CONTEXT

CONTEXT
The word "Gothic" comes from "godo" which means barbarian, it was used during the Renaissance with a pejorative sense to refer to the medieval art that they thought that had to be rejected in contrast to the Greco – Roman art which they did admired.
The Gothic developed since the end of the XII century until the beginning of the XVI century, except in Italy where the Renaissance started on the XV century.

In the XIX century during the romanticism the gothic style was revalued and considerated as one of the most artistic styles in Europe for the reason that it coincides with relevant facts produced in Europe such as the decadence of the Holy Roman Empire, the weakening of the feudalism and the rise of the monarchies that supported a new social class: The Burguesy, that emerged of the urban and trade development.
The transition from the economic and social feudalism system to the merchantilist system was produced because of the growth of factories and colonies caused by the increase of maritime trade that begun with the Crusades, the evolution of thinking and the creation of universities where the scholastic was taught, at the same time St, Francis of Assisi was spreading the defense of the real world and the valuation of nature, this naturalism imbued the gothic art. The Scholastic philosophy taught by St. Thomas related the light with divinity and also, as far as we know, the gothic esthetic was based on light, that is how this style found its base on God.
Gothic Architecture
The architecture is the artistic manifestation that defines, in the best way, the essence of the gothic art. Its edification by excellence is the Cathedral that reflect the religious beliefs of the society in that time.
According to Otto Von Simson, author of "Gothic Cathedral", the main characteristics of the Gothic were the use of the light and a close relation between structure and appearance, this second one refers to the way in which the esthetic system was subordinated structural system that is how the fresh art started to disappear.
The most typical architectural elements are:
The Piers: The most commonly used where the ones with a concrete central nucleus covered with stone and small columns attached around the pier that were the extension of the nerves.
The Nerves: They were the solution to smooth the irregular curves of the ribbed vault, nevertheless the introduction of these elements meant the end of the Romanesque purity because they created a division of the space transforming a totality style into a partiality one.
The Front: The Gothic was interested in the mathematical organization that characteristic can be appreciated in the "H" Form of the front which was flanked by two square towers ended in terraces topped with spiers that commonly ended in stylized arrows.
The Gables: Top made as a triangular pediment formed by two straight lines that meet at an acute angle. It emphasizes the verticality of the structure.
The Pinnacles: Decorative and constructive element built in a pier form, topped with a pyramidal or conical figure. It gives the impression of having a higher height that rises as it pretended to touch the sky in a mystic way. In addition, the pinnacles stabilized the resultant forces of the flying buttresses.
The Gargoyles: They worked as roof drainage to throw the rain water away from the walls so they don´t get ruin, they were also sculpted in a fantastic way to keep away the bad spirits