Page 34 - Gothic
P. 34
sCulPTure
MOnuMenTal sCulPTure
The Gothic period is essentially in the round, as became usual as
defined by Gothic architecture, Gothic spread across Europe. Bam-
and does not entirely fit with the berg Cathedral has perhaps the
development of style in sculpture largest assemblage of 13th centu-
in either its start or finish. The fa- ry sculpture, culminating in 1240
cades of large churches, especially with the Bamberg Rider, the first
around doors, continued to have life-size equestrian statue in West-
large tympanums, but also rows of ern art since the 6th century.In
sculpted figures spreading around Italy Nicola Pisano (1258–78) and
them.The statues on the Western his son Giovanni developed a style
(Royal) Portal at Chartres Cathe- that is often called Proto-Renais-
dral (c. 1145) show an elegant but sance, with unmistakable influence
exaggerated columnar elongation, from Roman sarcophagi and so-
but those on the south transept phisticated and crowded compo-
portal, from 1215–20, show a more sitions, including a sympathetic
naturalistic style and increasing handling of nudity, in relief panels
detachment from the wall behind, on their pulpit of Siena Cathedral
and some awareness of the clas- (1265–68), the Fontana Maggiore
sical tradition. These trends were in Perugia, and Giovanni’s pulpit
continued in the west portal at in Pistoia of 1301.Another revival
Rheims Cathedral of a few years of classical style is seen in the In-
later, where the figures are almost ternational Gothic work of Claus
