3SQ102-2-WI11 - Christianity in Western Europe in the Middle Age

Brunelleschi's Dome is located on the Cathedral of Florence. It was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and inspired by the geometry of the Atlas. This is historically significant because it highlights the architectural developments of the Italian Renaissance. This dome is considered to be an amazing engineering feat and exemplifies the technological and scholarly advances of the thirteenth century. I have attached a link to images of Brunelleschi's Dome that shows pictures of both the interior and exterior of the Cathedral of Florence. This link also includes other images of Florence and seems to provide a glimpse into what the area is like.

The Ptolemy atlas is the eighth and final volume of series called Geography, written by Claudius Ptolemaeus during the second century CE (About). Ptolemy invented a grid system to draw a map of the known world. Using measurements obtained by merchant travelers, he was able to draw a map that concluded the world was round (About). This work was "lost" to medieval Europe for over 1000 years. When Ptolemy's work resurfaced in the 1300s, the work of artists and architects was transformed. Ptolemy's principles of perspective explained how objects look smaller when they are farther away. Using Ptolemy's techniques, Brunelleschi was able to build the famous dome on top of the Cathedral of Florence (Lecture). This website gives an interesting history of art and the principle of perspective (with examples). Ptolemy not only showed the world was round, but also created a way for spherical designs to be charted and built. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~matc/math5.geometry/unit11/unit11.html Picture of Ptolemy Atlas: http://eospso.gsfc.nasa.gov/eos_homepage/for_scientists/data_products/OurChangingPlanet/PDF/Page_146_new.pdf Reference (also an interesting read!): http://geography.about.com/od/historyofgeography/a/ptolemy.htm

A relief is a carved piece of artwork usually displayed vertically on a flat surface like a wall or door. The artistic image is created by carving stone or wood at differing depths, creating different areas that are sunken or raised. Often reliefs are very intricate and detailed. Reliefs are found all over the world in many different eras, but were particularly popular in medieval cathedrals. Much like stained glass, reliefs helped people in a preliterate society to learn the Christian story. Art was not simply an emotional outlet or a pretty picture upon which to gaze. Cathedral art, like reliefs, were the equivalent of "Sunday school" or "Christian education" in this time period. The images in the reliefs and stained glass windows were a teaching tool used in sermons. In addition to religious scenes, reliefs often had a local flair, including: images of local patrons, saints, and prominent figures; symbolism of the cathedral being built (oxen, for example); intellectual leaders who influenced the builders, such as Pythagoras (Lecture). This link is to a photo of a relief over the door of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City. This building, started in the late 1800s, an ocean away from the cathedrals of Europe, shows that the medieval style of art and building influenced churches around the world for hundreds of year to come. As modern Christians, I believe we have something spiritual to learn from these artisans: patience, endurance, devotion, and a commitment to sharing the life-changing story of Jesus with future generations.

Useful summary of the 8th to 9th cewntury renaissance

The Abbot of Suger was a Frankish abbot who helped to design the fist Gothic Cathedral, Saint Dennis. These cathedrals were "three dimensional picture books of stone and glass" and they told the story of Christ through imagery and symbolism. The Abbot of Suger will be remembered for the development of the buttress, which allowed for cathedrals to have a greater amount of interior space. This was an Arab concept and it enabled the structures to have more space without the inconvenience and obstruction of large interior columns. I have posted a link with images and a brief history of the first Gothic Cathedral, Saint Dennis. This link provides images of both the outside and inside of the cathedral, which is only a small glimpse into the grandeur of this magnificent structure.

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

So I did a little research and apparently the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is done in a "Romanesque" style and not Gothic? This confused me because it looks very Gothic to me. The Cathedral was completed during the Middle Ages however in 1211. The architect was Fernando de Casas Novoa. So even if the place where this video was filmed is not relevant architecturally for this week, it is certainly relevant for the time period. Also I really love the music group Gregorian. Even though their music selection is a little different than what it must have been in the Middle Ages I can not help but be swept away by the sound.

The Romanesque style immediately preceded the Gothic, so there are bound to be similarities. The flying buttresses and pointed arches are usually the tell-tale sign of the Gothic. But I see what you're saying about the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela . . . it is difficult to categorize just by looking at it. Let's call it a "transitional" example. :-) Any suggestions on clearer examples of the Gothic style?