The Gothic Age (approx: 1150 – 1500 A.D.) was a very controversial period of the Middle Ages. In fact, the very term “Gothic” has a complex history of its own. It was first used by Renaissance humanists in a derogatory sense to describe art produced between the decline of Classicism and its rebirth—from its emergence in the 12th century, to its decline in the 15th. They believed such interim art was barbaric, and looked upon it with disdain. It wasn’t until the Gothic revival in the late 18th century that the term, and the style, ceased to be abusive, and encompassed all medieval art up to the beginning of the Italian Renaissance. 

It was a time of enormous transition. No artistic style had ever permeated the world to such a great extent. By the mid-13th century, it had transformed European art, and a Gothic style was emerging in all media—painting, sculpture, and especially architecture. Over the next several centuries, this aesthetic spread across Western Europe where it continued to evolve, becoming the first truly international style.

Gothic art was never confined to a single, uniform style. It took on multiple variations and forms depending on local tradition and interpretation. Fundamentally, Gothic art was the artist’s desire to transport the audience to a more spiritual realm. In this respect, it was more of an ideology. 

The concept of space was dramatically reinterpreted during the Gothic period. Rather than an abstract definition of the term, it was quite literal, referencing what could be tangibly apprehended and measured. The most common spatial forms in Gothic art are the architectural changes. The complex interior of cathedrals was a synthesis of new technical elements—flying buttresses, thinner walls, and tracery windows were all implemented to create the effect of lightness and soaring vertically, as if reaching for the heavens. Another popular theme in Gothic art was serenity. The pointed arch and its three-dimensional version, the canopy, was meant to imply protection, and it is extremely rare to find any free-standing isolated statue without a canopy. The spatial envelop of the arch thus not only protects the figure, but elevates it to a certain ecclesiastical state. The only exception is gargoyles, whose isolation deliberate. Gargoyles sit upon the exterior of the church, jutting out, symbolizing their ejection from the church. 

The use of light in art was also prominent during the Gothic Age. Stained glass had been in use for centuries, but it was given a new emphasis.. Artists had a newfound appreciation for the ethereal nature of light, linking it to spiritual forms and ideas such as the creation of angels and the overwhelming presence of God. The interior of cathedrals became an ideal place to frame the dazzling stained glass images. Ornate designs of intense color filtered in light from the sun, creating a mystical energy that helped establish the sacred nature of the church.

The images artists portrayed were generally derived from biblical stories, but depicted as though existing in present day. They wanted to create a direct connection between the audience and the image, making the audience a direct participant in biblical history. Images of Christ were quite common as well. Early Christian art used iconography as part of the institutional framework of the church, making images of Christ part of the spiritual experience. Gothic artists tended to select images of Christ that highlighted his passion and teachings, especially those images that made it seem more accessible. 

Gothic art also provided a new way of perceiving nature. Artists portrayed man not just as an observer of nature, but as part of the fallen world. Like nature, man too experiences birth, growth, decay, and death. As nature was the work of God, so too was man. Gothic artists believed nature was a powerful force that represented the source of all life, and must be portrayed with the highest regard. 

Each element of Gothic art, from the architecture to the imagery, was designed as a form of spiritual communication. It allowed the viewer to use their own creative consciousness to achieve a greater understanding of not only the art, but of the world. This powerful era forever changed the way people conceived “art,” and the way images could embody an individual’s visual experience. Because of this, the Gothic Age should not be seen as one ideology that was replaced by a superior one, but as a very distinct way of seeing and understanding the world and the impact of art.