11. Gothic - Pearson

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11. Gothic 

1150–1550 

The outburst of the 1st century crusade was splendid 

even in a military sense, but it was great beyond 

comparison in its reflection in architecture, ornament, 

poetry, color, religion, and philosophy. 

Henry Adams, Mont-Saint Michael and Chartres 

Gothic cathedrals and churches occupy town centers 

throughout England and Western Europe. In this great 

style of the Christian religion, architecture and theology 

combine to create a visual metaphor of a period in which 

faith is all-important. Although primarily ecclesiastical, 

Gothic architectural elements also appear in secular buildings, 

interiors, furnishings, and decorative arts. The Gothic 

style was reborn in the 18th century and lasted until the 

end of the 19th century as Gothic Revival. 

HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL 

A period of stability and peace begins in Europe about 

1100. Newly formed central governments in England, 

France, and Spain facilitate economic and social growth. 

Cities and towns change from isolated settlements to cosmopolitan 

centers as people return to look for work. Trade 

and commerce increase, creating a prominent merchant 

class. Universities join monasteries as centers of learning. 

Feudalism declines as lords trade their fortified residences 

for country or manor houses and build stately mansions 

in town. 

By 1200, the power and prestige of the Catholic Church 

is at its peak, so it is the major patron for new and repaired 

cathedrals, parish churches, abbeys, priories, and convents. 

Women are admired in song and verse, and chivalry is at its 

height. The esteem for the Virgin Mary manifests itself in 

the many cathedrals and chapels dedicated to her. The relative 

peace and prosperity shatters during the 14th century 

with the Hundred Years War between France and England 

and the Black Death, a plague that eliminates over one 

third of Europe’s population. 

The Gothic style, like religion, is intimately intertwined 

with medieval life. The great cathedrals (from 

cathedra meaning “seat of a bishop”) are physical manifestations 

of Christian faith and civic pride. Serving as town 

halls, public meeting places, and tourist attractions, their 

11-1. Costume of a clergyman. 

11-2. Medieval lord and lady. 

construction involves the entire community. Wealthy 

patrons or local guilds donate chapels, windows, and other 

elements. Others give what money they are able or supply 

physical labor. Local clergy often direct the project. Besides 

a great cathedral, every village or town has one or more 

parish churches. Secular and religious organizations and 

wealthy families have their own chapels or churches. 

Architecture and Interior Design Through the 18 th Century: An Integrated History, by Buie Harwood, Bridget May, and Curt Sherman. 

Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. 

141

142 MIDDLE AGES 

CONCEPTS 

The term Gothic refers to the Goths, the Germanic tribes 

that brought about the downfall of the Roman Empire. Its 

name begins as a derogatory reference by classicists of the 

Renaissance. In the Gothic style, spiritual and material 

elements unite and visually manifest in the great European 

cathedrals. Vertical lines, pointed arches, stained glass, and 

religious iconography designed to educate the masses characterize 

Gothic structures. Biblical numbers such as 3, 7, 

and 12 are used in the creation of doorways, windows, bays, 

and other features. Church authorities often oversee ecclesiastical 

building projects to ensure that appropriate ideas 

are conveyed. 

An outgrowth of thought regarding what constitutes 

the great church and its form, the first Gothic structure is 

the Abbey of S. Denis (begun in 1135) in the Ile de 

France, a domain of French royalty. Abbot Suger directs 

the enlarging and remodeling of the abbey where French 

nobility is interred. He wants it to become the spiritual 

center of France and, as such, to inspire, to awe, and to 

capture patriotic and religious imaginations. The elements 

that accomplish this, found in the chevet (circular apse 

with ambulatory and radiating chapels), are pointed arches, 

slender columns, groin vaults, and stained glass combined 

11-3. Heraldic motifs. 

with mathematical proportions. None of these elements is 

new individually, but their combination imparts a lightness 

and openness not found in Romanesque architecture. For 

Suger and others, light is a metaphor for divine illumination 

and mathematical proportions represent divine order 

and harmony. From S. Denis, the Gothic style spreads to 

other areas of France. In just over 100 years, it becomes an 

international style. 

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS 

National and regional varieties in church architecture 

abound. Dimensions are mathematically related within a 

single structure, but not consistent among buildings. Proportions 

are slender and attenuated. Common shapes are 

the square and equilateral triangle. Each country has a 

unique interpretation of the common features: the pointed 

arch, groin or ribbed vaults, cluster or compound columns, 

large windows with tracery (curving stone or wood subdivisions 

in the upper part of an architectural opening) and 

stained glass, and flying buttresses (exterior arch forms for 

additional support). Pinnacles (terminating elements), 

towers, and spires (pointed construction rising from a 

tower, turret, or roof) are also characteristic. Eventually, 

many architectural characteristics find their way into 

domestic buildings and interiors as details and on furniture 

as motifs. 

Motifs. Motifs include heraldic devices (Fig. 11-3), the 

pointed arch, trefoils (three-lobed form; Fig. 11-5), quatrefoils 

(four-lobed form), cinquefoils (five-lobed form), grotesques 

(fantastic figures such as gargoyles or dwarfs; 

Fig. 11-6), birds, foliage (Fig. 11-4, 11-7), oak leaves (Fig. 

