Gothic: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting 
by Rolf Toman
hf ULLMANN | April 2013 | ISBN-10: 384800402X | DJVU | 520 pages | 46.5 mb 
http://www.amazon.com/Gothic-Architecture-Sculpture-Rolf-Toman/dp/384800402X

The Gothic period is one of the first epochs in art history from which artworks of all kinds have been preserved: from cathedrals, castles, and palaces to masterful paintings and the most filigree works of goldsmiths, The Essence of Culture: Gothic displays the breadth and richness of a unique craftsmanship. Specific contributions delve into the development of Gothic architecture in France, as well as the national characteristics it took on from Spain and Portugal to northern and eastern Europe. Entire chapters are devoted to the Papal Palace of Avignon and the splendor of Gothic glass painting. This volume provides an overview of the artistic diversity of the Gothic – in no small part through the richness of the illustrations – that could scarcely be more vivid.
For this work, editor Rolf Toman gathered a team of eleven renowned authors with profound expertise in the fields of architecture and art history whose competent knowledge clearly elucidates the art of the Gothic period.

Highlights
• The history of Gothic architecture from its origins and blossoming in 12th-century France through its dis- semination in all of Europe
• In-depth discussion of the most diverse art forms, in-cluding painting, sculpture, metalwork, and book illumination
• Individual essays on special themes such as heresy or the Cathars, the development of cities or the Papal Palace in Avignon
• Richly illustrated with photographs, most of which were taken specifically for this book

About the Author 
http://imageshack.us/a/img266/1766/rolftoman.jpg
Originally, Rolf Toman wanted to become a teacher but he spent the years following his second state exam working as a publishing editor at a large international publishing house. From 1992 onwards, he worked as an independent publisher for various international publishing houses. Publications on art history epochs were at the center of his work. A book on Christian monks (Monasteries and Monastic Orders, 2007) was a precursor to his most comprehensive work to date, Ars Sacra. Rolf Toman lives and works in southern France.