In the wake of the Hundred Years' War, Northern Europe saw a reordering of financial, political, and social institutions and with it a change in architectural style. The church of Saint-Maclou in Rouen, which is the most celebrated example of Late Gothic building in France, reflects a society that sought social order in the past while redefining new roles for individuals.

Its profuse ornamentation and sophisticated design established Saint-Maclou as the consummate expression of High Gothic discipline made exuberant by the excesses of Late Gothic craft. The retrospective elements of...