“Gothic Art: Last phase of medieval art, beginning ca. 1140 in Paris and spreading in the 13th century throughout Western Europe; succeeded by the Renaissance in the 14th century in Italy and in the 16th century in the rest of Europe. Early gothic, to 1200; high gothic, to ca. 1250; late gothic, after 1250. The greatest contribution of gothic art was the cathedral, with its elaborate architecture, complicated architectural decoration, and large-scale stained-glass panels.”
Excerpted from: Diamond, David G. The Bulfinch Pocket Dictionary of Art Terms. Boston: Little Brown, 1992.