Practice question · Select all that apply
Why is a Gothic cathedral described as an "encyclopedia of the illiterate"?
Hints
- The imagery formed a complete system of knowledge.
- Its whole point was accessibility without literacy.
Show the answer
- A. Programs cover saints, months, labors, and the liberal arts
- C. The imagery let non-readers access the culture’s knowledge
- D. Windows and sculpture narrate scripture in readable sequences
Why
Chartres alone carries some 176 windows and thousands of figures, a total system of knowledge for people who could not read a word of it. Carved Latin translations, of course, would have missed the point entirely.
Practise Medieval Art and Architecture
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More questions on Medieval Art and Architecture
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