I'm including a Nova video on the building of gothic cathedrals. It's long (and fascinating!), but info on the buttress begins at around 24 minutes (if you start around 13 minutes, you get full info on the pointed arch and the reasons for needing the buttress).
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/building-gothic-cathedrals.html
  (the transcript is also available if you scroll down a bit on the above page and click on the "transcript" link)
  
  Though not related to the buttress, I found this interesting-a short clip on the combination of science and religion that went into building and designing these churches (esp. the way they show the revitalization of scientific and classical learning): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb4D08EFDdE
  
  Also, not related to buttresses, but about architecture-a short little video tutorial on "how to read a Gothic cathedral façade" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBwrcowWOGc&feature=related

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Definition: The buttress was conceived by Abbot Suger in the 1100s in France as an architectural solution to the medieval desire to build cathedrals with high ceilings and large windows, making these churches into buildings that would maximize both height and light. Buttresses are supports built either against or projecting from a wall (generally on the outside of a church and using counter-pressure) in order to help support the building. As Hernandez notes in his lecture, the buttress allowed medieval church architects to rely less on columns, which often interfered with the view of windows and the altar, both integral to the medieval worship experience. <br /> <br /> Historical significance: This development allowed for the extensive use of stained glass and imagery in these churches' windows. These windows were of great use to Medieval Christians because so few were literate and Bibles were in short supply and incredibly expensive, making pictures on windows (and the light they let in) a major way to tell the Christian story and educate the laity. These windows were also important in the way they allowed light and the various symbolic meanings of light to enter into the worship space (i.e., bluish-whitish light that symbolized the Spirit), enhancing the experience and catechesis of the worshippers. The incredibly tall ceilings also allowed for these buildings to be designed in such a way as to draw the believer's eye upward, pointing literally and figuratively toward heaven and the God believed to reside there. <br /> <br /> Artifact: <br /> <br /> I'm including a Nova video on the building of gothic cathedrals. It's long (and fascinating!), but info on the buttress begins at around 24 minutes (if you start around 13 minutes, you get full info on the pointed arch and the reasons for needing the buttress). <br /> <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/building-gothic-cathedrals.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/building-gothic-cathedrals.html</a> <br /> (the transcript is also available if you scroll down a bit on the above page and click on the "transcript" link) <br /> <br /> Though not related to the buttress, I found this interesting-a short clip on the combination of science and religion that went into building and designing these churches (esp. the way they show the revitalization of scientific and classical learning): <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb4D08EFDdE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb4D08EFDdE</a> <br /> <br /> Also, not related to buttresses, but about architecture-a short little video tutorial on "how to read a Gothic cathedral façade" : <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBwrcowWOGc&feature=related" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBwrcowWOGc&feature=related</a></div>

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  #2 R. J. Hernandez-Diaz on 23 Feb 11

   

  Great artifacts, Alwen! I was not aware of this pbs video. It looks fantastic. Also, I enjoyed the "how to" video.

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Great artifacts, Alwen! I was not aware of this pbs video. It looks fantastic. Also, I enjoyed the "how to" video.</div>

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