Beyond the Barrier: The Unifying Role of the Choir Screen in Gothic Churches

Abstract

From the Reformation onward, the monumental screens erected at the boundary of nave and choir in Western Gothic churches have been perceived as barricades, self-consciously designed to exclude the lay faithful from liturgical activities. Concentrating on surviving thirteenth-century examples, this study offers an alternative understanding of the purposes and reception of choir screens. Analysis of the liturgical and social functions of the structures and the iconography and style of their sculpture programs reveals, contrary to traditional assumptions, a conscientious effort by clerical patrons to address, engage, and incorporate their lay flocks that is analogous to contemporary preaching strategies.