The Gothic Period (pt. 3)

Of course you all know about the horrendous Black Plague that caused a devastating number of casualties all throughout Europe.  This understandably put a halt on very much progress, and the recovery phase after this catastrophe took a while.  Then, in the following century, we see the invention of the printing press and arrive at the Renaissance, so get ready to party.

The Gothic Period (pt. 2)

Stained-glass windows become very popular.  This would have added to the already dramatic lighting found in churches (like Hagia Sophia).  Remember that light is a symbol of God's presence.  What better art could have been made at this time than art which could literally light up in the sun and radiate its colorful splendor in the church.

Another element added to churches was flying buttresses, which is a hilarious name for the supporting columns on the outside of the main infrastructure.  Quasimodo slides down Notre Dame's flying buttresses in the Disney version of Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The Gothic Period (pt. 1)

The Romanesque Period fades into the Gothic Period, which started in France.  The main elements of Gothic style are architectural.

The inside of a typical Gothic church looks something like this.

Gothic arches are pointed.  This plays into the tympanum style as well.  Here is a Gothic tympanum.