Rayonnant. 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 & and Suckale (1985);
W. Papworth (1887);
Jane Turner (1996);
D. Watkin (1996)

rayonnant relating to or denoting a French style of Gothic architecture prevalent from c.1230 to c.1350, characterized by distinctive rose windows. The word is French and means literally ‘radiating’, from the pattern of radiating lights in the windows.