哥特艺术:1140-1500年中世纪的视觉艺术

by Rolf Toman

《哥特艺术》编辑推荐：“心总是处在忙碌状态，而且不幸的很少全然独处，所以人类创造图像以寻求内在的抚慰。因此，当我们亲眼目睹一幅绘画作品时，总会触及内心深处并将那份感动反映到我们眼前的作品上。”这段文字记录在13世纪一份最受欢迎的中世纪布道书中，而这段话受欢迎的时期正好切合《哥特艺术》所谈论的时间：哥特时期。在这段以视觉为主的年代，更多的是透过图像来帮助传达，目的就是要充分发挥视觉文化的价值。 作者采用全新的现代视觉方法，以独特的视角将艺术品还原到它所处的历史语境中，去探寻创作它们的初衷，研究那些给石头关注生命的哥特艺术家们及其作品，那些象征神圣的艺术品中所蕴藏的道德的真理，以及在那个神秘而庄严的时代宗教与社会形态之间的内在关系。 相较于那些兼具百科与学术性质的艺术史论著而言，作者摒弃了包括建筑、绘画、雕塑及工艺品在内的不同艺术流派作为独立研究对象的传统，突破教科书式离散的架构及叙述方法，以一种生动而特别的组织形式，新鲜而充满感性的文字，跨越时间与领域的界限，还原哥特艺术形成发展的过程，探讨建筑、绘画、雕塑间相互作用的关系。有趣的是，尽管时代是严肃的，但作者的叙述是轻松的。他以漫谈的方式向人们徐徐讲述了一段有关“哥特”的历史故事，展现了自12世纪至16世纪这近400年间哥特时期欧洲社会丰富的艺术生活及社会形态。 而阿希姆•贝德诺兹，这位将自己定义为“神圣处所的守望者”的天才摄影师，用他的相机成功地记录了当时这些艺术品最珍贵的原始画面。此次，他利用复杂先进的拍摄技术，最大限度清晰直观地再现了那些平日无法看到的艺术品原貌。他试图引领读者尽可能地“靠近”艺术品，甚至带来超越现实的感官享受。翻开每一页，扑面而来的震撼力如身临其境一般，酣畅淋漓地展示了艺术品的魅力。 在资深艺术史论编辑罗尔夫•托曼地带领下，德国专业团队10年心血凝结于此，在这近700幅精美图片中，不仅有整页或全跨页的显著的作品细节，甚至还有多幅长达四页的连续折页，可谓完整勾勒出哥特时期的艺术图景，为读者展示了万物濒于幽暗的哥特时期神学艺术的光辉。是为《哥特艺术》。

Genres: Art, Architecture, Nonfiction, Art History, History, Gothic, Reference

567 pages, Hardcover

First published March 28, 1999

About the author

Originally, Rolf Toman wanted to become a teacher but he spent the years following his second state exam working as a publishing editor at a large international publishing house. From 1992 onwards, he worked as an independent publisher for various international publishing houses. Publications on art history epochs were at the center of his work.

Reviews

[Clif · Rating 4 out of 5]

Browsing in the used book room of the local library, I spotted this heavy, thick book filled with marvelous photography for $6. What the heck, how can you beat that price!

I settled back in my reading position (slouched, actually) and begin to look at the remarkable stonework of Europe between 1150 and 1450. Realizing that I had no foundation for understanding what I was seeing, I decided to read the entire work, word for word, and now, 500 pages later, I can look at an archivolt, a tympanum, a quatrefoil, a clerestory and, yes, even a flying buttress, with new eyes.

This book is a collection of chapters from different authors, each a specialist in his/her area. Each reveals the techniques, historical setting and motivations behind the masterworks depicted. While studying the French cathedrals, I found a great website, mapping gothic, that allows you the visitor to roam through all of them by way of panoramic photography where you can pan and zoom high definition images, exploring details that even an actual visit might not allow.

I found that Googling would produce many pictures of the Gothic structures described, but none to compare with those in this book. The photographer, Achim Bednorz, is a master who brings out details in the lowest light levels. He captures the huge spaces of a cathedral as easily as he does the tiny figures within an altarpiece. There isn't a single photo in the hundreds presented that isn't perfectly exposed and fully revealing.

Repeatedly, I would turn a page to be astonished by the magnificence of yet another wondrous item I had not seen before. This book is a visual joy.

I haven't given the book five stars because the text is dense and detailed; something that might deter a casual reader who may prefer simply to browse and dive in on particular items of interest.

There are a few introductory diagrams to acquaint the reader with the component parts of a cathedral, but I found these not detailed enough or comprehensive. There is a glossary, but it would be wonderful to have the parts of a portal (doorway) shown because the text takes the reader deeply into architectural terms where one can lose one's way.

You can't go through without being awed that these structures have survived so many centuries, wars and earthquakes. It's fun to use Google streetview to see the surroundings today - particularly of the church of St. Denis in Paris, where the Gothic style began.

There are chapters on sculpture, painting and gold-work, but the bulk of the book is about the cathedrals that defined the age.

