New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-02-26
GOTHIC
It's History, Symbolism and Place
in Medieval Life.

c,r1rDRALs AND CLOISTERS OF
THE ISLE OF FRANCE. BY Elise
Whitlock Rose. With illustrations from
original photographs aPl x Iy ss !ca xii 49,
G. p Putnam's Sons.
These volumes complete the STUDY Oh
Erencb ecclesiastic Gothic architecture
begun by their author in her 'Cathedrais
and Closters of the South OF FRANCE
and continued in her work on those Vi
the Midi. Her progress northWaru lroii
the south is also chronologlcaiiy the cor
roof one. since the style followed the
same course in it's evolution from 's
early stages TO the maturity OF us loihi'
which probably marked also the mechah-
ical limits of its heavenward ASPIRATION.
Then came the "namboyant period Oh
accommodation, ana llhaIS 'ie
nseudo-classic. which marked the end OF
a glorious artistic period. Examples OF
Oh .bese stems i'm the history of Gothic
arcbitecture are found in its French
treasure house, the Isle de France,
grouped closely together at Paris AUX
ere. Noyon, MeauX, Laon, Ahlehs'
Cbartres. Beauvais, Sens, Senlis, Sois-
sons. Tours. Orleans; the pseudo-classlc
at Rlois. whose church of St Louis was
raised TO the rank of a cathedral by the
Pope at the request Of Louis ANl, Tor
the edification of the Huguenots so soon
to be expelled, and in that other church
consecrated to the salnted Bourbon
which Louis XIV built at Versailles.
dehased ending Of chronicle Of adora-
tion translated into the grandeur Of
beauty In order that the scope OF her
book might be made complete the author
has included the cathedrals of Bourges,
Troyes, Rheims and Rouen.
II is for the layman that she writes
She would lure him to an understanding
of the infinite interest of architectural
detail which, in the routine OF doing the
sights" recommended by his guide
book, the average tourist Is so apt TO
overlook She would teach him, having
eyes. to see truly and, seeing, to admire
She would disprove, for his own exceed
ing great profit, his superficial opinion,
so often heard, that ito see one or two
Gothic churches is to see them all, for
they are all practically alike
The better to do this, she shows us.
moreover, not merely the architecture in
its large outlines and its details. She
shows us also the cathedral as the CEN
| ire of the life of its ch-pter and OF the
| life of the people, whose Bible sacred
| legendary and book of fables, its sculpt-
ures. stained windows. tapestries and
paintings were in an unlettered age. She
traces their symbolism. simple, often
crude occasionally coarse, all the work
of religious teaching and influence,
massed about its portals and within its
uplifting spaces:
This important educational service which
sculpture rendered TO medieval Christianity
was continually In the minds OF its priests.
| What Holy Writ inculcates into the
| learned, pictures impress upon the gno-
| rant" exclaimed Hugh Of Saint-Victor.
| OF Scripture so the soul of the simple Is
| pleased with the simplicity OF pictures"
| Durandus, a Bishop OF Mende, writing in
| 1886, develops the same theme even more
| in churches" he begins, ARE the Scriptures
| and lessons OF the laity."
The author enters at length into the
symbolism OF Gothic or..amentation.
| which ultimately extended to the cathe-
dral itself. The edifice signified the
Church, Its towers the prelates. It's
door the Saviour its pillars the doctors
OF divinity. and SO on. Again. some