‘Princeton and the Gothic Revival’ explores campus architecture

The art museum’s newest exhibit, “Princeton and the Gothic Revival: 1870-1930,” uses Princeton University as a lens through which to examine the art, architecture and style of the Middle Ages. Drawing from the Museum’s own collections, Firestone Library and the University Archives, the exhibition showcases the University’s collections that rarely go on view, which is one of its appeals. The exhibit poses questions such as why, when the College of New Jersey was growing, it chose to use an architectural form of the past. The show offers a mix of drawings of the University, stained glass pieces and art objects that were collected in the early years of the institution. There are several standout pieces, and the exhibition is particularly engaging for those who have an interest in Princeton’s history. At times, though, the combination of objects in the space can feel a bit disparate.

The first highlight of the show occurs when one enters the exhibition. Approaching the galleries, the stained glass portraits of Biblical figures Jonathan and David are intriguingly framed by a cutout that resembles the shape of a lancet in the wall that sits in front of the two men. As the viewer moves around, he or she is able to frame one or both of the figures through this hole in the wall. This architectural feature both visually introduces one of the features of the Gothic style and highlights the stained glass of Francis Lathrop. The two panels are scale models for a window that was part of Marquand Chapel before it burned down in 1920. The window was given by Mrs. Henry Gurdon Marquand in honor of her son Frederick, a member of the class of 1876. Unlike typical medieval stained glass windows, which normally feature red and blue hues (like Oliver Smith’s example later in the show), Lathrop’s windows use a subdued color palette of browns, yellows and clear glass. Possibly the most interesting element of the design is that the glass is rolled and shaped so that it imitates the folds of cloth. This technique was popularized by the studio of Louis Comfort Tiffany and is most apparent when the viewer stands very close to the glass.

For a Princeton student or enthusiast, the show delivers both in its myriad drawings that feature the campus at various points in its history and in the key that maps certain campus buildings to different architectural styles. Viewers can enjoy examining drawings and watercolors of the University to see how the campus evolved over time, admire the open space the campus once had and discover which buildings were built when. For example, there are three drawings and watercolors by Ralph Adams Cram, the architect charged with designing the new University Chapel, which was the second largest collegiate chapel in the world at the time of its construction. There is also a placard that points to some of the Gothic buildings on the Princeton campus, such as Chancellor Green and Blair Arch. Chancellor Green is an example of the High Victorian Gothic style in which buildings are characterized by polychromy and richly carved exterior and interior ornamentation. Blair Arch is a prime example of the Collegiate Gothic style, which imitates the style of the 15th and 16th century colleges of Oxford and Cambridge.

When the school was renamed Princeton University in 1896, the administration decided that all new buildings would be designed in the Collegiate Gothic Revival style. Without copying any particular model, the school clearly intended to reference the top institutions across the pond and, in so doing, hoped that the visual tradition it evoked would create a new identity for American higher education. Although the Collegiate Gothic Revival movement formally ended in 1930, the University has remained true to its decree, even to present day. The design of Whitman College in this same style shows how it has come to define academia in modern America.

The exhibit also showcases several medieval sculptures that are examples of objects collected by the art museum in its early years. Though they seem a bit out of place in relation to the other works in the show, these three-dimensional objects offer a nice counterpoint to the drawings and paintings that comprise the rest of the show. The exhibition will be most enjoyed by those who have an interest in either medieval art and architecture or Princeton but is accessible to everyone, thanks to the excellent organization of the show and informative wall texts. In addition, this is the museum’s first exhibit to be accompanied by a mobile web app that guides visitors on a tour of the Gothic Revival parts of campus, a perfect way to get to know the campus better, entertain visitors or enjoy a spring day.

“Princeton and the Gothic Revival: 1870-1930” runs through June 24.