Gothic Era

Façade of Reims Chatedral France

This era lasted more than 200 years, it spread across Europe beginning with architectural triumphs in the 12th century (height of the middle ages). Europe at the time was seeking to move from the Dark ages and fine a new era of bliss, confidence and prosperity.Differed from the previous Romanesque and Byzantine art, a naturalist style was one of it's chief characteristics.

In the end of the Gothic period Italy had given rise to a new artistic movement the "Renaissance" meaning that the end of the Gothic period has a part overlap in time with both the Italian and Northern Renaissance eras of art.

Early Gothic Period

Simone Martini, Petrarchs's Virgil (title page)

Gothic style was in itself invented to enhance and explain religion in a grandiose way. Do to the face that most of the population was illiterate painting and sculpting became a way to communicate and teach Christianity to the masses. 

The first Gothic masters of art painted images that held mostly purity in spirit and intensity. Artists of the Gothic  included Cimabue (1240-1302), Duccio (1287-1318), Martini (1285-1344), and the two Lorenzetti brothers, Pietro and Ambogio. 

Innovation of the North

An international Gothic style had emerged though it divided into two different styles, North and South both had a distinctive style to their land. The south's style preludes the Renascence.

The north's style rejected the beautiful elegance that the traditional International Gothics. They produced works that for the viewer it was as if they were receiving a glimpse of heaven through painting. They placed their subjects in the midst of familiar domestic themes.

One of the earliest Northern innovators was Robert Campin (1406-1444 ). Other important artists were Jan van Eyck (1385-1464) and Rogier van der Weyen (1399-1464)

The Merode Alterpiece, Robert Campin, 1425-1428

Late Gothic Period

Mattias Grunwald , Second state of the Isenheim Altarpiece,Unterlinden Museum

The final noticeable change in the Gothic period was from the artist Mattias Grunwald( 1410-1528 ).  He exposed the truth about suffering in a harsh dark manner. The depiction of Christ on the cross ended the Gothic period. "a time of social and political upheaval, of Black Death and suffering." Next step was the Renascence."

Sources:

Christine Zibas. 2013. A Brief History of Gothic Art. [ONLINE] Available at: http://voices.yahoo.com/a-brief-history-gothic-art-4161655.html. [Accessed 08 April 13].

Wikipedia. 2013. Matthias Grünewald. [ONLINE] Available at:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthias_Gr%C3%BCnewald. [Accessed 08 April 13].