Rayonnant

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Scope note
Refers to the middle phase of French Gothic architecture that flourished during the late 13th through 14th centuries, as described by antiquarian Arcisse de Caumont (1802-1873). The style developed in Paris with the works of Pierre de Montreuil (ca. 1200-1266) and spread throughout the French royal domain and onward to Flanders, Germany, and England. It is characterized by the evolution from previous styles to emphasize a lightening of forms, greater emphasis on decoration, and a move away from the simple window lancets to tracery that expanded beyond windows and was composed of numerous mullions, combined with elaborate geometrical patterns made up of circles and arcs of circles.
Rayonnant
Accepted term: 06-May-2024