11-8), crockets (stone carved with foliage that mark raking 

11-4. Illuminated manuscript. 11-5. Window detail with tracery. 



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11-6. Gargoyle. 

11-7. Foliage diaper pattern. 

11-8. Rinceau with meandering leaf motif. 

angles of spires and canopies), and linenfold (resembling 

folds of fabric; Fig. 11-9). Some geometric shapes, such as 

lozenges (diamond-shaped design) or zigzags, continue 

from the Romanesque period. 

ARCHITECTURE 

Images and symbols of faith and prosperity manifest in 

cathedrals through cruciform (cross-shaped) plans with 

altars toward the east, soaring lines, mystical light, and 

decorative programs that explain doctrines to the many 

who cannot read. Although pointed arches and ribbed 

11-9. Linenfold panel motif. 

GOTHIC 143 

11-10. Metalwork, c. 14th–15th centuries; England and Italy. 

vaults appear in Romanesque buildings, the Gothic style 

breaks with the earlier style in intent, appearance, and 

construction. Pointed arches and piers form a structural 

skeleton not found in ancient or earlier medieval buildings. 

This framework reduces the need for load-bearing 

walls and permits taller buildings with larger windows that 

support the intentions of lightness, divine illumination, 

and mystical experience. Government and university buildings 

sometimes resemble the overall design of churches 

with towers marking major circulation areas. 

Many secular structures are of a military or fortified 

nature, including castles and walled towns such as Carcassone 

(Fig. 11-23). Function and defense are important, 

particularly early in the period when conservatism, construction 

methods, and local materials determine appearance 

instead of styles. Castles, developing from ancient 

fortification techniques, are the defensive residences of 


Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc.


11-11. Chartres Cathedral, c. 1194–1220; Chartres, France. 

monarchs, lords, bishops, and knights throughout the Middle 

Ages. An integral part of medieval life, their primary 

purposes are defending lands and maintaining order. By the 

11th century, emphasis in castle planning (Fig. 11-25, 

11-36) changes from defense to comfort. Town houses and 

manor houses often resemble castles (Fig. 11-22, 11-34, 

Design Spotlight 

Architecture: Notre Dame, Paris. Characteristics 

derived from the Romanesque period include the buttresses 

that divide the facade (Fig. 11-12, Color Plate 

22) into three parts, the portals, three stories, and the 

numerous figural sculptures. In the Gothic style, the 

elements are more carefully organized, both vertically 

and horizontally, evidence of Suger’s ideal of mathematical 

proportions and order. The facade is visually 

lighter because of the large windows, the arcade of 

pointed arches, and the large openings in the towers. 

The towers have soaring conical roofs. The rose window 

with stained glass is a dominant feature and filters 

rich colors into the interior. In the nave, single 

columns and square bays (Fig. 11-41) are reminiscent 

of the Romanesque period, but the lightness and verticality 

are Gothic. Pointed arches lead the eye 

upward as do the responds rising unimpeded to the 

vault ribs. Large clerestory windows and slender 

architectural elements make the walls seem thin. 

11-36) with stone facades, roof battlements (fortified parapet), 

towers, drawbridge entries, and interior courtyards. 

This image continues the concept of protection and fortification 

from earlier. They may also feature half-timber 

Pointed arch 

Twin towers 

Pointed arches in bands 

form gallery 

Pointed arch 

Pinnacle 

Rose window 

Religious figures 

provide decorative band 

Archivolt 

Tympanum 

Central portal 

Side portal 

11-12. Cathedral of the Notre 

Dame, 1163–1250; Paris, France. 

(Color Plate 22) 



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11-13. Salisbury Cathedral, 1220–1266; Salisbury, England. 

construction (structural wood framing with infill of brick, 

plaster, or other materials) with steep roofs (Fig. 11-32, 

11-35). 

Public Buildings 

Types. Cathedrals, parish churches, and other ecclesiastical 

structures are the most common building types. Universities, 

the newly formed guilds, and prosperous towns 

build halls (Fig. 11-21) and meeting places. 

France. French cathedrals (Fig. 11-11, 11-12, 11-15, 

11-41) accentuate height and verticality. Early and 

High Gothic (1150–1250) structures are monumental 

in size and height. As if a reaction to this huge scale, 

Rayonnant buildings (13th–14th centuries) are smaller 

and more elegant. Windows, which are larger than 

before, feature complex radiating tracery patterns. Following 

the Hundred Years War, many structures adopt 

the Flamboyant style (14th–16th centuries) with tracery 

on all surfaces, including vaults. Tracery patterns include 

stars, adaptations from the English Decorated style, and 

the flamelike forms that give the style its name. 

England. English cathedrals (Fig. 11-13, 11-14, 11-42, 

11-43) tend to be longer and more horizontal than 

French cathedrals. Early English Gothic cathedrals 

are generally simple with shorter towers. This style grad- 

Design Practitioners 

GOTHIC 145 

Architect. Although rarely used, the term architect 

usually applies to an overseer of a project, such as 

Abbot Suger. As earlier, master builders or master 

masons complete the construction aided by carpenters, 

metalworkers, glaziers, and other craftsmen. 

Guilds. Craft guilds, including those of the building 

trade, form in the 12th century. All practitioners 

of a single craft, including a few women, belong to 

a guild. The guilds set and maintain standards of 

craftsmanship, regulate wages and working conditions, 

and train new members. 

