Ask most people what Gothic is and the general response has something to do with teenagers dressed all in black listening to depressing music. Gothicism as an art form is centuries older. It's the style of art seen in many of the great cathedrals of Europe--towering spires that reached far higher than many contemporary buildings. In its time, Gothicism was an attempt at something new, and the results have lasted for centuries.

Architectural Origins
Gothicism has its basis in Romanesque architecture and originated in what is now France. It came about as architects were attempting to create larger arches at greater heights. The Romanesque architecture that Gothicism was attempting to replace was a heavier style of architecture. Roman arches required thick walls to act as supports and was limited to only two styles of arches (barrel and groin vaults). Gothic architecture is the result of these experiments.

Religious Art
Early Gothic art was an attempt at creating figures who were softer and more realistic than ones from previous non-Classical styles of art. It has strong religious themes, examples of which can be found in Bibles created during the 12th to 15th centuries. Along with the illuminated drawings, sculptures of saints and paintings of famous religious scenes are seen throughout Gothic art. While architecturally the origins of Gothicism are in France, many of the well known Gothic painters and sculptors are Italian.

Arches
One of the key features in any Gothic building are the high arches that fill the interior. The arches themselves are based on groined vaults. Ribs were added to a groined vaulted arch to add more support to the structure. This support meant that the masonry didn't need to be as thick as in previous arch styles. The ribs also allowed for greater freedom in the construction of arches, so that they could eventually reach previously unheard-of heights.

Stained Glass
Painting isn't restricted to canvas or frescoes. Stained glass windows were painted with the same attention to detail. Entire stories or passages from the Bible were able to be told on different panels not only in one window, but on as many windows as were required within a given cathedral. The high arches of Gothic cathedrals allowed for larger windows than previous construction styles which left room for large devotional paintings in the form of stained glass.

Gothic Revival
Following the Renaissance was a revival of Gothic ideals. It's possible to see evidence of Gothic architecture during the 17th and 18th centuries, but they were more of a side note in the midst of the more popular classical style. Prior to the second half of the 19th century, it was mainly elements of Gothic architecture that were added to more classically styled buildings. In the Victorian era, Gothic architecture was seen as a return to a more spiritual time in England's past.