The Chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin in SpisskýStvrtok

Traditionally, Gothic architecture has been associated withFrance; more recently, this narrow perspective has expanded toinclude the monuments of England, the German lands, the LowCountries, and Bohemia. Despite this amendment, however, the fullextent of Gothic architecture in Europe has yet to be adequatelyacknowledged. This book attempts to remedy this situation byaddressing a region neglected by English scholarship: Slovakia. Thegoal of this study is to pursue the dissemination of Gothic ideas,forms, and systems into and within this area. By focusing on asingle monument, the Late Gothic Chapel of the Assumption of theVirgin in Spisský Stvrtok, this work brings into question theconventional understanding of the scope of Gothic architecture, aswell as the conceptions of what constitutes the periphery. It isshown that this chapel not only represents a highly-refinedunderstanding of the Late Gothic, but that it also stands asmaterial evidence of the cultural, economic and political strengthof a region set into the northern margins of a kingdom. Thesefindings should be useful for those seeking a more comprehensiveunderstanding of Gothic architecture in Europe.

Klappentext
Traditionally, Gothic architecture has been associated with France; more recently, this narrow perspective has expanded to include the monuments of England, the German lands, the Low Countries, and Bohemia. Despite this amendment, however, the full extent of Gothic architecture in Europe has yet to be adequately acknowledged. This book attempts to remedy this situation by addressing a region neglected by English scholarship: Slovakia. The goal of this study is to pursue the dissemination of Gothic ideas, forms, and systems into and within this area. By focusing on a single monument, the Late Gothic Chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin in Spisský Stvrtok, this work brings into question the conventional understanding of the scope of Gothic architecture, as well as the conceptions of what constitutes the periphery. It is shown that this chapel not only represents a highly-refined understanding of the Late Gothic, but that it also stands as material evidence of the cultural, economic and political strength of a region set into the northern margins of a kingdom. These findings should be useful for those seeking a more comprehensive understanding of Gothic architecture in Europe.