Training. Formal education in building or architecture 

does not exist. Building practices are passed 

from father to son, master to apprentice. Master 

masons may work from sketches, most of which are 

not to scale. Plans might be drawn on the ground to 

guide construction. A few instructional treatises 

appear, such as The Sketchbook of Villard de Honnecourt, 

which was written in the first quarter of the 

13th century. 

Pierre de Montreuil directs several important projects 

in Paris, including S. Denis and Notre Dame. 

Guillaume (William) de Sens, a Frenchman, builds 

many projects including Canterbury Cathedral, 

1174–1178. 

Henry Yevele, an Englishman, works on Westminster 

Abbey and other buildings in London during the 

14th century. 

Parler Family. Heinrich, Peter, and Wentzel Parler 

work in Cologne, Prague, and Vienna in the 15th 

century. 

ually becomes the more complex Decorated style 

(c. 1240–1330), which is characterized by elaborate 

tracery and ogee (double) arches. The Perpendicular 

style (c. 1330–1530) features extravagant towers, rectilinear 

vertical forms with cusps (intersecting points of 

tracery), and fan vaulting (ribs like a fan; Fig. 11-43). 

Decorated and Perpendicular interiors emphasize elaborate 

vaulting with numerous complex patterns of structural 

and nonstructural ribs. 

Germany, Spain, Italy. Complex vaulting is also a specialty 

in Germany (Fig. 11-18), where hall churches, 

with nave and aisles the same height, are particularly 

characteristic. Germany’s later Gothic structures are 

among the finest in Europe. Spain copies the French 




Lady chapel 

High altar 

Presbytery 

Choir 

North porch 

Main entry 

11-14. Floor plan, Salisbury Cathedral. 

11-15. Floor plan, Amiens Cathedral. 

Transept 

Transept 

Gothic, with the finest examples constructed along her 

northern border. Later Spanish Gothic style has two 

substyles: Isabelline and Plateresque, which have no 

European counterpart (see also Chapter 13, Spanish 

Renaissance). Italy (Fig. 11-20), except for the north, 

is little influenced by the Gothic style, but some secular 

Venetian examples mix Gothic with Byzantine 

influences. 

Vaulted nave 

Buttress 

Vaulted side aisle 

11-17. Capitals. 

11-16. Buttress. 

Site Orientation. Indicating their importance in town 

life, most Continental cathedrals are in the center of town, 

surrounded by markets, dwellings, and other secular structures. 

In contrast, lawns and trees surround most English 

cathedrals. 

Floor Plans. Cathedral plans continue the earlier Latin 

cross/pilgrimage type composed of nave, side aisles, and 

radiating chapels in the apse. Plans have numerous square 

or rectangular bays, forming modules that can be added or 

subtracted as needed. Some French models (Fig. 11-15, 

11-41) shorten the transept. English examples (Fig. 11-14, 

11-42) often have flat eastern ends and more than one 

transept. Monasteries with a cloister (covered walkway surrounding 

a court) may be attached to important churches 

(Fig. 11-13). 



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11-18. Cologne Cathedral, begun 1284, completed 1880; 

Cologne, Germany. 

11-19. Sens Cathedral facade, from an etching by John Taylor 

Arms. 

Materials. Cathedrals and important buildings are of 

local stone or brick because transporting over distances is 

too difficult. Italians continue using colored marbles in 

geometric patterns, colored stone arranged in stripes, and 

decorative Romanesque mosaics (Fig. 11-28). 

Structural System. The structural system in cathedrals 

(Fig. 11-16, 11-41, 11-42), composed of pointed arches, 

ribbed vaults, and buttresses, allows walls and ceilings to be 

less supporting. Vault ceilings, filled in after the ribs are 

constructed, appear weblike, and walls have more space for 

GOTHIC 147 

11-20. Milan Cathedral, c. 1385–1485, Milan, Italy; by Nicolas 

de Bonaventure and Filippino degli Organi; facade completed 

in 1809. 

11-21. Town Hall, 1401–1455; Brussels, Belgium. 

11-22. Palazzo Vecchio, 1298–1314; Florence, Italy. 




windows. This system dematerializes the material and 

opens space, allowing more flow between spaces and larger 

vistas. Elements of the skeleton assert themselves by dividing 

the plan and interiors into units marked by columns, 

responds (half pillars rising from arcade columns to the 

springing of the ribs), and ribs. 

Facades. Cathedral facades display considerable variety. 

Vertical tripartite divisions, marked by buttresses, correspond 

to the nave and aisles. Sculptures; rose windows; 

tall, pointed arched windows; or arcades with pinnacles 

organize in horizontal and vertical areas and bands. Twin 

towers that may be of unequal height crown fronts (Fig. 

11-11, 11-12, 11-18). Buttresses, instead of columns or 

11-23. Wall city of Carcassone, 13th century (restored in the 

19th century); France. 

pilasters, divide walls into bays. Flying buttresses (Fig. 

11-11, 11-13, 11-16) provide additional support and create 

a graceful rhythm on side walls. Towers with spires accent 

crossings. English cathedrals emphasize horizontality with 

bands of sculpture and stringcourses. They usually have 

shorter facade towers and fewer flying buttresses. Especially 

important are the towers at the crossing. Italian models, 

relying on the Roman/Byzantine technique of tie-rods 

(horizontal metal connectors providing additional support 

to arches and the outward thrust of vaults), have few 

pointed arches and no flying buttresses or clerestories. 

Windows. Windows repeat the pointed arch shape. 

Tracery and stained glass depict biblical scenes, the lives of 

saints, and patrons or rulers in rich colors such as ruby red 

or dark blue. Large single figures fill clerestories, while 

aisles and chapels have smaller figures and biblical scenes 

to invite closer inspection. Rose windows often accent 

front facades and/or transepts (Fig. 11-11, 11-12, 11-19). 

Side windows have two vertical lights (glass) surmounted 

by a circular or lobed form. Other window forms (Fig. 

11-5, 11-12, 11-28, 11-29) include trefoil, quatrefoil, or 

cinquefoil. 

Doors. Church facades typically have three recessed or 

projecting portals (doorways) capped with pointed arches 

and pinnacles. Figural sculptures (Fig. 11-12, 11-19) 

enhanced with decorative carving, usually geometric, line 

11-24. Château de Josselin, 12th century (rebuilt in the early 

16th century); Brittany, France. 11-25. Castle of Coucy, 13th century; Laon, France. 



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the jambs, lintels, archivolts (faces of the arch), and tympanums. 

Tall, narrow windows and/or a rose window surmount 

some portals. Doors are of wood. 

Roofs. All roofs are steeply pitched and covered with 

copper or slate. Some English cathedrals have wooden 

roofs, however. Multiple roofs identify the nave, transept, 

and radiating chapels. 

Later Interpretations. Gothic architecture provides a 

vocabulary for revivals or interpretations in architecture, 

interiors, and furniture during the 18th, 19th, and 20th 

centuries. The Gothic Revival in England (Fig. 11-35) and 

America (Fig. 11-38) produces picturesque buildings that 


Architecture: Raby Castle, Durham, England. The 

plans of Raby Castle (Fig. 11-26) illustrate the manner 

in which fortified structures are modified over 

time and how smaller rooms can be located within 

the thickness of walls. The vaulted great hall (main 

living space) is in close proximity to the kitchen. 

11-26. Floor plans, Raby Castle; Durham, England. 

copy manor houses, churches, and half-timbered structures. 

Until the mid-20th century, Gothic was the preferred 

style for churches. Numerous college buildings from 

the late 19th century are Gothic Revival. 

Private Buildings 

GOTHIC 149 

Types. Types include castles, palaces, town houses, 

manor houses, and country houses (châteaux in France). 

The lessened threat of invasion and the use of gunpowder 

reduce the need for fortified structures, so fewer castles are 

built, particularly at the end of the period. 

Site Orientation. Like fortresses, castles are sited for 

defense and protection of territory, usually on hills or along 

lines of defense, rivers, or Roman roads. Moats, sometimes 

filled with water, and/or earthworks surround some. Manor 

houses are situated in parks surrounded by green space to 

set them off. Some attention is still given to protection, so 

usually the lawn is devoid of bushes near the main house. 

Floor Plans. The earliest castles are erected on a raised 

mound (motte) with one or more walls enclosing the bailey 

(open area). Support buildings, such as the stables, are 

sited in the bailey (Fig. 11-25). After their 1066 conquest, 

the Normans introduce in England a tall tower or keep, 

which contains living quarters for the owner and provisions 

for lengthy sieges. Eventually, the rectangular keep 

changes to round, a more defensible shape. By the 13th 

century, castles grow into walled complexes with towers at 

the corners or other strategic locations and entry by way of 

a gatehouse (Fig. 11-25). Towers become metaphors of 

power and wealth. Castles and other dwellings center on 

the great hall. Kitchens are usually separate buildings until 

stone and brick construction develops. Staircases are often 

spirals, located in turrets with narrow windows. 

Houses grow upward and outward (Fig. 11-30, 11-32, 

11-35), usually based on family need. Dwellings of the gentry 

often have two or more stories with a courtyard (Fig. 

11-27. Floor plan, Old Louvre Palace; Paris, France. 




11-28. Doge’s Palace, c. 1309–1424; Venice, Italy. 

11-30. Hôtel de Jacques Coeur, c. 1442–1453; Bourges, France. 

11-29. Ca d’Oro, c. 1430; Venice, Italy. 

11-31. Floor plan, Hôtel de Jacques Coeur. 

11-32. Town residence; Tours, France. 11-33. Doorway; northern European. 



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11-34. Hever Castle, c. 15th century; Kent, England. 

11-35. Bramhall Hall, 15th century; Cheshire, England. 

11-22, 11-27, 11-31, 11-34). Rooms typically proliferate 

in number around the great hall and gradually take on 

greater variety in function as owners begin leading less 

public lives. 

Materials. Originally built of wood, castles are later built 

of brick or stone. Like plans, construction becomes increasingly 

sophisticated after the Crusades bring men into contact 

with military buildings in the East. Most town houses 

and manor houses are of local stone or brick. Some adopt 

half-timber construction (Fig. 11-32, 11-35) consisting of a 

structural wood frame with an infill of wattle (sticks) and 

daub (mud or clay). Brick infill is common in France; stone 

and brick infill is common in England. The earliest surviving 

examples of this type date from the 13th century. 

