Gothic fairies and Clothing

Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that lasted about 350 years. It began in France out of the Romanesque period in the mid-12th century, concurrent with Gothic architecture found in Cathedrals. By the late 14th century, it had evolved towards a more secular and natural style known as International Gothic, which continued until the late 15th century, where it evolved into Renaissance art. The primary Gothic art mediums were sculpture, panel painting, stained glass, fresco and illuminated manuscript.

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Gothic sculptures were born on the wall, in the middle of the 12th century in Île-de-France, when Abbot Suger built the abbey at St. Denis (ca. 1140), considered the first Gothic building, and soon after the Chartres Cathedral (ca. 1145). Prior to this there had been no sculpture tradition in Ile-de-France—so sculptors were brought in from Burgundy, who created the revolutionary figures acting as columns in the Western (Royal) Portal of Chartres Cathedral (see image)—it was an entirely new invention, and would provide the model for a generation of sculptors.

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Painting in a style that can be called “Gothic” did not appear until about 1200, or nearly 50 years after the start of Gothic architecture and sculpture. The transition from Romanesque to Gothic is very imprecise and not at all a clear break, but we can see the beginnings of a style that is more somber, dark and emotional than in the previous period. This transition occurs first in England and France around 1200, in Germany around 1220 and Italy around 1300.

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The Gothic language is an extinct East Germanic language, spoken by the Goths. It is the the Germanic language with the earliest attestation, primarily from the Codex Argenteus, a 6th century copy of a 4th century Bible translation. It is divided into three subgroupes: Western Gothic, Eastern Gothic and Crimean Gothic.