Architecture of Silence: Cistercian Abbeys of France

Architecture of Silence: Cistercian Abbeys of France by Terryl. N. Kinder. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780810941168.

The early Cistercian abbeys of France have long been revered for their harmoniously proportioned spaces and ethereal acoustics. Together with the great cathedrals, these remarkable medieval buildings embody the profound mastery of architecture that blossomed in 12th- and 13th-century France. Architecture of Silence is the first book in English devoted solely to these exquisite structures, which draw tens of thousands of visitors of all nationalities each year. The power and beauty of these sacred buildings and ruins, renowned among architects and designers for their austere, almost minimal design and construction, come alive in David Healds luminous tritone photographs. The text by Terryl N. Kinder, the worlds leading scholar on the subject, offers a clear introduction to the history and architecture of the early Cistercian monks, who built the abbeys nearly 900 years ago. DAVID HEALD, chief photographer at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, has been photographing art, architecture, and the natural landscape for 25 years. His work is in numerous private and public collections, including the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Bibliothque Nationale, Paris, and has appeared in many books and magazines. He lives in Redding, Connecticut. TERRYL N. KINDER is a medieval architectural historian and archaeologist who has served as a consultant to the restoration of Cistercian abbeys in France, Italy, and England. She has taught at Nazareth College in Rochester, the Universit de Bretagne, Rennes, and at Paris-I Sorbonne. An associate of the Institute of Historical Research in London, she divides her time between Pontigny, France, and St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada. 98 tritone photographs, 93/4 x 12"