Universe of Stone: Chartres Cathedral and the Invention of the Gothic

by Philip Ball

Overview

“A lively, open-ended study of the building of Chartres Cathedral. . . . Ball puts the fun back in medieval scholasticism.” —Los Angeles Times

Chartres Cathedral, south of Paris, is revered as one of the most beautiful and profound works of art in the Western canon. But what did it mean to those who constructed it in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries—and why was it built at such immense height and with such glorious play of light, in the soaring manner we now call Gothic?

In this eminently fascinating work, author Philip Ball makes sense of the visual and emotional power of Chartres and brilliantly explores how its construction—and the creation of other Gothic cathedrals—represented a profound and dramatic shift in the way medieval thinkers perceived their relationship with their world.

Beautifully illustrated and written, filled with astonishing insight, Universe of Stone embeds the magnificent cathedral in the culture of the twelfth century—its schools of philosophy and science, its trades and technologies, its politics and religious debates—enabling us to view this ancient architectural marvel with fresh eyes.

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061154300
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	07/28/2009
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	575,556
Product dimensions:	6.08(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.96(d)

About the Author

Philip Ball's book Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award; his Critical Mass: How One Thing Leads to Another won the UK's Aventis Prize. He is a consulting editor for Nature magazine, and he lives in London.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements vii

Introduction 1

1 The Isle Rises Chartres in the Kingdom of France 8

2 A Change of Style The Invention of Gothic 23

3 Heaven on Earth What is a Cathedral? 52

4 Seek Not to Know High Things Faith and Reason in the Middle Ages 69

5 Building by Numbers Science and Geometry at the School of Chartres 100

6 Masters of Works The Men Who Planned the Cathedrals 136

7 Hammer and Stone Medieval Masons 170

8 Underneath the Arches House of Forces 193

9 Holy Radiance The Metaphysics of Light 233

10 Hard Labour How the Cathedral Rose 256

11 A New Beginning The First Renaissance 281

Architectural Glossary 292

Notes 296

Bibliography 309

Index 317

Editorial Reviews

A lively biography of Chartres Cathedral. . . . Ball’s account of its construction reveals fascinating details . . . and evokes its raison d’être.” — The New Yorker

“Ball brings to light a largely forgotten phase of human understanding. It is a considerable achievement.” — Peter Ackroyd, The Times (London)

“There is no better general introduction to the subject... [Ball’s] account is bold and plausible.” — Wall Street Journal

“Lively...Ball puts the fun back in medieval scholasticism...seems as much at ease on the medieval building site as in an abbey library.” — Los Angeles Times

“A terrific book…A lucid, thoughtful tour de force…A fascinating book with important insights and observations on every page.” — Christian Science Monitor

“Anyone who has been thrilled by the great Gothic cathedrals will revel in this study of both the spiritual and architectural qualities of those medieval wonders. Ball’s passion, sharp critical mind, and fluid prose open a window onto the remote, alien world we call the Middle Ages.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Ball leaves no stone unturned . . . A revelatory look at a seminal period in art history.” — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

There is no better general introduction to the subject... [Ball’s] account is bold and plausible.

Wall Street Journal

Lively...Ball puts the fun back in medieval scholasticism...seems as much at ease on the medieval building site as in an abbey library.

|Los Angeles Times

A lively biography of Chartres Cathedral. . . . Ball’s account of its construction reveals fascinating details . . . and evokes its raison d’être.

The New Yorker

A terrific book…A lucid, thoughtful tour de force…A fascinating book with important insights and observations on every page.

Christian Science Monitor

A lively biography of Chartres Cathedral. . . . Ball’s account of its construction reveals fascinating details . . . and evokes its raison d’être.

The New Yorker

There is no better general introduction to the subject... [Ball’s] account is bold and plausible.

Wall Street Journal

Lively...Ball puts the fun back in medieval scholasticism...seems as much at ease on the medieval building site as in an abbey library.

Los Angeles Times