Art In Architecture Essay Research Paper Architecture

Art In Architecture Essay, Research Paper Architecture is undeniably one of the most powerful forms of art. Buildings have the ability to loom in the distance when seen from afar. As you approach it more and more details can be seen. Minute intricacies such as stone quality, texture, and perhaps some ornate detailing become apparent. Even standing at a doorway can provide some involved feelings. Does the building seem to invite the viewer inside with elaborate carvings and an open view to the interior? Or does it intimidate the viewer with its massive proportions making them feel insignificant and trivial? When inside the architecture as a medium the viewer is surrounded by and grasped within its walls and ceiling. This quality is one unique to architecture because it is the

only form of art to totally surround its viewer with such magnitude. Whether one turns to the left or right, looks up or down, ceilings or walls are constantly presented to the viewer who stands amidst the intended space and substance. A line is drawn between buildings erected to serve a mere function and those which are made to integrate an influential quality into all who happen to see them often through use of extravagance. The latter can be propelled into greatness based on whether or not they are successful in carrying out with this vision set forth by their creators. This is what sets apart an ordinary building from an impressive and monumental wonder. It is interesting to note how a building is set apart from others of its time when this building is made to represent the

people as a whole. Of course this building will surpass the more ordinary ones juxtaposed within the city. Of course the society or ruler would like to put their “best foot forward.” The architectural wonders to be spoken of in these pages are just that because, on the simplest level, something about them has been intriguing to the world. This captivation has endured through the ages so as to elevate these structures beyond mere buildings and to the status of art. In this light, the buildings can now be admired quite like a painting or a sculpture in respect to the composition and placement of key components that come together to make the glorified whole. One significant part of any building is its door. How the interior is transferred into the exterior is very important.

Stepping through the doorway of a door is much like the thought of stepping between a portal in between two realms. One of the most graceful examples of this transition is illustrated through the Cathedral of Notre Dame of Paris’ north transept. A string of events and thoughts occurs to the viewer when approaching the gothic cathedral’s northern transept. We see the gigantic fa?ade of the Church. Curiosity invites us into the structure through the tremendous stained-glass rose. We see the rose, darkened because of the absence of light not coming from the inside of the church. Automatically, the mind imagines the point of view one would have from inside the cathedral while witnessing the light pass through the beautifully colored glass. Another way that we are invited to step

through the portal is through the fact that the portal offers a space that is not totally outside nor inside, providing a smooth transition. The portal has a roof so that if we walk under this roof we are not subjected to the elements and are not yet fully exposed to the splendor awaiting us inside. The portal becomes just this: a doorway between two universes, one of heavenly proportions and the earthly one that we leave behind as we walk in. Next, we are presented with the north transept door. As we look up we see the tympanum containing the story of the early life of Christ and the legend of Theophilus. The tympanum is made in a traditional style as far as tympanums go in the sense that it is made up of three layers, with the characters getting bigger as you go up. The history