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Reim Cathedral.....I need a good research link for homework?

Im writing a short paper for an Art class and need to find a good link to explore the aesthetics of this cathedral.

The Gothic style of architecture evolved in the mid-twelfth century in France, specifically in the Parisian area. The cathedral, most characteristic of this architectural style, emphasized height, elegance, openness and light. The French Gothic cathedral created for the worshiper "a direct, emotional, ecstatic experience of the church as an embodiment of God's house, filled with divine light" (Stokstad, 235). The Church of Saint-Denis was one of the first buildings to portray a "fully integrated architectural whole that emphasized open, flowing space" (Stokstad, 235). Over the next few centuries, developments in style improved on the intentions of the Gothic style. "Windows are made wider and [longer]; daylight floods the nave; the curvatures of the vault ... seem to draw one upwards to the point of making one dizzy ... The entire structure is but airy open-work ... one expects it all to collapse at any moment yet it has lasted for centuries" (Deschamps). The Cathedral of Reims exemplifies the highest developments in Gothic style.

Built during the same period as Chartres and Amiens cathedrals, Reims Cathedral replaced a smaller Carlovingian structure that burned in May of 1210. Ground was broken in 1211 and the cathedral was significantly completed in less than half a century, an incredible time frame for such labor intensive construction. The choir was finished in 1241, when the first mass was held. Construction of the nave followed. Four architects supervised the project over the span of the century: Jean d'Orbais, Jean Leloup, Gaucher de Reims and Bernard de Soissons. A labyrinth in the nave pavement (destroyed in 1779) included each of their names. Statuary completed the structure in mid-thirteenth century. The large nave of Reims Cathedral, longer and loftier than that of Chartres, was needed to accommodate the large crowds present during the coronation of French kings.

The plan of the Cathedral follows the traditional cross shape of the earlier Romanesque pilgrimage church, with a three-aisle nave; transept, choir and ambulatory. Similar to Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Church of Saint-Denis in Paris, Reims features an ambulatory with radiating chapels, creating a free-flowing spatial environment. The elevation, constructed from soft limestone, is influenced by Chartres Cathedral and the nearby Church of Saint-Remi. The Cathedral rises three stories, from the ground floor arcade to the triforium and finally the clerestory, all of which is covered by a stone ceiling of traditional Gothic ribbed vaulting. The pointed arches of the arcade are echoed atop the colonnettes in the gallery or triforium, a narrow passageway open to the nave. The clerestory, designed to maximize light to the nave, features window arrangements "composed of two lancets surmounted by a small rose..." (Grove Dictionary of Art Online).

The west facade of Reims Cathedral features two large towers characteristic of French Gothic cathedrals, though these were added later in the fifteenth century. The facade is divided into four major sections: the ground level entrance of three portals, the window level centered by a large rose window, a third level of sculpture, and the towers. The portals of the west facade contain stained-glass tympana, or windows located over the doorways. The central tympana contains a rose window, the two adjacent each have a trefoil design. The "large traceried openings at the level of the rose windows" is an introduction to the Rayonnant style of extensive, delicate window openings later developed at Sainte-Chapelle (Grove Art). The high gallery consists of sculptures of kings, a reference to the Cathedral's coronation role.

Sculptural details enhance the Cathedral's interior and exterior. The main support pillars lining the nave are adorned with engaged Corinthian columns, similar to those at Chartres. What distinguishes the pillars at Reims, however, is a continuous capital surrounding the entire pier. "The first [details] to appeal to the sight are no doubt the garlands of foliage which form the capitals of the columns. Never before have French sculptors achieved a more perfect imitation of nature, a more accurate and faithful rendering of wild plants and leaves from the woods" (Deschamps). Small animals, realistic and fantastic, are also hidden in the foliage. The inner triple portal on the west end of the Cathedral is adorned with a group of figures in succession, framed by foliage with a stone imitation of tapestry below. These designs are echoed on the exterior side of the west facade, creating a "permanent decoration of carved foliage and sculptured tapestry ... always ready to welcome a new King" (Deschamps).

Sculpture on the west facade of the Cathedral at Reims deals mostly with the themes of the Resurrection. The central portal is dedicated to the Virgin, for whom the Cathedral was created, rather than Christ. The north portal portrays scenes of the Crucifixion, while the south portal "contains references to the Last Judgment, a theme otherwise significantly underplayed" (Grove Art). Three styles can be associated with sculpture on the west facade. The Visitation group is an example of classical style, whose "heavy figures have the same solidity seen in Roman sculpture" (Stokstad, 241). The Virgin Annunciate is executed in a style derived from Amiens Cathedral, and is the antithesis of classicism. The most important sculptural style from Reims, found in Mary and the angel of the Annunciation, features "[elongated] proportions, swaying hips, eloquent gestures and joyful expressions" (Grove Art). These tall, graceful figures with delicate features and minimal gestures became the standard for later Gothic sculpture and painting. The "Smiling Angel" of the Annunciation embodies a "calm happiness that does not belong to this world" (Deschamps).

The north entrance, used by the canons of the Cathedral, emphasizes "ecclesiastical hierarchy" (Grove Art). The Last Judgment appears again in the left portal and images of bishops, high priest and popes surround the central portal. Sculpture continued around the building atop buttresses and abutment piers.

Little of the original stained glass remained after WWII. It was probably completed in the thirteenth century, and focuses on the Cathedral's coronation importance, placing Kings instead of religious leaders, from the top of each window. "The French king was more than a secular political leader; he was an anointed priest, recognized as the head of the French Church and popularly believed to have miraculous healing powers" (Grove Art).

Reims Cathedral was built during the most highly developed period of French Gothic architecture. It follows the same basic plan and elevation as similar cathedrals at Chartres and Amiens, but is the most architecturally and sculpturally impressive. Because of its importance as a coronation church, Reims is covered in sculptural detail on both the interior and exterior. The sculpture of Reims, such as the Smiling Angel figure, portrays the way of life during the construction of the Cathedral. During this tranquil period, under the reign of Saint Louis, religious art and architecture reached its climax as can be seen at Reims Cathedral.

Bibliography

Deschamps, Paul. La Cathedrale de Reims. Paris: Musee National des Monuments Francaise, 1955.

Gothic Art.

Grove Dictionary of Art Online.

History of Gothic Architecture.

Stokstad, Marilyn. Art: A Brief History. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2000.