Facades. Facade design varies (Fig. 11-22, 11-29, 11-30, 

11-32, 11-34, 11-35). Irregularity achieved through the 

GOTHIC 151 

11-36. Manzanares el Reale, late 15th century; Madrid, 

Spain. 

11-37. Later Interpretation: Houses of Parliament, 

1836–1868; London; by Sir Charles Barry and A. W. N. Pugin; 

Victorian Gothic Revival. 

changing depths of surface planes provides movement and 

visual complexity (Fig. 11-34). Some structures evidence 

architectural details common to churches, such as tracery 

or pointed arches (Fig. 11-30). Venetian Gothic combines 

pointed arches, columns, and lacelike tracery in bands 

(Fig. 11-28, 11-29). Towers and gatehouses carry over from 

castles. Castle walls are unadorned to prevent easy 

entrance by enemies. They are crowned with merlons 

(solids) and crenellations (openings) forming battlements, 

which offer greater defense and are derived from the East. 

The main access is by a drawbridge to an opening containing 

a portcullis, a massive wood and iron-plated door (Fig. 

11-33). Windows usually vary in size and placement 

depending on need instead of symmetry. They often 

exhibit tracery late in the period. Castle windows are tiny 

slits high in the walls. Half-timbered structures have bargeboards 

(decorative boards under the edges of the roof); 




Important Buildings and Interiors 

Bourges, France: Hôtel de Jacques Coeur, 1442– 

1453. 

Brussels, Belgium: Town Hall, 1401–1455. 

Cambridge, England: King’s College Chapel, 

1446–1515 (Perpendicular). (Color Plate 23) 

Carcassone, France: Walled city of Carcassone, 

13th century. 

Chartres, France: Chartres Cathedral, c. 1194– 

1220 (Early Gothic). 

Cheshire, England: Bramhall Hall, 15th century, 

half-timber construction. 

Cologne, Germany: Cologne Cathedral, begun 

1284, completed 1880. 

Durham, England: Raby Castle. 

Essex, England: Castle Hedingham, c. 1140. 

Exeter, England: Exeter Cathedral, c. 1275–1370 

(Decorated style). 

Florence, Italy: 

S. Croce, c. 1294, Arnolfo di Cambio. 

Palazzo Vecchio, 1298–1314. 

Gloucester, England: Gloucester Cathedral, 

1089–1100 (Perpendicular). 

Hildesheim, Germany: Abbey Church of S. 

Michael, c. 1001–1033. 

Kent, England: 

Hever Castle, 15th century. 

Penshurst Place, 1341–1348. 

Leon, Spain: S. Miguel de la Escalada, 913 C.E. 

Lincoln, England: Lincoln Cathedral, 1073– 


London, England: 

Tower of London, c. 1086–1097. 

Westminster Abbey, 1245–1269 and later 

(Decorated style). 

overhanging upper stories often house the main living 

spaces with shops on the ground floor (Fig. 11-32). 

Roofs. Circular towers with conical roofs (Fig. 11-24) 

are typical of medieval fortified castles. Roofs on houses 

are gabled, trussed, and often thatched. They pitch 

steeply and are of masonry, wood, or thatch. Stone houses 

may have parapets (wall plane above the roof line), or 

Madrid, Spain: Manzanares el Reale, late 15th 

century. 

Milan, Italy: Milan Cathedral, c. 1385–1485, 

facade completed in 1809, Nicolas de Bonaventure 

and Filippino degli Organi. 

Orleans, France: Cathedral of Orleans, late 15th 

century (Flamboyant style). 

Oviedo, Spain: S. Mariz de Narance, 848 C.E. 

Orvieto, Italy: Orvieto Cathedral, 13th–14th 

centuries. 

Paris, France: 

Abbey of S. Denis, c. 1135–1144 and later 

(Early Gothic). 

Cathedral of Notre Dame, 1163–1250 (Early 

Gothic). (Color Plate 22) 

Old Louvre Palace. 

S. Chapelle, 1242–1248 (Rayonnant style). 

Reims, France: Reims Cathedral, 1211–1481 

(High Gothic). 

Rouen, France: Palais de Justice, 1493–1508. 

Salisbury, England: Salisbury Cathedral, 1220– 


Shropshire, England: Stokesay Castle, 1285– 

1305. 

Siena, Italy: Siena Cathedral, c. 1260–1360. 

Ulm, Germany: Ulm Minster, 14th–16th 

centuries. 

Venice, Italy: 

Ca d’Oro, c. 1430. 

Doge’s Palace, 1309–1424. 

Windsor, England: Windsor Castle, c. 1170 with 

later additions. 

roof dormer windows. Half-timber houses usually have 

thatched roofs. 

Later Interpretations. Castles are a primary source of 

inspiration in the 19th century for the Victorian Gothic 

Revival period (Fig. 11-37, 11-39). They continue to 

inspire in later hospitality-fantasy environments such as 

Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Disneyland (Fig. 11-40). 



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11-38. Later Interpretation: Trinity Church, 1839–1846; New 

York City, New York; by Richard Upjohn; Victorian Gothic 

Revival. 

11-39. Later Interpretation: Louisiana State Capitol, 

1847–1850; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; by James H. Dakin; Victorian 

Gothic Revival. 

INTERIORS 

Cathedral interiors, like the exteriors, emphasize verticality. 

