‘Pugin_and_the_Revival_of_the_Gothic_Tradition’

AA100-TMA04, Option 2 ‘Pugin and the Revival of the Gothic Tradition’ Essay Plan Title: In what ways did Pugin dissent from tradition' Introduction: Refer to question. State what the essay will look at. Give my argument – Pugin dissented from some tradition but was also a traditionalist. Paragraph 2: Pugins dissent from classical/protestant architecture and design. Show this by giving comparison between the classic and gothic. Use plate 2.4.8 for evidence Paragraph 3: Pugins dissent from concepts held about architecture/design. Explain that classic/tradition focused on aesthetics of building, whereas Pugin introduced new theories. These are: a) Relationship between architecture and society b) Relationship between architecture and surroundings c) The concept of ‘Propriety’ Using his artwork and writings for evidence. Paragraph 4: Give opposing view of Pugin as a ‘radical traditionalist’. Explaining that his personal view makes him a traditionalist yet his way of thinking makes him a radical. Refer to St. Chad’s (traditionalist) and Functionalism (radical) Conclusion: Summarise points and arguments. Put in MacNiece quote to justify my argument. Word count and bibliography. Essay Title: In what ways did Pugin dissent from tradition' The following will aim to explore the ways in which Pugin dissented from tradition. This will be illustrated by exploring Pugin’s traditional views of architecture and comparing them to the classical architecture that had been prevalent since the Reformation. Then it will look at Pugin’s theories, concepts and values which differed from those in the neo-classical and Protestant society. In addition to this, the assignment will consider Pugin as a ‘radical traditionalist’ (McKeller, 2008, p.131) and the legacy he left for the future generation. All these points indicate dissent. Pugin was both a traditionalist and dissented from tradition. Since the Reformation in the sixteenth century, classical architecture had generally been seen as traditional design for buildings and more so Protestant churches. Deriving from ancient Greek and Roman architecture, Pugin stressed that this kind of architecture was essentially pagan. One definition of the word ‘pagan’ is, ‘[something] that is irreligious’ (Collins dictionary, 2005). Pugin, a converted Catholic, wanted to return to what he called ‘true Christian architecture’, (McKeller, 2008, p.120). In other words, he felt that gothic architecture and design was typical of fourteenth and fifteenth century ecclesiastical buildings. This is shown in the illustrations of his publications, most notably in Contrasts (1836). For example, in his artwork of contrasting churches, Pugin shows two nineteenth century churches, one in the gothic style, and one in the classical style, (Illustration Book, 2008, p.65). The classical architecture on the left hand side of the illustration is John Nash’s All Souls Church in Langham Place. The design consists of a semi circular façade supported by eight rounded columns. The design is emulated on the top of the building supporting the church spire leading up to a pointed but short and again, round spire. The church is difficult to see but in general appears to be secular. The gothic architecture on the right hand side of the illustration is Redcliffe Church in Bristol. By strong contrast, its form is perpendicular. There are many pointed arches and windows making the building appear tall and narrow. The steps that lead up to the church add to the feeling of elevation. The main difference is the dominant spire of the church. It has flat sloping angles which lead up to the top point yet, unlike Nash’s church, this point cannot be seen as it soars off the page. Pugin may have done this to suggest that this type of architecture was nearer to heaven therefore symbolic of being closer to God. Whilst Nash’s church is shown as quite plain, simple and small, Pugin’s design is on a much larger scale, incredibly elaborate and shows his preference for gothic or pointed architecture. By examining Pugin’s artwork in Contrasts you can see his dissent from the classical style of ancient Greece and Rome and what was known in the early nineteenth century as traditional architecture. Another way Pugin dissented from tradition was his introduction of new theories, stressing the importance of how architecture relates to both society and its surroundings. In Contrasts, Pugin showed a Catholic town in 1440 and the same town in 1840, (Illustration Book, 2008, p.68). The idea was to show how it had changed overtime and the effect it had on the landscape and environment visually. The 1440 town is made up entirely of gothic style churches and spires that dominate the skyline. There is also an emphasis on the space still vacant on the land. The Catholic town takes up over half of the page leaving little room for the modern town. McKeller suggests that this was to show ‘verticality’ and perhaps, as proposed above, to symbolize the closeness to ‘heaven’ (2008, p.127). The 1840 town consists of