Take a deep breath and dive in this is a long lesson plan! Perhaps Romanesque and Gothic architecture could be done in less time, but not by me. I have tried in the past to cut it down but I never loved the results. Medieval Europe is my specialty and absolute favorite, so that plays a part in my preference, but I also use this lesson to set up much of the historical context of medieval European Catholicism so it pays dividends. But if you do not have 200 minutes (2 of my block periods) to cover this material, I will offer suggestions on things to skim.
Images included in this lesson:
58. Church of Sainte-Foy. Conques, France. Romanesque Europe. Church: c. 1050–1130 CE; Reliquary of Saint Foy: ninth century CE, with later additions. Stone (architecture); stone and paint (tympanum); gold, silver, gemstones, and enamel over wood (reliquary).
60. Chartres Cathedral. Chartres, France. Gothic Europe. Original construction c. 1145–1155 CE reconstructed c. 1194–1220 CE. Limestone, stained glass.
I don’t use my textbook often but this lesson I do; my textbook is Gardner’s Art through the Ages: A Global History, 15th edition.
Block Day 1 (100 minutes)
I start off having students the article “Relics and Reliquaries in Medieval Christianity” from The Met (here is my modified version of it). Instead of writing notes, I want them to predict on a post-it note how they think the things they learn about in the article affects art and church architecture. (To spice up the reading I project an image of the head of St. Catherine of Siena, google it, you’ll see why it is captivating.)
This article provides a natural transition to the reliquary of St. Foy. I usually have students read a short section in the textbook on it, but a lecture can also be used here. If my students read independently, I also have a regrouping session to share notes afterwards. And what a perfect opportunity to circle back or preview how Hindu deity statues are used in processions; yes, the theology is different but it is a thread of comparison.
Podcast Connection: I am a paid subscriber to the phenomenal new podcast American Medieval and one episode had a fantastic bit on St. Foy relating her to people’s relationship to their natural environment. It definitely made me what to read her hagiography. Check out the episode “Medieval Penguins with Ellen Arnold”!
After spending some time with medieval Catholic theology around saints and relics, I move on to the architecture because the shift from Early Christianity to Romanesque Christianity also affected church construction. By this point, I have already taught Santa Sabina so this is a great opportunity to review the church architecture vocabulary to should know. I give a handout for students to label, one side has the architectural plan of St. Foy and the other side has Chartres Cathedral. While reading the textbook section about Romanesque churches in general I ask them to label the plan and note the function of any new spaces in the church. And then, ask them to compare St. Foy with Santa Sabina and connect what they learned from the article from the beginning of class on relics and reliquaries and changes in Christian theology to discuss the question: What has to change to accommodate the pilgrims?
Read more: AP Art History 250: Church Vocabulary
And now on to the tympanum (remember I told you to buckle up for this lesson!?). I also give them a half sheet of the tympanum for them to label (I am not collecting any of these handouts, they are resources for them to use how they wish). Unfortunately, the tympanum video on Khan Academy is on a different Romanesque church and one year I showed that video but it really threw the kids off. I found this video instead. I start with the video first and then do a verbal check for understanding as a whole class afterwards. After the video present them with this question: Why is this an appropriate subject for a pilgrimage church? If you wanted to skip this, you could just lecture on the tympanum iconography yourself.
By this point in the period, I usually have 20-30 minutes left to start gothic architecture but I hate not having a smooth close to class so I make sure to hit a good stopping point before block day 2. I have students flip over their architectural plan to the Chartres Cathedral side and compare the two, labeling the backside with the words they know and noting new developments. Many students are visually familiar with the vibes of Gothic architecture (hello The Hunchback of Notre Dame) so they have a lot to share. I don’t worry about getting all the new vocabulary in today, that is for day 2. I then show the west portal doors and, likewise, compare the subject matter on St. Foy’s tympanum with these. I address the content of the portal doors and we wrap up for the day. Note: last year I told the kids they were watching an hour long documentary the next day, and they coordinated to bring in snacks all on their own – it was adorable. I plan on telling them again and welcoming students bring in snacks for “movie time.”
Read more: AP Art History: Pilgrimage
Block Day 2 (100 minutes)
I start this day with a one hour documentary, Chartres Cathedral: Sacred Geometry. It is from 2003 so now quite “old” but it really does a great job showing them the importance of the feeling inside gothic cathedrals. I have played around with this lesson for many years, but the years I have not shown this specific documentary, I have deeply regretted it. There is a version of it on youtube but I have the DVD (which isn’t cheap!). I created questions to go with the DVD to highlight the things I want to focus on.
Teaching Note: if you are short on time you can totally skip this film and instead teach the architecture vocabulary via lecture or another method. I totally respect that an hour is a long time to spend on this. I put together a super simplistic comparison document for Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals that can help speed up the teaching.
After the video I give the students about 10 minutes to transfer important notes onto their notecards; this is also a chance for them to ask any clarifying questions especially with all this new vocabulary. To wrap up the lesson, we transition to stained glass! The Notre Dame de la Belle Verrière window is the specific one in the 250 so I choose to focus on that one for iconography. By this point in the year the students should be familiar with Christian symbolism, and sometimes I have already done my lesson on the Bible moralisée (Blanche of Castile is the patron of this window). Because the documentary does not touch upon how stained glass is made, I make sure to show this video below so students can add that to form on their notes.
Read more: Student Series! Stained Glass & Gargoyles
Depending on my timing at this point, sometimes I can squeeze in an FRQ; either just reviewing the format of a sacred spaces comparison question or having them write a full essay. I try to incorporate FRQs often, even if they don’t write it having them come up with a thesis statement as an exit slip on a post-it note is a great follow-up to everything they have learned over these past 2 days.
JMF
