The document summarizes key aspects of gothic culture, including: 1) The term "gothic" derives from the Gothic tribe that invaded Rome and was considered barbarous. It later described the dark art of the Middle Ages. 2) Gothic culture originated in France in the 1850s as a reaction against social oppression, with members wearing white face paint and black clothes. 3) Gothic art flourished from the 12th-16th centuries across Europe before being supplanted by the Renaissance. It emphasized ornate architecture and religious-themed paintings.