"This is the first systematic study of the rose window, both as a feature of Gothic architecture and as an artform in its own right. After a brief overview of the history of the rose, four chapters trace the evolution of the form across nine centuries, from its origins and the early wheel windows to the rapid spread of the Rayonnant rose, from the phenomenal displays of the Flamboyant to the powerful reinterpretations of the present day. Two further chapters offer illuminating explanations of the iconography and the design and building of the rose giving detailed analyses of the glazing and geometry of key windows such as Lausanne and the Sainte Chapelle.
Throughout, the rose is placed in the broader artistic and architectural context to show how it responded to - and often inspired - major stylistic shifts. The book is completed with a Gazetteer of rose windows arranged by country to help plan visits." "With almost three hundred different roses illustrated in original photographs, this entrancing volume is set to become the definitive study of this most appealing of subjects."--Jacket.
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