Palma de Mallorca Gothic Cathedral

When I was in middle school I remember my mom talking about how she would like to go to Spain one day and maybe even visit the gothic cathedral in Palma de Mallorca. So it was a big deal, but I guess I didn't care at the time.

Now that our class has studied gothic art, I decided to go back and research this cathedral and make my research a little more meaningful.

Construction started around the year 1300. 

In 1329 the stained glass windows created by Matteo di Giovanni were installed.

Construction was brought to a halt in 1498 as an incomplete project.

Towards the end of the XV century, construction was reinitiated. During the 17 and 18 centuries, the interior was influenced by the Baroque style, with painting and sculptures that appealed to those times.

 Even up to 1902, the Cathedral continued to be remodeled and maintained up to the necessary codes
 of the time. For example, several forms of light sources were added in the inside in order to better illuminate the interior.

The red thing at the top of the picture is actually a person! This just gave me a good idea of scale, I'm sure that if I were to walk in there the enormous open space would be overwhelming.

After having read the story and having looked at the pictures, I would very much enjoy visiting the Cathedral. I think it's interesting how buildings like these were constantly going under renovations or influenced by different architectural and artistic movements. These buildings hold so much history within its walls that all of a sudden they're not just churches anymore, but museums and the heritage of humanity. 

Sources:

Images retrieved from: http://catedraldemallorca.info/principal/es/multimedia/imagenes

Facts retrieved from: http://catedraldemallorca.info/principal/es/patrimonio/historia/2530-la-catedral-de-mallorca-historia

Chartres Cathedral

In the video, they mentioned that damaged glass pieces are replaced in stained windows, do they keep the pieces?

I loved the concept of placing the apocalyptic stained glass windows on the west side of the building. I enjoy christian thinking when it comes to art.

Relics and Reliquaries

I am very fascinated by Christian art. The stories of the bible and its characters were the source of inspiration to many artists, and so many forms of art were used such as stained glass, sculpture, painting, and architecture. Christianity made art take a different direction, and it continues to influence art today.

I had never heard of relics and reliquaries until last spring. The concept of it was kind of odd to me, but I love how these relics were stored in sculptural containers, making the whole concept of a relic more spiritual.

These are some examples:

Chasse of Champagnat, ca. 1150
French; Made in Limoges
Gilded copper and champlevé enamel

4 7/8 x 7 1/16 x 3 3/8 in. (12.4 x 18.9 x 8.5 cm)

Arm Reliquary, 13th century, with 15th-century additions
French
Silver, silver-gilt, glass and rock-crystal cabochons over wood core

20 5/16 x 6 1/4 x 2 15/16 in. (51.6 x 15.8 x 7.4 cm)

Reliquary of Mary Magdalene, 14th and 15th century
Made in Tuscany, Italy
Gilded copper, gilded silver, rock crystal, verre églomisé

Overall 22 x 9 3/8 x 7 15/16 in. (55.9 x 23.8 x 20.2 cm), roundel 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm)

Relics are pieces of bone or garment of a saint. A reliquary is the container that holds the relic. Reliquaries took different forms. Some would be pendants, elegant shrines, body forms or specific body parts. The earlier ones were made in the form of caskets with decoration of the saint's story.

 

During the time of Charlemagne, it was obligatory that every altar contained a relic.The purpose of relics was to sit on the altar and be of spiritual prescence during a mass. Those reliquaries in the shape of an arm were also used to bless people or heal the sick. 

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/47.101.33

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/17.190.685

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/17.190.504

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/17.190.353