Since the Goths, a rude and barbarous ancient people, were in no wise
concerned with the splendid art of that period intervening between
Romanesque and Renaissance, which misguided later generations called
Gothic because, forsooth, it was not classical, it is unfortunate that
this inappropriate designation should be perpetuated by custom. But the
misnomer is now used so generally—needless to say, without any sense of
disparagement—that we must perforce accept it.
[A Pope, Statuette in Oak. Flemish, about 1500]