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IMG 5216

IMG 5216

Chartres, North side, right portal

INNER ARCH

• Second archivolt: lives of Sampson on the left

Left:
† Lion (which Samson slays);
† Samson's parents offer sacrifice (note flames and angel);

Third archivolt: life of Esther (prefiguring Mary)

† Ahasuerus king of Persia;
† Ahasuerus weds Esther;

• Fourth archivolt: Tobias, son of Tobit, who restored vision to his father as Christ would to Israel.
Left:
† Crowned head
† Tobi and Tobias prepare feast. They are told of a Jew's death;

Album: Chartres-Cathedral

Categories: Chartres-Cathedral

Tags: #Chartres #france #TCS-photo #cathedral #north side #restored #Right

Chartres West Exterior Slides 094

Chartres West Exterior Slides 094

Chartres, north side, center portal

JAMB FIGURES

Left:
• 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.

Album: Chartres-Cathedral

Categories: Chartres-Cathedral

Tags: #Abraham #Chartres #france #Isaac #Jamb figures #Melchizedek #Moses #TCS-photo #cathedral #Center #date estimate #exterior #north side

ChartresGlass Box P Slides 018

ChartresGlass Box P Slides 018

† 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, who dies via 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: #Aaron #Babylon #Blanche of Castille #Chartres #france #Infant Mary #Jeroboam #Jesus Christ #King David #Mary #Mary enthroned in glory #Melchizedek #Nuchadnezzar #Pharoah #Red Sea #Saint Anne #Saul #Solomon #TCS-photo #Win145 #Win145A #Win145B #Win145C #Win145D #Win145E #angels #cathedral #date estimate #donors identified #doves #golden calf #kings of Judah #lancet window #minor prophets #north side #rose window #stained glass #thrones #unrestored #whole-windows

IMG 5208

IMG 5208

Chartres, north side, right portal. These are OT types or prefigurements of Christ.

JAMB Figures

Right:
• Jesus ben Sirach, standing on the temple whose reconstruction was wrongly attributed to him;
• Judith, standing on dog as symbol of fidelity;
• Joseph who was sold into Egypt, standing on Potipher's wife to whom the devil whispers.

Album: Chartres-Cathedral

Categories: Chartres-Cathedral

Tags: #Chartres #france #Jamb figures #Jesus ben Sirach #TCS-photo #cathedral #Center #north side #restored #Right