Canterbury

Stories in the Stained-Glass Windows

Whenever I hear that some famous person probably walked exactly where I am walking in museums, galleries, or restaurants, I have a hard time believing it. The linoleum floors look just as shiny as they did before and I feel no powerful presence left behind. As I walked up steps indented over time by hundreds of pilgrims wanting to see the Canterbury Cathedral for its miracles, I felt that presence. This was not the powerful presence of one, but many. People from all different backgrounds and all across Europe came to this one place, sometimes undergoing many trials. Some never arrived at all (I say that looking at Chaucer’s famous The Canterbury Tales—a text that I have read at least three times by now). I had achieved what Chaucer’s characters were unable to do and have left my mark on the stone that have already been eroded by so many before me. …And I’m just a wee English major.

While in England, we visited four amazing churches: the Manchester Cathedral, the York Minster, the Westminster Abbey, and, of course, the Canterbury Cathedral. Each one presented its unique charm and can easily be called marvels of medieval architecture. I held my breath entering each churches’ immense halls and was enamored by the history they held. Crypts and chapter houses presented something that was unlike anything I had seen before in churches. These churches are still in action today meaning people can come in for services, just like people hundreds of years ago would have.

As an art enthusiast and medieval fantasy writer, these churches were a feast for the eyes and imagination. Designed with Gothic aesthetics, they comprise of many small details. While waiting for friends or taking a break in an unsuspecting corner, I often found myself next to small carvings of dragons, flowers, and demons that would have been easily overlooked if I hadn’t stopped then and there. Since churches are built over the span of many years, the different aesthetics of the time shine through, making these structures the ultimate work of collaboration.

My favorite part when it comes to the designs of the churches however has to be the stained-glass windows. They are a dash of bright color, a symbol of light, and a story. No, really! This where the term “story” comes from when we refer to the height of buildings as stained-glass windows are meant to be read from the bottom to the top. It’s such a unique way of telling religious tales, regulating natural light, and honoring the creativity of artists at the time. I was particularly fascinated by the Great East Window depicting the Biblical story of creation at the York Minster which took ten years to renovate by 2018 (definitely worth it) and the Miracle Windows in the Canterbury Cathedral which depicts the many miracles of St. Thomas Becket. The latter windows display their stories in circles, which was unique from the other churches, and were in stunning condition. I am thankful to have been able to see these churches with such an amazing group for the creative inspiration they gave me and the history they held. Should you find yourself in England and wish to embrace your inner art/history enthusiast side, I highly recommend checking out a church. You never know what you’ll find!

Thank you for reading!

Teodora Buzea

The Gothic vs. the Classical

As someone who has long been in love with the Classical, seeing Medieval art and learning about how much they wanted to distance themselves from the Classical was especially interesting for me. At first, I was like “why would anyone want to distance themselves from Classical art?!” It’s beautiful, realistic (though idealized, but that’s a different conversation), detailed, and magnificent. But this course allowed me to physically walk through Medieval architecture and see face-to-face Medieval artwork…I was just immersed in the Gothic, something that I had not previously been so invested in. And it is magnificent in its own light. The pointed peaks and angles of the cathedrals, specifically the one I attached here in Canterbury, and the colorful and intricate stained glass were so impressive. Similarly to seeing ancient works, I was just wondering how in the world did they build massive and detailed cathedrals? How long did it take to paint the stained glass windows? It was spectacular walking through the artwork that paved its own cultural road, that being away from the Classical.

And through that immersion and learning more about the individuality of Medieval art I was finally able to understand why Medieval England made it such a point to carve their own style: to create something new, something uniquely English. The British Empire had been, and still was at the time, a powerful global force. The British had taken control of many parts of the world, and through that colonization had taken bits and pieces of other cultures and thus integrated that into their own culture. And of course, in the Western world I would argue that the greatest influence was the art and architecture of Ancient Greece (and Rome, though I think Rome ripped Greece off and got all the credit). Greek art and architecture had become so ingrained in Western culture in general, that the West kind of became synonymous with the Greek influence. But Britain wanted something different from the Classical; they wanted to forge new styles of art and architecture (aka the Gothic, as represented beautifully in Canterbury) and assert their own influence not only as conquerors, but as the bearers of a new cultural style. And I will say, looking at the Gothic versus the Classical today, the British achieved their goal. The high pointed ceilings in the cathedrals look nothing like the column-filled, open and airy temples of the ancient world. And the angular faces surrounded by colorful scenery and robes painted on the stained glass do not resemble the mythical carvings of the ancient world either (specifically, I included photos of the Elgin Marbles and what remains of the Pediment, both from Ancient Greece and now housed in the British Museum). The one stark similarity between the artistic styles is the influence of religion. The Elgin Marbles tell mythical stories and depict gods and mortals in battle, but the stained glass in the Canterbury Cathedral also tells a religious story. The stained glass depict the hierarchy of important religious figures and display biblical stories brought to life through art.

I have wanted to see the Elgin Marbles and the Pediment since I was 12, and seeing them was an out-of-body experience for me. But after walking through the spectacular creations of the Medieval Gothic style, I was absolutely just as impressed as I have been with the Classical for all these years. I’ve gained a great appreciation for Gothic art as a result, and I love seeing the differences between the Classical side-by-side.

— Anna Bender

Canterbury!

Unlike Chaucer’s Pilgrims, we finally made it to Canterbury. Here we were joined by the brilliant Dr. Leone Hicks, and saw the place of martyrdom of St. Thomas a’Becket.