AR300 Art History

Art History
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Entering the Chartres cathedral through the central portal towards the apse, one is amazed by the art around them. There are three façades all of which have three portals. The portals open into the nave through the west and into the transepts from the south and the north. The central portal is particularly larger as it was used for the major ceremony, while the other two which are much smaller, were used for the everyday activities in the community (Bluffton University, n.d.). The ceiling is the first aspect that stands out and is very appealing to the eyes. The ceilings are very tall and majestic, formed in a way that they seem to flow into the heavens. Walking down the aisle as one looks down; the eye is drawn to the famous labyrinth on the floor of the Chartres Cathedral.
The cathedrals structural plans are laid out in a cruciform and as one is through the circuitous walk heading towards the apse, you go past some two transepts. These transepts are made in the form of a rectangular cross, and are placed on the right and the left. Builders opted to use the columns that actually branch into arches, other than the normal solid wall which forms the ribbed vaulting of the cathedral. There are archivolts on the ascension portal with the zodiac symbols and the months’ labours and basically represents Jesus leaving the world. However, incarnation portal represents the entry of Jesus into the world. Along the length of the aisle, there are pillars that stretch in the ceili...