In the 13th and 14th centuries, the making and buying of art was increasingly concentrated in towns and cities. In the area around Paris known as the Ile-de-France, a new style of art developed. Because of its supposedly Germanic character, this style was called ‘Gothic’. In October 2003 – January 2004, the V&A hosted the exhibition 'Gothic: Art for England 1400-1547’.
Style Guide: Gothic
The Gothic style first appeared in the 12th century in the area around Paris. It quickly spread throughout Europe, and versions of the style were still in use as late as th…
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The Gothic Style
In the 13th and 14th centuries a new style of European art developed. It was later termed 'Gothic' because of its supposedly Germanic character
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Gothic architecture
The style of architecture we now call Gothic first emerged in northern France in around 1140. It evolved during the construction of great churches in the Paris region, in a…
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Room 9: The Rise of the Gothic 1200–1350
The Dorothy and Michael Hintze Gallery shows the development of the Gothic style in a wider social and cultural context.
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Gothic objects in detail
The late medieval period was a time of conspicuous artistic consumption. The monarchy, nobility and leading churchmen acquired the best works of art available, whether from…
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Gothic embroidery
During the middle ages embroidery was a popular way of decorating luxury textiles. The rich and powerful medieval Church owned huge amounts of embroidered textiles, often d…
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Gothic tapestry
Tapestries for interiors were very popular with the upper classes in the late middle ages. Rich tapestry owners liked large-scale scenes of aristocratic life, such as hunts…
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Medieval Monasteries
Christian monasticism developed in Egypt in the 3rd century when some Christians chose poverty and isolation as a way of getting closer to God. Communities copying the stri…
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Art & design in medieval Europe 1000–1200
Part of a chronological series of articles covering the period 300-1600, this article contains a brief overview of art and design in medieval Europe between 1000 and 1200. …
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Art & design in early Renaissance Europe 1200–1400
Part of a chronological series of articles covering the period 300-1600, this article contains a brief overview of art and design in early Renaissance Europe between 1200 a…
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Art & design in Renaissance Europe 1400–1500
Part of a chronological series of articles covering the period 300-1600, this article contains a brief overview of art and design in Renaissance Europe between 1400 and 150…
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The Devonshire Hunting Tapestries
These four 15th-century tapestries with hunting scenes came to the V&A from the estate of The Dukes of Devonshire. They probably belonged to the celebrated Countess of Shre…
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Gothic chalice from Tuscany
This chalice would have been used as a container for wine during the Catholic church service of Mass. An inscription indicates that it belonged to the Prior of the Guild of…
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Gothic architecture reading list
Recommended resources for the study of Gothic architecture.
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A gift in your will
You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.
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Tiles and Tilework (Paperback)
A lavishly illustrated survey of the use of tiles in interior design through the ages, from the Gothic through to Art Deco and the Omega Workshops in …
Buy nowEvent - Royal Courts of Justice
Wed 03 July 2013 14:00
The Royal Courts of Justice is one of the last great wonders of Gothic Revival architecture in England.
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