The Gothic architectural tradition emerged in France around 1130, and it flourished spectacularly for the century and a half that followed. Scholars have long recognized that French builders made dramatic progress in this period largely because they were competing to produce structures taller and more daring than any seen before, but the details of this architectural arms race have remained rather obscure, because the geometrical character of the Gothic design process has rarely been considered in this context. In this workshop, Professor Robert Bork (University of Iowa) will discuss his current work on this problem, showing how a geometrical perspective can help to explain developments such as the revision of the nave design at Chartres Cathedral, which seems to have been prompted by competition with Bourges Cathedral.

Space in this workshop is limited; please register here. Sponsored by the Harvard Art Museums, the Department of the History of Art & Architecture, and the Committee on Medieval Studies.