more secular buildings, for example town, concert and science halls. The skyline here shows no spires but instead smoking factory chimneys. There is hardly any space generating a feeling of overcrowding. Pugin’s lithograph of ‘Contrasted Residencies for the Poor’ (Illustration Book, 2008, p. 69) demonstrates the relationship between architecture and society. The medieval(or ancient) town shows a great sense of community life with the church at the centre of all wisdom and help for the poor whereas the modern towns emphasises the lack of help and the harsh realities of the day, for example, the very basic food and the enforcement of discipline. McKeller claims that Pugin’s argument was ‘that the physical and social unity of the medieval city has been replaced by the chaos and disorder of [the] modern’ (2008, p.127). Pugin clearly favours the Christian hierarchal society, its traditional values and how relationships within the small society were important. Pugin continued with new theories in his later publication ‘The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture (1841). He strongly argued that a buildings structure and its ornamentation should function as one. Pugin called this ‘Propriety’. The idea was that the buildings parts should be to clear to see and distinguish. For instance, in gothic churches, the flying buttress supports roof structures but if highly decorative they would fit in with the rest of the gothic style. This is opposed to the classical tradition that buttresses should be hidden or covered. He proposed that all decoration must be for function, ‘Bolts, nails, and rivets, so far from being unsightly are beautiful studs and busy enrichments, if properly treated’ (Pugin, 1841, in McKeller, 2008, p.130). This proves his dissent from architectural tradition as classical architecture focused on the ascetics and visual effects of a building. A conflicting view of Pugin as a dissenter might be that he is a radical traditionalist. His highly polemic writings revealed his pure hatred for the current architecture and its importance within society. He rants in True Principles of how the spiritual side of the church had been degraded through tourism and commercialism however, he writes with respect and awe of a time that had long past. He called the churches that stood pre-reformation ‘splendid monuments’ and ‘most deserving’ (Pugin, 1841, in McKeller, 2008, p.144). Furthermore Pugin’s design of St. Chad’s in Birmingham and its furnishings are almost identical to that of the gothic medieval cathedral, the Marienkirche in Lubeck (‘St Chad’s and Religious Art, 2009). He also used the classical tradition of writing to promote his ideas on design. As Elizabeth McKeller states both The Arts and Crafts and The Modern Movements followed Pugin’s theories (2008, p. 120) and perhaps his concept of propriety was the most important of these theories as it became known in the twentieth century as functionalism (2008, p. 130). Whilst this indicates that that Pugin was a traditionalist the new concepts he fiercely promoted show him to be a revolutionary thinker and therefore a radical. In conclusion Pugin wanted to revive the pre-reformation tradition of gothic architecture yet dissented from the classical traditions that were in place. He looked to revive a past time using new ideas and notions like that of propriety and inter-relationships between architecture and society. This in turn made Pugin a radical traditionalist and one that left a legacy for future generations. Louis MacNiece, the Irish poet, once wrote that ‘A poem to be recognizable, must be traditional; but to be worth recognizing, it must be something new’ (Brown, 2008, p.42). This could be said of Pugin: He kept to his views of tradition yet was a dissenter by his reinvention of tradition. Word Count - 1221 Bibliography Dictionary definition of ‘pagan’ (2006) in Collins Paperback Dictionary, [Fifth Edition] Glasgow, HarperCollins Publishers. MacNeice, L. quoted in Danson Brown, R. (2008) ‘Reading Poetry: The Faber Book of Beasts’ in Price (ed.) Tradition and Dissent (AA100 Book 2), Milton Keynes, The Open University, p.42. Richardson, C., McKeller, E. and Woods, K. (2008) ‘Pugin and the Revival of the Gothic Tradition’ in Price (ed.) Tradition and Dissent (AA100 Book 2), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp. 120-144. ‘St. Chad’s and Religious Art’ (2009) (AA100 DVD Video), Milton Keynes, The Open University. The Open University, (2008) Plate 2.4.8. A. W. N. Pugin ‘Contrasted Parochial Churches’ (1841) in Illustration Book (AA100 Plates for Books 1 and 2), Milton Keynes, The Open University, p. 65. The Open University, (2008) Plate 2.4.11. A. W. N. Pugin ‘[Contrasted Towns] Catholic town in 1440. The same town in 1840’ (1841) in Illustration Book (AA100 Plates for Books 1 and 2), Milton Keynes, The Open University, p. 68. The Open University, (2008) Plate 2.4.11. A. W. N. Pugin ‘Contrasted Residencies for the Poor’ (1841) in Illustration Book (AA100 Plates for Books 1 and 2), Milton Keynes, The Open University, p. 69.