DOI Artikel:
Adamski, Jakub: The influence of 13th - and 14th century English architecture in the Southern Baltic region and Poland
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31348#0069
Paraphrasing the statement of Jean Bony quoted at the beginning of the present
paper, we may say that English architecture of the 13^ and 14^ centuries provided an
important source of inspiration for Late Gothic elaboration in the Baltic area. It is
especially true in case of the rib vaults, but it should not be forgotten that England
was also a constant provider of alabaster sculpture, which proved to be very popu-
lar in the Baltic lands in the 14^ and 15^ centuries**". Of course, England was not
the only source of architectural inspiration, nor was it even the most important. It
was as well not critical for the very beginning of decorative vaults in Prussia. Ob-
viously enough, the architectural knowledge of the Prussian and Polish architects
was much broader, as can be confirmed by numerous works showing Bohemian,
Southern German or even Netherlandish traits***. Still, it is unquestionable that the
spectacular Decorated architecture of England was perceived as a very attractive
source of inspiration during the entire Gothic period, even if the formal compli-
cation and decorative abundance of the insular buildings was usually beyond the
constructional and artistic possibilities of the Baltic architects and masons. Therefore,
it remains as no surprise that we are not speaking here of the English influence at
the level of whole buildings or even their basic spatial dispositions, but, above all,
the decorative tierceron and lierne vaults. Even complicated rib patterns were not
very difficult to construct with brick, and it was not necessary to follow the original
schemes of wall articulation. In fact, any rib figuration can be applied to any type of
internal articulation. What is most important is that the vaulting patterns were easily
transmittable via architectural drawings**^. Likewise, it was easy to adjust them to
the local requirements, for instance, to the polygonal east ends or to the customary
curvatures of the vaulting shells, which, in turn, depended on the constructional
tradition of each region. Although there are no such extant drawings from the Baltic
area, they must certainly have existed as early as in the late 13^ century. This is proven
unequivocally by the rich Southern German collections of architectural drawings
and lodge sketchbooks from the 15^ and 16^ centuries, in which vault projects and
vault cut models constitute the vast majority**T In his book on the German Gothic
Church Architecture, Norbert NuBbaum emphasised that the figured rib vaults
were the main device of Late Gothic architecture, and were the main focus of great
church architecture since the early 15* century. Designing complicated rib patterns
with extensive geometrical design-aids was the most important task of a master
mason, especially in Southern Germany**"*. It should, however, be noted that this
phenomenon was earliest found in the Southern Baltic area, where figurative vaults
had been developing since around 1300, with a distinct English flavour. #
110 Cf. Z. Massowa, Angielska rzeźba alabastrowa z X7V-XV wieku w zbiorach polskich, exhibition
catalogue, Gdańsk, National Museum, 30 August - 29 November 1996, Gdańsk 1996.
111 See, among others: A. Grzybkowski, Nideriandyzm w gotyckie; architekturze pomorskie;,
in: T. Hrankowska (ed.), Nideriandyzm w sztuce polskie;'. Materiały Sesji Stowarzyszenia Histo-
ryków Sztuki, Toruń, grudzień 1992, Warszawa 1995, pp. 279-301; C. Herrmann, Mitteiaiteriicńe
Architektur im Preasseuiand, pp. 157-200.
112 Cf. P. Crossley, Weds, the West Country, p. 98.
113 Cf.: H J. Bóker, Architektur der Gotik. Bestandskataiog der weitgrojitea Sammiang an gotischen
Banrissen (Legat Pranz /ager) im Kupferstichkabinett der Akademie der Biidenden Xiinste Wien
mit einem Anhang iiber die mitteddterdchen Bauzeichnungen im Wien-Museum Karispiatz,
Salzburg 2005; R. Bork, The Geometry of Creation. Architectural Drawing and the Dynamics of
Gothic Design, Farnham-Burlington 2011.
