The Fabric of the Church: Textiles and the Interpretation of the Architectural Arts at Chartres Cathedral, c.1200–1224
View/ Open
GRAY-DISSERTATION-2017.pdf (18.12Mb)
Access Status
Full text of the requested work is not available in DASH at this time ("restricted access"). For more information on restricted deposits, see our FAQ.Author
Gray, Charlotte
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Gray, Charlotte. 2017. The Fabric of the Church: Textiles and the Interpretation of the Architectural Arts at Chartres Cathedral, c.1200–1224. Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.Abstract
This thesis examines the sculptural attention accorded textiles in the Confessors portal on the south transept façade of Chartres cathedral (before 1224). The six jamb figures of clerical saints exhibit such a high degree of physiognomic and material verism that the life-sized sculptures are often cited as mirrors not just of their patrons, but of their era. These figures, their socles and the reliefs that rise above them in the tympanum and voussoirs raise questions about the function of Gothic naturalism both in the clerical sphere and with regard to relationships between architectural sculpture and artistic media such as metalwork and textiles. The thesis accounts for the prominence of textiles in the portal by considering the sculptures from three contextual perspectives: 1) the role of verism in articulating spiritual history and identity in the first quarter of the thirteenth century; 2) the signifying function of textile ornament, especially within the archdiocese of Sens; and 3) cultures of clerical role-playing that relied on liturgical vestments for commentary on both clerical identity and the use of sculpture within the cathedral.Terms of Use
This article is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of-use#LAACitable link to this page
http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:41141551
Collections
- FAS Theses and Dissertations [5858]
Contact administrator regarding this item (to report mistakes or request changes)