Why is chartres important

Equally impressive are the three great facades, each with its own rose window and embellished with hundreds of architectural statues and areas of Biblical relief sculpture , illustrating important theological narratives. The interior of the cathedral also contains numerous items of sculpture, including wood carving : the choir enclosure, for instance, contains over statues depicting over 40 scenes.

For more about the Gothic style of building design, please see Rayonnant Gothic Architecture c. Flying Buttresses. The use of buttresses see figure, left led to the abandonment of the graduated external profile in favour of an elevation on two levels, simple but majestic. The composition of the volumes is repeated in the sequence of the tall, massive buttresses that repeat on the exterior the rhythm of the internal bays.

The weight of the vaults is passed to the buttresses by way of double arches and arcades of radial colonettes. The greater liberty made possible by the buttressing of the vaults thanks to rampant arches and the consequent abolition of tribunes permitted the master of Chartres to organize the interior spaces of the nave in a highly original way.

He made a building that seems classical in the harmony of its proportions, as is clear in the elevation, where the arcade and the clerestory are given the same value. At the same time, the new liturgical demands for visual participation of the faithful in the celebration of the Eucharist, as established in the final years of the 12th century, led to a new concept of the choir: the luminous space of the apse became the preferred setting for the liturgy and for polyphonic singing.

West Portal Sculpture. Gothic architects and sculptors sited most of the cathedral's narrative sculpture around its entrances and doorways, known as "portals", and Chartres is no exception. The three portals of the west facade contain a virtual encyclopedia of Biblical art : each doorway focusing on a different aspect of Christ's role. Around the doorway on the right, the sculpture depicts his earthly life, and includes scenes like the Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity, and the Presentation in the Temple.

On the left, we see the Second Coming of Christ some experts understand this to be the Ascension of Christ.

The centre portal illustrates the End of Time as laid out in the Book of Revelation. More Articles about Medieval and Gothic Art. All rights reserved. Chartres Cathedral c. In the windows, which are regarded as the finest examples of stained glassmaking in history, parables and figures of the Bible come to life with color and light. Created in an age when most parishioners were illiterate, the glass images were a vital tool for instruction in the Catholic faith.

Other windows were funded by trade guilds and portray medieval life through scenes of the work done by craftsmen who contributed to the rebuilding effort. The sculpture that adorns the outside of the church is also regarded as the start of a trend toward life-like carving that realistically portrays human form and emotion.

The French government is thus committed to protecting and preserving this contribution to the cultural heritage of France and the world. Chartres Cathedral, however, is suffering the effects of old age: Eight hundred years of exposure to weather, pollution and human use have caused tremendous damage. Its legendary stained-glass windows are eroded and obscured by air pollutants such as carbonates, sulfates and nitrates on the outside and coated on the inside with grime that blocks out much of their brilliance.

The windows have also been dismantled numerous times — most recently during World War II, when they were stored in wine caves for protection — and this handling also had a damaging effect. In the s, the French government began a slow restoration process at Chartres. The initial work focused on the windows and the sculptures, but the activity quickly led to controversy. The technique used on the first three restored windows, which involved applying a protective coat of synthetic resin, elicited criticism for flattening the color and significantly altering the unique characteristics of the medieval glass.

The French Ministry of Culture thus decided to suspend work until better restoration methods could be developed and proven effective. Preservationists working on the initial sculpture restoration determined that some were so corroded that the only option was to replace them. Six were replaced, but experts were concerned that this solution would be overused and thus sought to develop better cleaning and restoration techniques. In , the government restarted the window restoration process with improved techniques.

The process involves removing each pane from its metal frame and cleaning off the accumulation of pollutants. Broken pieces of glass and metal are replaced by gluing and counter-gluing based on a mold made in sand. To ensure greater protection, a second pane of clear glass is added to the outside of the window. The buttresses along the nave wall, between the windows, are decorative as well, with the two arches linked by a design like spokes on a wheel; the pier buttresses have niches for sculpture.

In Gothic cathedrals much attention is devoted to effects not readily seen from the ground. After all, the cathedrals are built for the glory of God, who would note these efforts. In addition, medieval theologians often compared the church to the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Thus, it was important to embellish the cathedrals in every imaginable way.

The architect of Chartres realized the consequences of using flying buttresses. Compare the elevations of Chartres and St. Etienne, a Romanesque church. At Chartres the second floor gallery is eliminated since it is no longer needed to bear the thrust of the vaults; thus the roofs of the aisles could be placed immediately over the aisles instead of one story higher.

This, then, gives greater space for windows. Now contrast the interior nave wall of Chartres and the earlier Romanesque nave. Not only is the ceiling higher, but with the elimination of the second floor gallery, windows could be lowered.