LDS Scripture Commentary / Photos: Chartres Cathedral
†North side, lancets, left to right: True versus false sovereigns (restored)
• Window 145D - North side, near right lancet: Solomon over Jeroboam, who worships golden calf (wise king over the fool who worshipped idols and abandoned the LORD).
• Window 145E - North side, far right lancet: Aaron above Pharoah, covered by the Red Sea (true priesthood and power over the false).
Album: Chartres-Cathedral
Categories: Chartres-Cathedral
Tags:
Chartres, north side, center portal
TYMPANUM
• Mary crowned in glory beside Christ, with angels.
LINTEL
• The Dormition and Assumption of Mary. On the left, the apostles surround her bier; Christ receives her into heaven. On the right, angels bear her body to heaven.
JAMB FIGURES
Left:
• Elisha (Far left) - Shumanite woman beneath.
• Melchizedek - wearing crown, with bread and wine (which he gave Abraham; prefigures the Eucharist). Lamb beneath.
• Abraham - looks up at angel halting the sacrifice of Isaac. Ram beneath.
• Moses - with brazen serpent on the pole, symbol of Christ's crucifixion. Golden calf beneath.
• Samuel - sacrifices a lamb.
• King David - carries instruments of the Passion, which his Psalm 22 foretold. Beneath lion of Judah.
• Center Figure: Saint Anne with Mary, Joachim with flocks underneath.
Right:
• Isaiah - hold flowering stem, the "rod out of Jesse." Jessee beneath.
• Jeremiah - with Greek cross
• Simeon - testified of Christ at the Presentation at the Temple, holds the infant Christ.
• John the Baptist - note coat of camel hair, and he points to the lamb of God. Dragon beneath.
• Peter - dressed as pope, the continuity with Melchizedek, his opposite on the left. He stands on the rock.
INNER ARCH
• First archivolt: twelve angels
• Second archivolt: Prophets
• Third archivolt: Jesse Tree
• Fourth archivolt: Jesse Tree continues
• Fifth archivolt: Prophets
• Sixth and seventh archivolts: 44 seated figures with scrolls and books
• Eighth archivolt: Creation and Fall.
original (4295078173)
Album: Chartres-Cathedral
Categories: Chartres-Cathedral
Tags:
Window 046 - Saint Thomas the Apostle in India (restored)
Bottom to top; left to right:
• Row 01: "Doubting" Thomas feeling Christ's wounds after the resurrection, flanked by the fleur-de-lis. This panel was added in the 13th century, for reasons that are unknown.
• Row 02: At Caesarea, Christ assigns Thomas to evangelize India.
• Row 03: Jesus introduces Thomas to Abbanes, envoy of Gundophorus--the King of India--who is seeking an architect; Thomas and Abbanes travel by ship to India.
• Row 04: (Left half moon) Thomas and Abbanes land in Andropolis, India; (upper quadrant of clover) At a wedding feast, the chief butler hits Thomas; (Right half moon) The butler goes out to get water, and is eaten by a lion. A dog bites of the hand the struck Thomas and brings it into the feast.
• Row 06: (Bottom of clover) Gundophorus of India entrusts Thomas with funds to build a palace (sequentially is between the two panels in next row)..
• Row 05: Abbanes presents Thomas to King Gundophorus; king then departs (after making Thomas his architect--see next row).
Album: Chartres-Cathedral
Categories: Chartres-Cathedral
Tags:
Window 123 - 3rd left, clerestory, apse: Peter (restored)
Peter receives the keys, Peter gets out of prison, Peter meets Christ.
Album: Chartres-Cathedral
Categories: Chartres-Cathedral
Tags:
INNER ARCH
• Eighth archivolt: Creation and Fall [bottom to top]
(6) Creation of birds and fish. To the left, Adam is in God's mind.
Note cruciform nimbus, identifying creator as Christ.
Album: Chartres-Cathedral
Categories: Chartres-Cathedral
Tags:
Chartres, south side, center, archivolt
Last judgment. Angel
Album: Chartres-Cathedral
Categories: Chartres-Cathedral
Tags:
St. Pantaleon: goes for companions in prison, pray before king, idols fall over, martyrdom of companions, burial, last interview with Maximian, P prays, tied to a tree. beheaded, soul to heaven, Christ with globe.
Album: Chartres-Cathedral
Categories: Chartres-Cathedral
Tags:
Window 002 - Life of Christ
Bottom to top, left to right:
• Row 01: Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary; Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth; Birth of Christ in stable. Note the altar-like manger.
• Row 02: Angels to shepherds; Herod; Wise men seeking Christ.
• Row 03: Wise men presenting gifts; Christ with Mary; Wise men returning home (they are warned by the angel in the panel directly above them).
• Row 04: Presentation of the temple (2 frames); Angel warns wise men to return a different way.
• Row 05: Herod angry he's been deceived by wise men; Slaughter of the Innocents (2 frames).
• Row 06: Flight into Egypt; Egypt; Return from Egypt.
• Row 07: Fall of the idols of Egypt; Baptism of Christ; Dream of St. Joseph.
• Row 08: Triumphal entry to Jerusalem (3 frames).
• Row 09: Christ in Glory flanked by two angels.
Album: Chartres-Cathedral
Categories: Chartres-Cathedral
Tags:
† Window 145 - North rose: Rose of France glorifying the Virgin (unrestored)
Virgin in center with Infant Jesus. Surrounded by four doves, four angels, and four Thrones. These are followed by twelve kings of Judah, Mary's ancestors. The outer ring contains twelve minor prophets.
The window was donated while Queen Blanche was regent of France (circa 1230). The arms of France alternating with Castile are seen below the rose itself. The entire ensemble is a none-too-subtle bit of royal propaganda, with Mary (the Queen of Heaven) at the center of it all. Note too that the figures below the rose in the lancets contrast a legitimate righteous sovereign with corrupt, foolish, or fallen ones. Blanche seems to have wanted no doubt about how she ought to be considered.
†North side, lancets, left to right: True versus false sovereigns (unrestored)
• Window 145C - North side, far left lancet: Melchizedek standing over Nebuchadnezzar (true king over the false Babylonian pretender to world-lordship, worshipping idol of his dream).
• Window 145B - North side, near left lancet: King David standing over King Saul (the chosen king over the apostate king rejected by God, dying by suicide in despair, dying by suicide in despair).
• Window 145A - North side, central lancet: Saint Anne holding Infant Mary. Beneath this are the arms of France.
• Window 145D - North side, near right lancet: Solomon over Jeroboam, who worships golden calf (wise king over the fool who worshipped idols and abandoned the LORD).
• Window 145E - North side, far right lancet: Aaron above Pharoah, covered by the Red Sea (true priesthood and power over the false).
Album: Chartres-Cathedral
Categories: Chartres-Cathedral
Tags:
