Building Troyes Cathedral: The late Gothic campaigns

ABOUT THIS BOOK -- Troyes Cathedral, in the Champagne region of France, is one of the great triumphs of gothic architecture. Stephen Murray's book begins in 1200 when the building was a "still unfinished" hulk and carries through to the cathedral's (very late gothic) completion in the mid-1500's. This is both a book about architecture and a book about how economics, court politics, and war shaped and reshaped the city of Troyes. "A rich and unusual history of the building." "From what sources were the funds obtained? How were decisions made about construction materials and style? What problems did the builders face and how were they solved? To what extent did individual stone carvers [and stained glass artisans] leave their individual imprints?" Murray's work here is supported not by vague "historical forces" but by 250 years of receipts, expense records, and careful analysis of the structure. BOOK DETAILS -- A handsome book from Indiana University Press. Large format hardback with dustjacket. 257 pp. 3 pounds. Cloth over hardback boards with a sewn binding. B&w illustrations throughout: photos, elevations, floorplans, tables, sections, a map. 4 Appendices. Indexed. Over 23 pp of bibliographic information.