Gothic Sculpture

Paul Binski's study explores sculpture in England and northwestern Europe between 1000 and 1500, examining how it conveyed information and created experiences for its audience. He argues that all materials have a "poetic" quality and that surface effects, ornament, color, variety, and discord served various purposes.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 03 May 2019
Publisher: Yale University Press

This captivating exploration of sculpture in England and northwestern Europe between 1000 and 1500 delves into the realm of persuasion through the lens of Romanesque and Gothic art. Paul Binski, a renowned art historian, presents a fresh perspective on this artistic period, employing rhetorical analysis to examine a diverse range of stone and wood sculptures sourced from renowned locations such as Wells, Westminster, Compostela, Reims, Chartres, and Naumberg. Binski's argument goes beyond mere information transmission, suggesting that medieval sculpture not only conveyed facts but also created immersive experiences for its audience. While acknowledging the intellectual aspirations of Gothic art, Binski proposes that surface effects, ornamentation, color, variety, and discord served multiple purposes, contributing to the overall aesthetic and emotional impact of the sculptures. In a critical critique of recent affective and materialist accounts of sculpture and allied arts, Binski advocates for a reevaluation of the role of human intentionality and artifice in shaping materials. He posits that all objects, including sculptures, possess a "poetic" essence, imbued with meaning and significance. By delving into the imagery of growth, change, and decay, as well as the powers of fear and pleasure, Binski encourages us to employ the language and ideas of the Middle Ages in a close reading of artifacts. This study, published in association with the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, offers a profound and thought-provoking exploration of sculpture's role in shaping cultural and artistic narratives during the medieval era.

Weight: 1242g
Dimension: 201 x 266 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300241433