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

Synopsis

“[A] lively biography of Chartres Cathedral . . . Ball’s account of its construction reveals fascinating details.” —The New YorkerChartres 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 work, Aventis Prize winner and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist 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, 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.“A terrific book . . . a lucid, thoughtful tour de force.” —The Christian Science Monitor“Engrossing . . . a resplendent account of the mysteries of Chartres Cathedral.” —Sunday Times“There is no better introduction to the subject.” —The Wall Street Journal

Copyright:

2008

Book Details

Book Quality:

Publisher Quality

Book Size:

338 Pages

ISBN-13:

9780061970078

Related ISBNs:

9780061154300

Publisher:

HarperCollins

Date of Addition:

03/05/25

Copyrighted By:

Philip Ball

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

History, Nonfiction, Art and Architecture, Religion and Spirituality

Submitted By:

Bookshare Staff

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.