The Substance of Gothic: Six Lectures on the Development of Architecture from Charlemagne to Henry VIII

The Substance of Gothic: Six Lectures on the Development of Architecture from Charlemagne to Henry VIII is a book written by Ralph Adams Cram. The book is a comprehensive study of the Gothic architecture that developed in Europe from the time of Charlemagne to the reign of Henry VIII. The author has given six lectures in this book that cover different aspects of Gothic architecture, including its origins, development, and characteristics. Cram has also discussed the influence of Gothic architecture on other art forms, such as sculpture, painting, and literature. The book is written in a scholarly and informative style, making it a valuable resource for students and scholars of architecture, art history, and medieval studies. The Substance of Gothic is a classic work that has been widely acclaimed for its insights into the Gothic style and its impact on European culture.1917. From the Preface: I have called these lectures, given during the winter of 1916-17 in the Lowell Institute course in Boston, The Substance of Gothic, because in them an effort is made, though briefly and superficially, to deal with the development of Christian architecture from Charlemagne to Henry VIII, rather in relation to its substance than its accidents; to consider it as a definite and growing organism and as the exact and unescapable exponent of a system of life and thought antipodal to that of the modernism that began its final dissolution at the beginning of August A.D. 1914, rather than in the light of its accidents of form and ornament and details of structural design...This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.