Video - Late Gothic Art and Architecture: England


 1. I selected Late Gothic Art and Architecture: England, 1400-1547. I’ve been to England before and I’ve visited some of the major cathedrals and castles there, so I thought I might learn some more about places I’ve visited. They’re so incredibly beautiful and we have nothing like them in the US.

2. The key concepts in this video were:                              

   - This period was a very politically turbulent time.                               

   - The role of the Church was a uniting factor across the different classes and factions, and even the different countries in Europe                                                                                                     

   - Members of the nobility and wealthy commoners would compete with one another, and towns would compete with one another, in terms of the artistic beauty of the houses of worship. It was considered a way to glorify God and help reduce the amount of time they’d spend in purgatory. Wealthy patrons would commission works that would include images of the patrons in them.                                                                                                                                               

   - Many artists were foreigners and many works of art were imported from other countries 

   - Members of the nobility and wealthy commoners would also compete in terms of the grandness of their houses – their architecture, sculptures, tapestries, etc.                                                          

   -  Much of the religious art that was created during this time was destroyed when Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church.

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text? – The text gave much more information on what differentiated different kinds of architecture; for example, the differences between Romanesque and Gothic architecture weren’t discussed in the video. The video games more information on the social context of art during this time, at least in England.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts? I liked this video. It was interesting to see how the politics and economics of the day led to competition which drove much of the creation of art during this time. It was also interesting to see the connections between the religious and political powers of the day in terms of patronage of the arts