New Studies of the North Transept of Reims I: Archeology, Architecture, and Stained Glass
Sponsoring Organization(s)
AVISTA: The Association Villard de Honnecourt for the Interdisciplinary Study of Medieval Technology, Science, and Art
Organizer Name
Jennifer M. Feltman
Organizer Affiliation
Florida State Univ.
Presider Name
Nancy Wu, William W. Clark
Presider Affiliation
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Queens College and Graduate Center, CUNY
Paper Title 1
The Reims North Portal: The Evidence below Ground
Presenter 1 Name
Walter Berry
Presenter 1 Affiliation
Univ. de Bourgogne/CNRS
Paper Title 2
Changing Geometries in the Reims North Transept
Presenter 2 Name
Robert Bork
Presenter 2 Affiliation
Iowa State Univ.
Paper Title 3
Chronological Evidence in the North Transept Stained Glass of Reims
Presenter 3 Name
Meredith Parsons Lillich
Presenter 3 Affiliation
Syracuse Univ.
Paper Title 4
The Rose of the North Arm of the Transept of Reims Cathedral
Presenter 4 Name
Sylvie Balcon-Berry
Presenter 4 Affiliation
Centre André-Chastel, Univ. de Paris IV–Sorbonne
Start Date
12-5-2013 8:30 AM
Session Location
Fetzer 1010
Description
The design and building chronology of the north transept façade of Reims Cathedral continues to be one of the knottiest problems in this building’s history. Even to a casual viewer, the lack of uniformity is apparent and suggests that numerous changes were made in the course of its construction. This raises questions about the function of the portals and the reception of their sculptures that are further complicated by the fact that a cloister originally encumbered the façade, preventing the viewing of its three portals and their sculptures as a whole. Scholars since the time of Hans Kunze (1912) have debated whether or not some of the sculptures were originally intended for an abandoned plan for the west façade. While current opinion has tilted in favor of the north transept as their originally planned location, no consensus has been achieved. This session, the first of two, will address the archeology of the site, the geometries used in the transept architecture, and recent studies of the north transept stained glass.
Jennifer M. Feltman
New Studies of the North Transept of Reims I: Archeology, Architecture, and Stained Glass
Fetzer 1010
The design and building chronology of the north transept façade of Reims Cathedral continues to be one of the knottiest problems in this building’s history. Even to a casual viewer, the lack of uniformity is apparent and suggests that numerous changes were made in the course of its construction. This raises questions about the function of the portals and the reception of their sculptures that are further complicated by the fact that a cloister originally encumbered the façade, preventing the viewing of its three portals and their sculptures as a whole. Scholars since the time of Hans Kunze (1912) have debated whether or not some of the sculptures were originally intended for an abandoned plan for the west façade. While current opinion has tilted in favor of the north transept as their originally planned location, no consensus has been achieved. This session, the first of two, will address the archeology of the site, the geometries used in the transept architecture, and recent studies of the north transept stained glass.
Jennifer M. Feltman