114 N. NuBbaum, German Gothic, pp. 180-185,195-198.
The Influence of W- and 14^-century English Architecture...
67
paper, we may say that English architecture of the 13^ and 14^ centuries provided an
important source of inspiration for Late Gothic elaboration in the Baltic area. It is
especially true in case of the rib vaults, but it should not be forgotten that England
was also a constant provider of alabaster sculpture, which proved to be very popu-
lar in the Baltic lands in the 14^ and 15^ centuries**". Of course, England was not
the only source of architectural inspiration, nor was it even the most important. It
was as well not critical for the very beginning of decorative vaults in Prussia. Ob-
viously enough, the architectural knowledge of the Prussian and Polish architects
was much broader, as can be confirmed by numerous works showing Bohemian,
Southern German or even Netherlandish traits***. Still, it is unquestionable that the
spectacular Decorated architecture of England was perceived as a very attractive
source of inspiration during the entire Gothic period, even if the formal compli-
cation and decorative abundance of the insular buildings was usually beyond the
constructional and artistic possibilities of the Baltic architects and masons. Therefore,
it remains as no surprise that we are not speaking here of the English influence at
the level of whole buildings or even their basic spatial dispositions, but, above all,
the decorative tierceron and lierne vaults. Even complicated rib patterns were not
very difficult to construct with brick, and it was not necessary to follow the original
schemes of wall articulation. In fact, any rib figuration can be applied to any type of
internal articulation. What is most important is that the vaulting patterns were easily
transmittable via architectural drawings**^. Likewise, it was easy to adjust them to
the local requirements, for instance, to the polygonal east ends or to the customary
curvatures of the vaulting shells, which, in turn, depended on the constructional
tradition of each region. Although there are no such extant drawings from the Baltic
area, they must certainly have existed as early as in the late 13^ century. This is proven
unequivocally by the rich Southern German collections of architectural drawings
and lodge sketchbooks from the 15^ and 16^ centuries, in which vault projects and
vault cut models constitute the vast majority**T In his book on the German Gothic
Church Architecture, Norbert NuBbaum emphasised that the figured rib vaults
were the main device of Late Gothic architecture, and were the main focus of great
church architecture since the early 15* century. Designing complicated rib patterns
with extensive geometrical design-aids was the most important task of a master
mason, especially in Southern Germany**"*. It should, however, be noted that this
phenomenon was earliest found in the Southern Baltic area, where figurative vaults
had been developing since around 1300, with a distinct English flavour. #
110 Cf. Z. Massowa, Angielska rzeźba alabastrowa z X7V-XV wieku w zbiorach polskich, exhibition
catalogue, Gdańsk, National Museum, 30 August - 29 November 1996, Gdańsk 1996.
111 See, among others: A. Grzybkowski, Nideriandyzm w gotyckie; architekturze pomorskie;,
in: T. Hrankowska (ed.), Nideriandyzm w sztuce polskie;'. Materiały Sesji Stowarzyszenia Histo-
ryków Sztuki, Toruń, grudzień 1992, Warszawa 1995, pp. 279-301; C. Herrmann, Mitteiaiteriicńe
Architektur im Preasseuiand, pp. 157-200.
112 Cf. P. Crossley, Weds, the West Country, p. 98.
113 Cf.: H J. Bóker, Architektur der Gotik. Bestandskataiog der weitgrojitea Sammiang an gotischen
Banrissen (Legat Pranz /ager) im Kupferstichkabinett der Akademie der Biidenden Xiinste Wien
mit einem Anhang iiber die mitteddterdchen Bauzeichnungen im Wien-Museum Karispiatz,
Salzburg 2005; R. Bork, The Geometry of Creation. Architectural Drawing and the Dynamics of
Gothic Design, Farnham-Burlington 2011.
114 N. NuBbaum, German Gothic, pp. 180-185,195-198.
The Influence of W- and 14^-century English Architecture...
67