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THE CATHEDRAL. In century
XIII the Christian world has become urban and bourgeois much more. A new
ideology arises that is shaped in the ideals of the abbot of Suger, brightness
and splendor as opposed to the austerity of the Cister. The gothic one
characterizes by the verticality and the light that is the reflection of the
divinity. The new style will receive the support of the municipal authorities
and the bourgeoisie. Its more typical expression is the cathedral, in which we
found all the elements of the gothic art. Without stopping being a didactic art,
the gothic one becomes decorative much more. It uses a new type of arc and
vault: the pointed arc and the vault of cruces, which thanks to their nerves
converge in abutments, separated of the wall, through the flying buttresses,
which makes possible a diaphanous wall that is covered with show windows, which
allow the passage of a light sifted by the colors of crystals. This light
creates an unreal atmosphere, symbol of the divinity. The rosettes are the
privileged frame of the show windows of colors that dye the interior of color,
or a white light, somewhat unreal. A resistance between structure and appearance
exists. The Latin cross plants predominate in which it is distinguished: the
head, the cruise and the ships, from three to five. The head has radial girola
and chapels. The central ship and the cruise are wider and high than the lateral
ones. The pointed arc is one of the signs of identity more characteristic of the
gothic art. It confers to the buildings slenderness and verticality. In century
XIII very they are opened, is the pointed arc classic. In century XIV they are
made aimed and high more: lanceolado arc is denominated. It corresponds at the
time of greater verticality. In century XV they are used the conopial arc,
carpanel and the mixtilineal one. The supports, generally the pillar, evolve
from the round ones (columns) to the channeled ones with star form. It appears
the fasciculado pillar, that column has the Fuste formed by several thin
(ejector rods). In the gothic building an additional system is needed
counterbalance to the sustentante function exerted by the pillar. Another sign
of gothic identity. For it the separated abutments of the wall are used. The
flying buttresses connect the central vault with the abutments through a rampant
arc.
In the intersection pinnacles are put to make the set more stable. In addition,
the arcs have channels of water-drainage of the rainwater that finish in
gargoyles. In the highest buildings two levels of flying buttresses exist. As
characteristic as the pointed arcs they are the covers of the gothic one. It is
the time of the vault of crucerie that allows covering rectangular spaces to
greater height. It is formed by two arcs (nerves) that are crossed in the
center: in the key. The rest of the surface is covered with pelmets. With this
system all the weight of the cover rests on the supports, reason why the
unloading wall is unnecessary, and the space can be closed with great large
windows. However, to cover all the ship they continue being used the system of
arcs fajones. The vault of crucerie evolves with time. In century XIII the
simple vault of crucerie is used. In order to cover the spaces that are not
rectangular it uses a third nerve that divides the vault in six parts
(sexpartite vault). In century XIV the vault becomes rich by means of secondary
nerves (treceletes) that go from the angles to half of the nerves; and ties,
that go from the center of the square to the key. They give to the vault a
starred aspect (starred vault). In century XV to the vaults bent nerves are
added, that go of the center of the square to the center of the nerves happening
through in center of treceletes. They appear, also, the vaults of plementery
pierced, that are covered with show windows. This constructive system allows
opening bays in the walls. In fact the walls are not necessary to maintain the
cover, reason why the entrance of the most possible light is allowed. The wall
is closed with show windows of colors that sift the light. The show windows are
organized in traceries, or stone divisions, that form the bays. Each show window
has an iron frame and lead roofs that unites the different crystal pieces, and
form the figures. The show windows are an indissoluble element of the
architecture, although it such uses iconographical conventionalisms that the
painting, and its same program. |
