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Furnishings: Prehistoric to English > Gothic > Flashcards

Flashcards in Gothic Deck (51)
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1
Q

Gothic

A
  • Originated in France
  • Characterized by height and delicacy - pointed arch, buttress, tracery, and large windows
  • Wood becomes common in furniture
  • Structure dominated by thrust and counterthrust
  • Highly religious time
2
Q

Gothic Cathedral

A
  • became the center of town life
  • acted as town hall, school, museum, and gallery
  • Christian church
  • Cathedrals were built to give people work and as a tourist attraction
  • Often unknown designers
3
Q

Fundamental teachings of the Gothic Church

A

Piety - the fullfillment of Religious obligations

Humility - modesty and humbleness in the eyes of the church

Asceticism - a measure of personal and spiritual discipline

4
Q

Gothic art

A

Appealed to the emotional side of people who were ignorant and superstitious

5
Q
A

Tracery

Ornamental stone mullions commonly found
in the stained glass of Gothic architecture.

6
Q
A

Latin cross plan

A cross with three short equal arms and
one extended lower arm.

7
Q

Nave

A

The central section of a
Latin cross church, generally
terminated by an apse and
flanked by aisles.

8
Q

Transcept

A

The central section of a
Latin cross church, generally
terminated by an apse and
flanked by aisles.

9
Q

Apse

A

The semicircular or angular
extension usually in the east end
of a Christian church or basilica.

10
Q

Ambulatory

A

The aisle or passageway around the apse in a
church.

11
Q

Narthex

A

The arcaded porch of a
church that leads to the nave.

12
Q

Pointed arch

A

Allowed for harmonious, unified effect and more illumination.

13
Q
A

Ribbed vault / groin vault

14
Q

stained glass windows

A

Often 20’ wide by 30’ high

  • Windows were so big that they needed large stone mullions for support.
  • People were illiterate. Stained glass windows told stories of the bible.
15
Q
A

Rose window

A large circular window with
tracery resembling a stylized
rose, usually in the façade of a
Gothic church or cathedral.

16
Q
A

Buttress

An exterior architectural support commonly found
in Gothic era cathedrals, tied into masonry walls
in order to disburse the structure’s load bearing
weight.

17
Q
A

Flying buttress

A finger-like arch that extends from
a wall to a buttress, designed to
counteract the thrust of a roof or
vault, typically found on the exterior
of Gothic cathedrals.

Used so cathedrals could grow higher.

18
Q
A

Gargoyle

A grotesque carved human or animal figure
often used as a rain spout in Gothic architecture.

19
Q
A

Chimera

A mythological animal, originating with the Greeks and
Romans, with the head of a lion,
part goat, with a dragon tail.

Was not functional. Decoration.

20
Q

Castle

A
  • Mote or ditch
  • fixed bridge and draw bridge
  • Outside wall known as a curtain wall. Could be 8’ to 20’ thick
  • Tower to watch for intruders
  • Keep where people lived - located in the highest point. The most secure place in the castle. Contained kitchen, great hall, servant sleeping quarters, lord/lady sleeping quarters.
  • A chapel
  • Poorly ventilated. Cold in the winter, wet/damp in summer.
21
Q

Gothic living

A
  • Very little comfort due to political conditions
22
Q
A

Keep floorplan

23
Q

Great hall

A
  • Two stories high
  • Exposed beams or trusses, which were painted
  • Stone, brick, or tile floor
  • Sometimes straw lined floor because they brought animals inside when under attack
  • Minstrel gallery
  • Would sometimes have a fire pit area.
  • Tapestries on the walls.
24
Q

Spiral staircase

A

Easier for inhabitant to swordfight in a downward direction to defend castle (most people were right handed).

25
Q
A

Dais

A raised platform commonly used in the Great Hall of medieval castles
as a place for nobles to dine.

Usually had two throne-like chairs for lord and lady.

26
Q

Lancet windows

A

A tall, narrow window with a sharply pointed, arched top typical of the English Gothic Style.

Found in great halls and cathedrals

27
Q

Fireplaces

A
  • Moved from center of room to side.
  • Could be deep around 6’
28
Q
A

Gothic tapestries

Used natural dyes.

29
Q
A

Ogee

An arch containing S-shaped
curves on either side that converge to form a point, commonly found in Islamic architecture.
Also identified as an ogive or
keel arch.

30
Q
A

Arcading

A series of columns with their
entablatures or arches that are
represented in relief to decorate
panels or fill open frames, especially in the 17th century.

31
Q
A

Pyramidal hood

32
Q
A

crocket

Gothic ornament designed with a curled leaf
or bud used originally as a decoration on the
sides of pinnacles on Gothic turrets and subsequently on furniture designs as finials on
chairs; also used on cathedrals in imitation of
a bishop’s crozier, which symbolized his function as a shepherd protecting his sheep.

33
Q
A

Crocket capital

34
Q

Finial

A

A carved or turned ornament used to terminate a post or pediment and to define element intersections.

35
Q
A

Gothic chair

  • symbol of authority (most people would be sitting on benches)
  • would only be two in house, sitting on the dais of the great hall
  • elongated back
  • decorative back influenced by tracery of stained glass
36
Q
A

Linenfold motif

Ornamental carving, common in the Gothic
and Tudor periods, that resembles folded linen
or a scroll of linen.

37
Q
A

Trefoil

38
Q
A

Gothic stool

  • often had a handle
  • people would sometimes bring their own stool to someones house for dinner
39
Q
A

Gothic tables

  • When eating the great wall, family would sit with backs against wall because backs were the most vulnerable
  • Table cloths would be put on trestle tables
40
Q

Medieval sleeping concepts

A

Sleeping area of owners moved upstairs to a room called the solar

Men and women start sleeping in the same bed - beds got wider.

Beds were shorter because people would sleep sitting up.

Mattresses would be stuffed with straw and sometimes herbs to keep away fleas.

41
Q

Solar

A

The private chamber of a lord and lady found in a medieval castle or manor house. Originally partitioned from the end of the Great Hall, the solar was a place for the family to retreat. Also called the great chamber.

42
Q

Tester

A

The canopy of a four poster bed, often seen in full, half, or threequarter lengths. The term is derived from the French term testiere meaning headpiece.

43
Q
A

Hung bed

Canopy would be attached to wall. Draperies would prevent drafts.

Tester is the top part of the canopy, which could be wood or fabric.

44
Q

Trundle bed

A

Originally Gothic in design, a child’s or servant’s bed on rollers that could be rolled under a full-size bed when not in use.

45
Q

Horn panes

A

Glass was expensive, so people would soak horns, slice them, and put them in a wooden window frame

46
Q
A

Garderobe

Indoor toilet room that empties into the mote.

47
Q
A

Ambry

Latin word for chest or small cupboard used in churches and castles to hold sacred books, valuables, guns, vessels, linens, and/or utensils of the Eucharist. It also could be the name for a storage place or wardrobe. Could be locked.

48
Q
A

Dresser/Dressoir

  • symbol of wealth
  • highly decorative
  • made of superimposed shelves intended to show gold, silver plates, cupes, dishes
  • Could be painted and/or gilded
49
Q
A

Buffet

  • does not have doors

shelves for dishes/goods

50
Q
A

Gothic chest

  • Raised feet because floors were gross
  • Transported from castle to castle
  • Lid provides seating
51
Q
A

Strap-hinge door

with linenfold motif