The beginning of the twelfth century is generally associated with the uprise of Gothic architecture. Starting with the Abbey of Saint-Denis in Paris, it traveled far and wide throughout medieval Europe, leaving its mark in every country. However, the style died out rather quickly, supposedly giving its last breath at Henry VII’s Chapel in Westminster somewhere in the early sixteenth century, as states the article “Gothic Revival” (2017). But, as further research revealed, the Gothic architecture did not fade out of existence completely – it had merely gone into the more church-building direction and changed its location to the off skirts of European countries.
Then the eighteenth century came, and with it, the interest in the Gothic style sparked anew, calling into action an art movement later named as “Gothic Revival” or “Neo-Gothic,” which sought to recreate medieval forms (“Gothic Revival,” 2017). With renewed vigor, the architects dove into the beauty of pointed arches and vaulted ceilings, astonished with what they could create out of the wide variety of forms the Gothic presented. This marked the beginning of the new era – the return of well-known style in the form of Neo-Gothic.
Researchers connect the Gothic Revival to the rise of Romanticism, an artistic form of aesthetical reaction against the excessive rationalism of Renaissance (“Romanticism,” 2019). Architects, poets, writers, and artists alike reflected on the past, emphasizing the emotions embedded in medieval philosophy. The feelings of awe, religious fear, and spiritual ascent dominated their creations, and with that, the Gothic was brought back into the light.
Mukhametzyanova et al. (2017) suggest that “according to the architects’ plan, the newly resurrected Gothic was called upon to create a new majestic style, a new ideological content that would bring back lost spiritual values” (p. 2874). A good example of Neo-Gothic architecture is The Rockefeller Chapel on the campus of the University of Chicago in Illinois. It represents the most distinct features of Gothic Revival, such as intricate ornamentation, ribbed vaulting, and stained-glass windows – all reflecting the spirit of late Christianity.
References
Gothic revival. (2017). New World Encyclopedia. Web.
Mukhametzyanova, L. R., Yao, M. K., Emanova, J. G., & Pozdnyakova, K. G. (2017). Neogothic space interpretation. Helix, 8(1), 2873-2876. Web.
Romanticism. (2019). New World Encyclopedia. Web.