Verticality, height, and architectural elements open the 

space, but individual units are defined as before. The effect 

is one of openness, weightlessness, and unity. With the 

larger expanses of glass, light continually changes in color 

and intensity. The immense height and dim light filtered 

through stained glass emphasize the mystery of faith (Fig. 

11-41, 11-42, 11-43). Decoration derives from the architecture, 

but some examples feature polychrome in rich, saturated 

colors. 

Few secular interiors survive unaltered. Knowledge 

comes from written descriptions and artistic representations, 

and therefore is limited. Archaeology supplies some 

information about vernacular interiors. Domestic and public 

buildings adopt Gothic details instead of the structural 

system; exceptions are chapels or large vaulted spaces. 

Manuscript illustrations indicate that interiors of this 

period were colorful and richly decorated with hangings 

but had little furniture. Lavish appointments and furniture 

continue to demonstrate the importance of ceremony 

and rank. Characteristic features of a private interior space 

late in the period (Fig. 11-49) include a patterned stone 

floor, small diamond-pane casement windows, a woodbeamed 

ceiling, large stone mantel, and sparse box-shaped 

furniture. 

Public Buildings 

GOTHIC 153 

11-40. Later Interpretation: Sleeping Beauty Castle, 1955; 

Disneyland Park, California. 

Relationships. As on exteriors, pointed arches, compound 

piers, ribbed vaults, tracery, and stained glass characterize 

cathedral interiors. 

Materials. Continental cathedrals feature walls of local 

stone. Color largely comes from stained glass, except in 

England and Italy. Contrasting stone colors delineate 

architectural elements in England. Because of large stands 

of timber, English cathedrals often have vaults with 

wooden ribs. Patterned stone floors and polychrome walls 

are common in Italy. 

Walls. Most cathedral walls have three stories like 

Romanesque cathedrals. The lowest portion is an arcade of 

pointed arches supported by compound piers or columns 




11-42. Nave, Salisbury Cathedral, 1220–1266; Salisbury, 

England. 

Ribbed vaults 

Triforium 

Responds 

Stain glass windows 

Clustered columns 

Columned arcade 

with pointed arches 

separates side aisles 

Apse 

Foliated capital 

Altar 

Pulpit 

11-41. Nave, Cathedral of the Notre Dame, 1163–1250; 

Paris, France. 

11-43. Nave with fan vaults, King’s College Chapel, 

1446–1515; Cambridge, England. (Color Plate 23) 



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(Fig. 11-41, 11-42). Next is the gallery or triforium with 

shorter arched openings into the nave. Clerestory windows 

are above. Despite large areas of glass, interiors remain dim. 

In the 1240s, French master masons begin to eliminate the 

triforium in favor of windows beneath the clerestory for 

more light. These windows often have lighter-colored or 

gray and white glass. 

11-44. Interior, c. 1300. 

Tapestry hangings 

Dining at trestle 

tables around 

perimeter of room 

Central fire pit 

11-45. Great Hall, Penhurst Place, 1341–1348; Kent, England. 

GOTHIC 155 

Columns and Capitals. Arcade supports may be single 

round columns, compound columns of pier and engaged 

columns, or clusters of columns. Common capital motifs 

(Fig. 11-17) are human and animal forms entwined in 

vines or foliage. Some feature foliage only, while others 

reflect classical influence in form and shape. 

Ceilings. Ceilings are vaulted with four or more ribs in 

each bay (Fig. 11-41, 11-42). Sometimes ribs form fans 

(Fig. 11-43), stars, or other shapes, particularly in Germany 

and England. The masonry between ribs may be painted 

blue with gilded stars or other motifs. Some Italian ceilings 

are flat and beamed like those of the Early Christian 

period. 


Interior: Great Hall, Penhurst Place. This hall (Fig. 

11-45) is a multipurpose space for entertaining, dining, 

and sleeping. It features a screen embellished 

with wood paneling that protects from drafts, with a 

minstrels’ gallery above for the musicians. The oak 

ceiling with large trusses resembles the hull of a boat. 

Floors are typically of dirt or stone. Fire pits are initially 

located in the center of the room. Torches and 

a few candles provide minimal illumination. Gothic 

windows are later additions. 



Truss framework 

ceiling resembling 

a boat hull 

Brace support 

Heraldic motif 

Minstrels’ gallery 

Torches 

Screen 

Passageway


Later Interpretations. Interiors and furniture designs are 

revived in the 18th century (Fig. 11-50) and 19th century 

(Fig. 11-51, 11-52). Usually the Gothic Revival style 

places a greater emphasis on human scale in comparison to 

the impressive heights of the original style. Revival interiors 

do not imitate medieval living patterns. 

Private Buildings 

Great Hall. The hall (Fig. 11-45, 11-46), the most characteristic 

room in the medieval house, is a multifunctional 

living space until well into the 12th century (and later on 

the Continent). Evolving from an aisled space to a large 

vaulted or wooden-roofed room, this is the space where 

the lord demonstrates his power and wealth, entertains, 

11-46. Great Hall, mid-15th century, from an illuminated 

manuscript of the period. 

