Reconstructing Gothic Architecture in Ann Radcliffe’s Novels: from Decorative Details to Picturesque Tableaux
According to Maurice Lévy, a Gothic novel is “Gothic” because its writing is closely related to architecture, the story being the very dramatization of a building. The ruined Gothic castle, abbey or monastery is indeed a cliché of the genre, the prerequisite decor for any real action to happen. The...
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| Publicat a: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/polysemes, |
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| Format: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Idioma: | Anglais |
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Polysèmes
2019
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| Accés en línia: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
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openedition-oai:revues.org:polysemes_4637 |
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openedition |
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openedition-oai:revues.org:polysemes_4637 https://doi.org/10.4000/polysemes.4637 urn:doi:10.4000/polysemes.4637 en https://journals.openedition.org/polysemes/4637 2019-05-30T02:00:00Z info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess article info:eu-repo/semantics/article urn:handle:20.500.13089/j69a All rights reserved Reconstructing Gothic Architecture in Ann Radcliffe’s Novels: from Decorative Details to Picturesque Tableaux Polysèmes SAIT info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/2496-4212 info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/0999-4203 URI:https://journals.openedition.org/polysemes Labourg, Alice gothique architecture ruines pittoresque paysage tableau bandits painting architecture Gothic ruins picturesque banditti landscape According to Maurice Lévy, a Gothic novel is “Gothic” because its writing is closely related to architecture, the story being the very dramatization of a building. The ruined Gothic castle, abbey or monastery is indeed a cliché of the genre, the prerequisite decor for any real action to happen. The aim of this paper is to explore the aesthetic dimension of Gothic architecture in Ann Radcliffe’s novels, especially its pictorial and visual effects, from decorative emblematic details that stamp a building as “Gothic” to the creation of picturesque “tableaux” composed as true “paintings in words”. This literary reconstruction of Gothic architecture echoes the reappropriation of Gothic forms by the Gothic Revival. Radcliffe transfers this ornamental Gothic into the realm of the novel, adapting the ancient style of the “Goths” to modern dramatic purposes. Characteristic Gothic motifs such as the painted window or the arch are used to create a sense of dread or reproduce compositional effects. Drawing on pictorial models and the picturesque qualities attributed to Gothic architecture, Radcliffe’s descriptions generate “pictures”, literary equivalents of the “Landscapes with [Gothic] Ruins” popular in her days. Finally, by inserting Rosa-like banditti into architectural settings, the novelist fuses the Gothic Revival in architecture with a subgenre then popular in painting, to compose her own Gothic “Landscapes with Banditti”. Selon Maurice Lévy, un roman gothique est « gothique » parce que son écriture est intimement liée à une architecture, l’histoire étant la dramatisation d’une demeure. Le château, l’abbaye ou le monastère médiéval en ruine sont en effet des clichés du genre, le décor indispensable à la survenue de toute action. Cet article se propose d’explorer la dimension esthétique de l’architecture gothique dans les romans d’Ann Radcliffe, en particulier ses effets picturaux et visuels, depuis ces détails emblématiques qui estampillent un bâtiment comme étant « gothique » à la création de tableaux pittoresques composés comme de véritables « peintures de mots ». Cette reconstruction littéraire de l’architecture gothique entre en résonance avec la réappropriation des formes médiévales par le renouveau gothique au XVIIIe siècle. Radcliffe transpose ce gothique ornemental dans la sphère romanesque, réinterprétant le style ancien des « Goths » pour répondre aux finalités dramatiques modernes. Des motifs gothiques caractéristiques tels que les vitraux ou l’arche sont utilisés pour créer une atmosphère inquiétante ou produire des effets compositionnels. S’appuyant sur les modèles picturaux et les qualités pittoresques attribuées à l’architecture gothique, les descriptions de Radcliffe génèrent des « tableaux », équivalents littéraires aux « Paysages avec ruines [gothiques] » alors en vogue. Enfin, en insérant des bandits à la manière de Salvator Rosa dans des décors architecturaux, la romancière fait converger le renouveau gothique en architecture et un sous-genre à la mode en peinture pour composer ses propres « Paysages avec Bandits » gothiques. |
| collection |
OpenEdition Journal |
| language |
Anglais |
| format |
Article ou chapitre numérique |
| building |
0/Bibliothèque numérique/ 1/Bibliothèque numérique/OpenEdition Journals/ |
| topic |
gothique architecture ruines pittoresque paysage tableau bandits painting architecture Gothic ruins picturesque banditti landscape |
| spellingShingle |
gothique architecture ruines pittoresque paysage tableau bandits painting architecture Gothic ruins picturesque banditti landscape Labourg, Alice Reconstructing Gothic Architecture in Ann Radcliffe’s Novels: from Decorative Details to Picturesque Tableaux |
| description |
According to Maurice Lévy, a Gothic novel is “Gothic” because its writing is closely related to architecture, the story being the very dramatization of a building. The ruined Gothic castle, abbey or monastery is indeed a cliché of the genre, the prerequisite decor for any real action to happen. The aim of this paper is to explore the aesthetic dimension of Gothic architecture in Ann Radcliffe’s novels, especially its pictorial and visual effects, from decorative emblematic details that stamp a building as “Gothic” to the creation of picturesque “tableaux” composed as true “paintings in words”. This literary reconstruction of Gothic architecture echoes the reappropriation of Gothic forms by the Gothic Revival. Radcliffe transfers this ornamental Gothic into the realm of the novel, adapting the ancient style of the “Goths” to modern dramatic purposes. Characteristic Gothic motifs such as the painted window or the arch are used to create a sense of dread or reproduce compositional effects. Drawing on pictorial models and the picturesque qualities attributed to Gothic architecture, Radcliffe’s descriptions generate “pictures”, literary equivalents of the “Landscapes with [Gothic] Ruins” popular in her days. Finally, by inserting Rosa-like banditti into architectural settings, the novelist fuses the Gothic Revival in architecture with a subgenre then popular in painting, to compose her own Gothic “Landscapes with Banditti”. |
| author |
Labourg, Alice |
| author_facet |
Labourg, Alice |
| author_sort |
Labourg, Alice |
| title |
Reconstructing Gothic Architecture in Ann Radcliffe’s Novels: from Decorative Details to Picturesque Tableaux |
| title_short |
Reconstructing Gothic Architecture in Ann Radcliffe’s Novels: from Decorative Details to Picturesque Tableaux |
| title_full |
Reconstructing Gothic Architecture in Ann Radcliffe’s Novels: from Decorative Details to Picturesque Tableaux |
| title_fullStr |
Reconstructing Gothic Architecture in Ann Radcliffe’s Novels: from Decorative Details to Picturesque Tableaux |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Reconstructing Gothic Architecture in Ann Radcliffe’s Novels: from Decorative Details to Picturesque Tableaux |
| title_sort |
reconstructing gothic architecture in ann radcliffe’s novels: from decorative details to picturesque tableaux |
| publisher |
Polysèmes |
| publishDate |
2019 |
| container_title |
URI:https://journals.openedition.org/polysemes |
| url |
https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://doi.org/10.4000/polysemes.4637 https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://journals.openedition.org/polysemes/4637 |
| _version_ |
1877241611590565889 |