Chartres Cathedral
Entering cathedral through the central or royal portal, the eye is drawn to the awe inspiring ceiling. This is, of course, not unusual in a cathedral, since impressively high ceilings are used to point the way to heaven. The chairs have been removed from the aisle that leads to the apse; however, one is unable to precede directly down the aisle, as a floor maze forces visitors to wander the famous labyrinth of the Chartres Cathedral.
Upon completing the winding walk, guests could continue to the apse. Since the cathedral is laid out in a cruciform shape, visitors pass by the two transepts, right and left rectangular shapes of a cross. Pillars line the aisle stretching an incredible18 meters to the ceiling. Once in the nave, people can observe the vaulted ceiling (Chartres Cathedral of Notre Dame, 2007) which is 36 meters high with stained glass windows on either side.
Prior to entering the Cathedral, visitors will notice the unusual flying buttresses on the outside walls of the nave, created to support the extra tall vaulted ceiling. The astonishing stained glass windows are dark, but still light enough to allow guests to view “biblical stories, legends of the saints, the lives of heroes like Roland and Charlemagne, and scenes of everyday medieval life” (Chartres Cathedral: Stained Glass, n.d.).
More examples await us in the apse.
Giotto’s Arena Chapel Nativity Compared to Pisano in the Pisa Baptistery Pulpit
The Term Paper on Chartres Cathedral
The medieval Gothic cathedral was in many ways a civic building as well as a religious one. This particularly was the case with the famous cathedral Notre-Dame de Chartres (Our Lady of Chartres) in the town of the same name, 80km south-east of Paris, built in the 13th century. Chartres cathedral was planned not only as a place of worship, but also developed as the centre of the town's economy and ...
Giotto’s Arena Chapel contains the frescoes of the painter Cimabue Giotto. The fresco of the Nativity is a part of the story of the virgin. The story of the incarnation and infancy of Christ begins on the Chancel Arch and continues to the middle register.
The pulpit by Nicola Pisano is different from other pulpits in that it stands alone, not sharing a wall with a church. Thus the pulpit itself can be seen as a sculpture and is capable of being viewed from all sides. It is supported by columns. Three of the columns are sitting on carved lions. Nicola was known for creating “dignity in his portrayal of human forms” (Pisa Pulpit, n.d.).
The nativity is a relief panel based on a scene from the life of Jesus. The figures are mostly placed in the foreground and are quite realistic (poses, clothing etc.).
The figures of Mary and Jesus are repeated in an effort to represent several scenes at once.
Thus, the difference between the two scenes, other than their placement in very different pulpits is that Giotto’s is a part of a selection of scenes from the life of Christ, while Pisano’s contains many scenes from the life of Christ. The styles were different as well, in that Giotto’s was a fresco (painted directly on the wall), while Pisano’s was a carved relief.
Works Cited
Chartres Cathedral of Notre Dame, (December, 2007).
Retrieved December 2011 from
Chartres Cathedral: Stained Glass (n.d.).
Retrieved December 2011 from
Giotto, Arena Chapel, (n.d.).
Retrieved December 2011 from http://www.oneonta.edu/faculty/farberas/arth/arth213/arenachapel.html
Pisa Pulpit, (February 2004).
Retrieved December 2011 from http://www.slideshare.net/dneesio/late-gothic