11-47. Mérode altarpiece showing interior, c. 1425–1433; 

Flanders; by Robert Campin. (Courtesy of The Metropolitan 

Museum of Art, The Cloisters Collection, 1956) 

and conducts estate business. It often serves as a sleeping 

dormitory for less important guests and servants. The upper 

end has a dais for the owner, his family, and their guests. At 

the lower end, a screen, sometimes embellished with wood 

paneling, serves as a passage divider and protects people 

from drafts. Sometimes, a minstrels’ gallery is set above the 

screen. Fire pits are initially located in the center of the 

room, later moving to a side wall as a fireplace. The number 

of smaller, private rooms around the hall increases during 

the period and includes the solar (from sol meaning 

“floor” or solive meaning “beam” in French), a withdrawing 

room, and the great chamber. (Color Plate 24) 

Color. Favored colors are highly saturated green, blue, 

scarlet, violet, white, brown, and russet. Finishes and textiles 

provide rich, varied colors. (Color Plate 25) 

Lighting. Firelight, torches (Fig. 11-45), and a few candles 

or lamps supply minimal lighting. Light fixtures and 

candleholders usually are made of wrought iron. 

Floors. Floors are of dirt, stone, clay, or brick. Although 

textile floor coverings are rare, straw rushes appear frequently. 

Wood, stone, and earthenware tiles in geometric 

patterns of yellow, red, black, brown, or green are typical. 

Upper floors are usually of wood. Some woven materials, 

such as rush matting, cover floors, but rugs are rare. Oriental 

rugs covering tables appear in the wealthiest homes 

after the 13th century. 

Walls. Walls (Fig. 11-44, 11-45, 11-46, 11-47, 11-48, 

11-49) are of wood paneling, stone, and whitewashed or 

11-48. Bedroom. [Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of 

Art, The Cloisters Collection, 1956. (56.70)] 



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11-49. Bedroom; France. 

colored plaster. Wood walls may be left as plain planks, 

painted, or paneled. Wainscoting consists of narrow panels 

that are often richly carved with pointed arches, tracery, 

and linenfold, sometimes enhanced with color. Softwood 

panels typically are painted; green is favored. Painted decorations 

on stone and plaster include imitations of stone 

blocks, literary or biblical scenes, and heraldic motifs in 

rich colors, enlivened with gold. Fabric or tapestry hangings 

often add warmth and color. During the period, the 

center fireplace moves to an outer wall (Fig. 11-45, 11-49) 

and becomes a focal point. Stone hoods are lavishly 

embellished with heraldic devices and other carving. 

Windows. Early in the period, windows are small and 

have square casements. As the need for protection 

decreases, they gradually become larger and begin to form 

bays (projecting outward and located at ground level), 

oriels (projecting outward and located above ground 

level), and lancets (two tall, slender lights). Sizes and types 

vary on facades. Glass remains a luxury so only the upper 

portions of windows are glazed; diamond-shaped panes 

between iron mullions are common. Most windows have 

shutters and iron bars for security or covers of oiled paper 

or animal horn. By the 15th century, stained glass appears 

in wealthy homes and helps to denote rank. 

Doors. Gothic motifs surround some doorways later in 

the period. Most doors are rectangular and board and batten. 

The wealthy have paneled doors, sometimes covered 

with tapestries or hangings. Elaborate wrought iron (Fig. 

11-10) is used as reinforcement and for hinges on doors. 

Textiles. Fabric hangings are the most common wall 

treatment in the period. They transport easily, and many 

types are available. The humblest consist of canvas, linen, 

or painted wool. The grandest houses of northern Europe 

and England adopt tapestries after the 14th century when 

tapestry weaving is established in Paris, Arras, Tournai, 

and Brussels. Gothic tapestries have small or no borders. 

Figures and motifs are largely two dimensional. Made in 

GOTHIC 157 

11-50. Later Interpretation: Long Gallery, Strawberry Hill, 

1747; Twickenham, England; Georgian (side chairs added later). 

11-51. Later Interpretation: Trinity Church, 1839–1846; New 

York City, New York; by Richard Upjohn; Victorian Gothic 

Revival. 

sets, themes are biblical and literary. Millefleurs (thousand 

flowers; Fig. 11-58) designs are popular, as is the unicorn 

series. In addition to hangings, people use textiles for fireplace 

coverings in summer, table and buffet covers, and 

loose seat and back covers for chairs and thrones. Canopies 

denote a person of rank and/or importance. Some textiles, 




particularly for churches, are embellished with embroidery 

in gold and silver thread. 

Ceilings. Vaulted, beamed, or timber-roofed ceilings, 

sometimes decorated with carving and painting, are common. 

Large halls have trussed framework ceilings of oak or 

chestnut that look like inverted boat hulls (Fig. 11-45). 

Triangular frameworks feature multiple braces and struts 

by the early 14th century. Ceilings in smaller houses are 

typically beamed. A new ceiling consisting of flat boards 

and applied moldings with cornice emerges at the end of 

the 15th century. 

FURNISHINGS AND 

DECORATIVE ARTS 

Surviving examples of early medieval furniture are very 

rare, especially before the 14th century. Information, 

which comes from extant pieces, pictorial representations, 

and written descriptions, reflects upper-class practices. Furniture 

is generally rectilinear with heavy proportions. 

Small-scale architectural motifs, such as pointed arches, 

highlight a relationship between architecture and furniture. 

