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The first Gothic characteristics of medieval art appeared in its magnificent cathedrals and stained glass windows, which were larger than had ever been seen before.

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Gothic art emerged out of France and flourished between the 12th and 16th centuries.

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Referred to as the New Fashion at the time, Gothic art deviated from the more common, highly esteemed imitations of classical Roman art.

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art. Art historian Giorgio Vasari later denounced Gothic art as inferior to classical Roman style.

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Regardless of early criticism, the legacy of Gothic art continues to influence cathedral

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architecture and design. Predominantly used in architecture, the Gothic style drew inspiration

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from an earlier style called Romanesque. Romanesque cathedrals had the same spacious atmosphere as

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gothic cathedrals. But differences in structural design gave them each a distinct look. Romanesque

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cathedrals were low and wide. Gothic were strikingly tall. Romanesque had separate areas.

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Gothic had one integrated space. Romanesque had limited light, but gothic cathedrals were

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flooded with natural light. The three most identifying characteristics of gothic architecture

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are the ribbed vault, the flying buttress, which is an external support that extends

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from the wall to the ground, and the pointed arch.

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Gothic cathedrals were breathtakingly tall and drew visitors' gaze up to the heavens

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with their impressive vaults.

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Gothic architects continually tried to outdo the cathedrals that had come before by designing

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taller and more impressive roofs.

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In 1284, the ambitiously tall Bouvet Cathedral, 48 meters tall at its highest point, actually

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collapsed.

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But instead of compromising on its height, it was reconstructed with the same dimensions,

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but this time supported with extra flying buttresses.

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Among the architectural marvels of the Gothic period is the French Cathedral of Saint-Denis,

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which was commemorated to Saint-Denis, the first bishop of Paris.

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The Cathedral of St. Denis served as a burial place for almost every king who reigned between the 10th and 18th centuries.

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The chevet, or rounded headpiece of this church, is believed to be the first Gothic construction ever made.

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The removal of dividing walls and use of slim columns to support the vaults gave the interiors of this cathedral a spaciousness that had never been achieved in previous designs.

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But the innovative headpiece was not all this cathedral was famous for.

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In the 12th century, the abbot Suger brought in some unique architectural concepts to redesign portions of the abbey

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and gave it its current unmistakably gothic look.

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Many cathedrals and abbeys that subsequently popped up in the north of France and England

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drew heavily from this design and style,

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especially after King Louis VII gave his stamp of approval to the Cathedral of St. Denis.

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The art of the Gothic period took on a naturalistic style,

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and this characteristic remained dominant until the end of the 15th century.

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This was the time when stained glass windows were first introduced in churches and cathedrals.

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A distinctive window design found in early Gothic art is the rose window,

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which is a large circular window which separates petal-shaped panels of colorful stained glass

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with sculpted stone. The frames or tracery around both stained glass and ordinary windows in Gothic

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cathedrals were sculpted with flowers and geometrical designs that became more and more

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complex and elegant. The Cathedral of Notre Dame was begun in 1211 and construction on the cathedral

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continued for more than 100 years. This cathedral has two spires, both measuring 105 meters tall.

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It has hundreds of sculpted figures standing on its ledges,

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and they even transformed the building's supports, the pillars, into saintly figures.

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The frescoes of Gothic churches give us a glimpse of what the painting of this era looked like.

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Some outstanding examples of Gothic art can be seen in the frescoes and paintings of the

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Lorenzetti brothers, Simone, Martini, and Giotto. However, illuminated manuscripts or intricately

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illustrated books are the most comprehensive record of paintings from this era, as many of

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the murals which had formerly decorated churches were replaced with stained glass windows and

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paintings. Almost all illuminated manuscripts were religious in nature, primarily bibles and

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prayer books. Wealthy noblemen paid well for illustrated manuscripts, so many artists engaged

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in this sort of work. By the end of the 14th century, the discovery of cheaper printing

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methods made illuminated manuscripts more lightweight, compact, and accessible. The most

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famous illustrators of illuminated manuscripts were the Lambourgh brothers, who are best known

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for painting Jean de France's Book of Hours. Whereas it used to be common practice for

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printmakers to copy both the text and the illustrations of illuminated manuscripts

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instead of creating new ones, the Lambourgh brothers' Book of Hours featured original

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illustrations throughout the book. This book included not only religious illustrations,

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but historical imagery with subjects like the plague.

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The Book of Hours features several innovations of Gothic illuminated manuscripts,

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such as intricate borders, smaller decorative initials,

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and illustrations at the bottom of the pages filled with text.

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Gothic art was highly symbolic,

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and one of the most significant symbols of the time was Christ as a lamb.

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This metaphor was not a new concept, as the lamb was always seen as the symbol of the ultimate sacrifice,

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and early Christians equated Jesus to the good shepherd who would lead their souls to peace.

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The lamb is believed to represent the nature of Christ,

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a gentle and innocent heart who chose to forgive enemies rather than fight.

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It's not quite as easy to identify decorative Gothic art as it is to spot Gothic architecture

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with its pointed arches and multi-ribbed pillars.

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However, one characteristic throughout all Gothic art is the importance of calligraphy

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and predominance of line.

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Cascading draperies with narrow folds and pleats was a common motif in Gothic art.

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Another common trait was the extreme stylization of the human body.

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Many of the artworks during this time highlight this tendency, with their high-waisted maidens and slender, oval faces.

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All Gothic art aimed to depict the divine in a rich and dramatic way that would inspire devotion in those who encountered it.

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Decorative art from the Gothic period includes the statues of saints and gargoyles that filled the Gothic cathedrals,

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metal chalices and reliquaries, as well as ornately carved picture frames and diptychs,

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or paintings on two hinged wooden panels.

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Although the succeeding Renaissance artists would reject many aspects of the Middle Ages,

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they saw the importance of architecture in daily life, and incorporated many natural themes into their art.

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They were particularly interested in spatial depth, which led to the development of one-point perspective in painting.

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The soaring heights, monumental stained glass windows, and elaborate sculpture of gothic cathedrals continues to inspire art and even pilgrimages to this day.