Windows-001 – Jesse Tree

1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

One of four windows preserved from the previous cathedral largely destroyed by the 1194 fire. Widely regarded as a quintessential specimen of Gothic art, and one of its finest examples.

A common and recurrent theme in the Middle Ages, (see north side sculpture) the Jesse Tree invokes the Messianic prophesy of Isaiah 11 describing a redeemer figure descended from the royal house of King David. Jesse sleeps at the base of the tree, and he gives rise to King David.

Three more kings follow, leading to the Virgin Mary. The tree is crowned by Christ. Christ is surrounded by seven doves, representing the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Prophets who also foretold Christ’s coming form the window’s border.

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W001 - Jesse Tree [12th century]
W002 - Life of Christ [12th century]
W003 - The Passion [12th century]
W004 - St John the Divine [13th century]
W005 - Mary Magdalene [13th century]
W006 - Good Samaritan [13th century]
W007 - Death and Assumption of the Virgin Mary [13th century]
W008 - Vendome Chapel [15th century]
W009 - Miracles of the Virgin [13th century] and three modern (1928) quatrefoil.
W010 - Grisaille, Saint Apollinaris, Angelic Choirs [13th century]
W011 - White glass placed in 1791; restored in 1971]
W012 - Saint Fulbert [modern]
W013 - Saint Anthony and Saint Paul the Anchorite [13th century]
W014 - Temptation of Christ, Marriage at Cana [13th century]; Blue Virgin [12th century]
W015 - Occulus with virgin suckling Infant Jesus [13th century]
W016 - Story of the Virgin Mary [13th century]
W017 - Zodiac [13th century]
W018 - Occulus, Crucifixion [13th century]
W019 - Grisaille [14th century]
W020 - Grisaille [14th century]
W021 - Grisaille [14th century]
W022 - Grisaille [17th century]
W023 - Grisaille [17th century]
W024 - Saint Martin [13th century]
W025 - Saint Thomas a Becket of Canterbury [13th century]
W026 - Saint Margaret and Saint Catherine [13th century]
W027 - Saint Nicholas [13th century]
W028 - Saint Remy [13th century]
W029 - Grisaille [13th century;] 14th century restoration of Saint Nicholas
W030 - Saint Sylvester [13th century]
W031 - Saint Piat [14th century]
W032 - Saint Paul [13th century]
W033 - Saint Andrew [13th century]
W034 - Apostles [13th century]
W035 - Simon and Jude [13th century]
W036 - Grisaille [13th century]
W037 - Saint James the Greater [13th century]
W038 - Charlemagne [13th century]
W039 - Saint Theodore and Saint Vincent [13th century]
W040 - Saint Pantaleon [13th century]
W041 - Saint Stephen [13th century]
W042 - Saint Cheron [13th century]
W043 - Saint Savinian, Saint Potentian, and Female Martyr [13th century]
W044 - Grisaille [13th century]
W045 - Saint Julien the Hospitalier [13th century]
W046 - Saint Thomas [13th century]
W047 - Grisaille with Saint Lawrence on Gridion [13th century]
W048 - Grisaille [13th century]
W049 - Jesus surround by angels [13th century]
W050- Grisaille [13th century]
W051- Grisaille [13th century]
W052 - Jesus surround by beasts of the Apocalypse [13th century]
W053 - Miracle of Saint Nicholas [13th century]
W054 - Saint Germain of Auxerre [13th century]
W055 - Christ surrounded by beasts of the Apocalypse [13th century]
W056 - Peace Window [modern, 1971]
W057 - Angels [12th century, border]; 13th century glass from choir placed here, also modern additions [1967]
W058 - Prodigal Son [13th century]
W059 - Symbolic window [13th century]
W060 - Saint Nicholas [13th century]
W061 - Joseph, Son of Jacob [13th century]
W062 - Saint Eustace [13th century]
W063 - Saint Lubin [13th century]
W064 - Noah [13th century]
W095 - South Rose, Christ in glory, lancets with OT and NT prophets
W145 - North Rose
W176 - West Rose [13th century]