Despite more settled conditions and a more stable 

economy, many nobles still move from place to place, 

necessitating mobile furniture and wall hangings. Rooms 

may have rich treatments and wall hangings, but furniture 

and accessories are few. Some pieces, such as the buffet, are 

important conveyors of status. Cabinetmaking as a craft 

revives during the period. Joined (joyned) construction, 

introduced at the end of the 15th century, soon supplants 

earlier board construction because pieces are lighter in 

weight and sturdier. 

11-52. Later Interpretation: Dining 

Room, Lyndhurst, 1838 and 1865–1867; 

Tarrytown, New York; by Alexander 

Jackson Davis; Victorian Gothic Revival. 

Types. There are only a few types of furniture: chairs, 

benches, stools, tables, cupboards, buffets, chests, and beds. 

Materials. Pine, oak, and walnut are the most common 

woods. Board construction simply pegs boards together. 

Joined construction adopts framed panels. Turning and 

carving are the most common decorations. Many pieces 

are painted in bright colors or gilded to highlight turning 

and carving. Some folding stools are of iron. 

Seating. Chairs and thrones are few, ceremonial, and 

feature turned elements. Typical pieces (Fig. 11-44, 11-53) 

11-53. Choirstall. 



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11-54. Table, 14th century. 

11-55. Chests. 

11-56. Dresser. 


GOTHIC 159 

Furnishings: Chest. Chests (Fig. 11-48, 11-55) are 

the chief storage pieces, but also transport goods and 

serve as seats, beds, and tables. Simplicity, rectangular 

shapes, and decorative Gothic motifs are common. 

Most are of oak, walnut, or pine with iron 

hardware. 

Tracery similar 

to church 

windows 

Iron hardware 

Pointed arch 

Heraldic motif 

Quatrefoil 

Oak leaf 

Acorn 

include turned, X-frame, and choirstall chairs and trestleform 

stools and benches. Choirstall chairs, derived from 

churches, are boxes with tall backs, solid paneled arms, and 

storage in their bases. Thrones and chairs demonstrate 

rank or precedence, particularly when placed on a dais 

under a canopy. However, stools and benches far outnumber 

chairs, even in the finest homes. Stools are more common 

than chairs, and some resemble Roman prototypes. 

Tables. Trestle tables (Fig. 11-46, 11-54) with unattached 

tops that can be taken apart after meals are common 

and used mainly for dining. Cloths conceal their 

crude construction. Tops become permanently attached 

during the period, although people continue to eat where 

it is warmest or most convenient. 



11-57. Illuminated manuscript, Book 

of Hours.


11-58. Millefleurs tapestry, c. 15th century; Belgium and 

France. 

11-59. Later Interpretation: Chair, mid-18th century; England; 

in the style of Thomas Chippendale; Early Georgian. 

Storage. Chests or coffers and boxes (Fig. 11-55) are the 

most common items and the chief storage pieces, but also 

transport goods and serve as seats, beds, and tables. Some 

are embellished with Gothic or other motifs, while others 

are plain. Display pieces (Fig. 11-56), which assert rank 

and are associated with dining, include the buffet or 

dresser. The buffet originates as a set of shelves for displaying 

plate (silver), the shelf number being dependent on 

the owner’s rank. Linen cloths hide the buffet’s simple construction. 

The term cupboard refers to various pieces with 

doors and shelves used to store food, dishes, linen, and 

clothing. 

Beds. Most Gothic beds are boxlike in form and crudely 

constructed, but surrounded by lavish draperies suspended 

from hooks, cords, or wooden rods. They are draped for 

11-60. Later Interpretation: Bed, Rosedown Plantation, early 

19th century; St. Francisville, Louisiana; Victorian Gothic 

Revival. 

11-61. Later Interpretation: Stained glass window, Castle 

Howard chapel; c. 1860s; Yorkshire, England; by Edward Burne- 

Jones and William Morris. (© Copyright Dorling Kindersley) 

warmth and privacy (Fig. 11-49). Some beds (Fig. 11-48) 

feature elaborate turning and carving. Bed hangings are 

pulled up and bagged when not in use. Pillows and bed 

linens are often luxurious. 

Textiles. Attached upholstery on seating is unknown, 

but people use cushions for comfort. Fabrics include cotton, 

linen, and silk in plain and twill weaves, damasks, and 

velvets. Wool is the most common furnishing fabric. Colors 

are brown, blue, green, russet, violet, and scarlet. 



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Decorative Arts. Books (Fig. 11-57) are an important 

form of artistic expression throughout the Middle Ages. 

Illustrations in illuminated manuscripts often portray figures, 

landscapes, buildings, and furnishings, and therefore 

are important historical documents. Newly reformed guilds 

guide the production of silver during the Gothic period. 

Much silver made for the state and church is elaborately 

decorated. 

GOTHIC 161 

Later Interpretations. Gothic designs provide a rich 

source of inspiration for furniture throughout the 18th 

(Fig. 11-59), 19th, and 20th centuries. Later pieces (Fig. 

11-60) feature pointed arches, tracery, cluster columns, and 

an imposing scale. Some are contemporary in form with 

Gothic details, while others copy and interpret Gothic 

designs. Those of the Arts and Crafts period (Fig. 11-61) 

feature decorative painting of medieval stories and legends.

11. Gothic - Pearson

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