rayonnant

a. (rā"ŏn*nănt)

[F.]
(Her.) Darting forth rays, as the sun when it shines out.

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Style of Gothic prevalent in France from c.1227 to the mid-C14. Its first phase is called the Court style, from its association with the reign of Louis IX (1227–70), of which the rebuilt Abbey of St-Denis, Troyes Cathedral, and the Chapel at St-Germain-en-Laye are good examples (all 1230s). The Rayonnant style takes its name from the shapes formed by tracery-bars and from the vault-ribs radiating from piers shaped with masses of shafts corresponding to the ribs.

Bibliography

• Branner (1965)
• Kimpel & Suckale (1985)
• W.Papworth (1887)
• Jane Turner (1996)
• D.Watkin (1996)

The full bibliography for this book is available to download as a pdf file.
Download the bibliography for A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (PDF: 1.2MB)

IN BRIEF: Adjective- Characterized by the use of radiating lines (as in window tracery).