[Petra X · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a real coffee table book. It could sit in front of you, decorative in itself, and for more than a year you could look at a page or two every day and marvel at the wonderful architects and buildings of the past and the stunning photographers and their work in the present. Its the kind of book that only the very, very lucky get given for Christmas.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

If one stops to compare gothic architecture with modern architecture there would be no question as to whether or not the human race is devolving.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good solid resource for Gothic architecture.

Superb introduction. Toman outlines the intellectuals, political, and social pressures in play during the development of Gothic art and architecture in particular. On one hand there is Abelard, Suger, and St. Bernard battling theology representing the intellectual, monarchy, and pope respectively and on the other there is the French monarchy colluding with the Church to restrain feudal powers.

Toman's books have excellent color plates and an architectural bias. Divided geographically and then chronologically to explain the transitions visually and technologically.

[Xonrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This tome is THE bible of gothic architecture. It does cover paintings and sculptures of the period as well, but the vast majority of pages are about architecture and chapters are split into regions from Italy to the Germanic regions, Britain, back down to Spain.... and everywhere in between taking note of the periods too.

[Servabo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Gothic architecture of northern France was not taken up quickly in Central Europe. Once it had become established, however, it became almost indigenous. It is no surprise that Gothic architecture was for a long time thought to be a German creation. 19th century art history put paid to that idea, but in this cultural area Gothic art continued for some time to be seen as the natural expression of the German spirit.

The character of German Gothic architecture, often misinterpreted for a variety of reasons, is subtle. Gothic architecture did not primarily establish a completely new cathedral form, but rather a vocabulary for the development of a whole visual culture, one that enriched architecture and gave it a new depth. Of significance is the fact that, unlike French Gothic architecture, the Gothic architecture of Germany is not fully represented by cathedrals built in the Empire.

- Tracery is a decorative system of slender, intersecting stone bars which form a geometrical or flowing pattern in Gothic windows.
- Choir
- Vault

1) Alcobaca Church
2) Benedictine Abbey Church
3) Lincoln Cathedral
4) Ely Cathedral
5) Vincennes castle Chapel
6) St. Peter, Louvain
7) States Parliament, Barcelona
8) Salamanca Cathedral, Spain
9) Evora Cathedral, Portugal
10) Monastery of Santa Maria de Vitoria

[Bibliothecat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is, along with the author's other work on Baroque, the largest book I own. They are enormous and it is a good thing too: they are filled with beautiful photographs of architecture and art, especially the former. Gothic has always been my favourite style of architecture and it's absolutely stunning seeing these high quality photographs - it has a great print and colour quality making this an all around gem of a book.

[he chow · Rating 4 out of 5]

每次填補一個黑洞，信息量就會遞增十倍以上。
每次信息量遞增十倍以上的時候，
就會發現一百個新的黑洞出現在眼前。
開心是一瞬間的事，
絕望是撲面而來的嘆息。

Ars longa, vita brevis.
大體當人們著眼於崇高而永恆的東西，
人的一生是如此微不足道，
所有大小事不過是指甲長長、剪短，再長長，再剪短。

羅馬建造的大廈已經落成廢墟一片，
羅馬人傳承的文明之火卻永恆不朽。
東方人總是不去在意，
教堂建築的東西走向與西正門的意味。
「orientation」明明白白
定位在拉丁十字架上。

[Katarina · Rating 5 out of 5]

HRV: Pročitano za nastavu na faksu i korišteno u seminarima.

ENG: Read for my college classes and used for seminars.

[keiths · Rating 3 out of 5]

Više mi se svidjelo njegovo štivo o romanici.

[Megangoldberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't deny the pull I feel towards you. Let's see where this undeniable chemistry takes us.

[Robin Leach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pg 113 right, 145, 174, 175, 184 right, 200-201, 235, 236 right, 258, 299 right, 333, 360, 383, 423, 426-427 middle, 471 right, 474 upper, 478, 480, 481.

[Mike Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

For sheer scope this book is impossible to beat and the price keeps coming down. I have seen it in bookshops for as little as $15. How it is possible to avoid a loss with such high quality reproduction beats me.
The large format "coffee table" publication runs to over 500 pages and is crammed with excellent photographs of buildings dating from the beginning of the Gothic Period to the Renaissance.
The buildings are testimony to the brilliance of their age. They put a lie to the ridiculous notion that the medieval world was one of squalor, superstition and ignorance. The shift from the rounded Roman arch to the pointed Gothic arch required a leap of genius. Erecting such slender structures before the advent of reinforced concrete required engineering skills of the highest order.
My sole criticism of the book is that the language is clumsy and unintelligible in places. This may be the result of poor translation. Perhaps the original German is at fault. It is a minor quibble. Five stars.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is THE go-to book on all things Gothic. It's mostly architecture (obviously) but there's also a nice helping of sculpture work and paintings of the period as well. The photographs are fantastic and only help you appreciate all the finer points of the movement more.

[?0?0?0 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cannot count the number of times I've looked through this large, gorgeous book.
So much to love - no point in wasting peoples time.
Best someone find out on their own if they can find a cheap copy somewhere.

[Meikoningin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed on FB.

[Tosca Wijns-Van Eeden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in Dutch
A very interesting background on the Gothic era of art.

[keereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read

[Fernando Lichtschein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting reading but I think I will get back to it from time to time.