GOTHIC. Architecture Sculpture Painting

The awesome diversity of a fascinating epoch of European art and culture ispresented in this wide-ranging illustrated volume. It presents the historyof Gothic architecture from its origins and blossoming in 12th-centuryFrance through its dissemination in all of Europe; and an in-depthdiscussion of the most diverse art forms, including painting, sculpture,metalwork and book illumination. It includes individual essays on specialthemes such as heresy or the Cathars, the development of cities or thePapal Palace in Avignon. It is richly illustrated with photographs, mostof which were taken specifically for this book. The Gothic period is oneof the first epochs in art history from which artworks of all kinds havebeen preserved: from cathedrals, castles and palaces to masterfulpaintings and the most filigree works of goldsmiths, this volume displaysthe breadth and richness of a unique craftsmanship. Specific contributionsdelve into the development of Gothic architecture in France, as well as thenational characteristics it took on from Spain and Portugal to northern andeastern Europe.