Cathédrale de Chartres; Civilization, Medieval; Mont-Saint-Michel (Abbey : France)
workers opposite, in the window of Saint Sylvester and Saint
Melchiades, whose blues almost kill the Charlemagne itself, and of
the Tanners in that of Saint Thomas of Canterbury; or, in the last
chapel on the south side, with that of the Shoemakers in the window
to Saint Martin, attributed for some reason to a certain Clemens
vitrearius Carnutensis, whose name is on a window in the cathedral
of Rouen. The name tells nothing, even if the identity could be
proved. Clement the glassmaker may have worked on his own account,
or for others; the glass differs only in refinements of taste or
perhaps of cost. Nicolas Lescine, the canon, or Geoffroi Chardonnel,
may have been less rich than the Bakers, and even the Furriers may
have not had the revenues of the King; but some controlling hand has
given more or less identical taste to all.
What one can least explain is the reason why some windows, that
should be here, are elsewhere. In most churches, one finds in the
choir a window of doctrine, such as the so-called New Alliance, but
here the New Alliance is banished to the nave. Besides the costly
Charlemagne and Saint James windows in the apse, the Furriers and
Drapers gave several others, and one of these seems particularly
suited to serve as companion to Saint Thomas, Saint James, and Saint
Julian, so that it is best taken with these while comparing them. It
is in the nave, the third window from the new tower, in the north
aisle,--the window of Saint Eustace. The story and treatment and
beauty of the work would have warranted making it a pendant to
Almogenes, in the bay now serving as the door to Saint Piat's
chapel, which should have been the most effective of all the
positions in the church for a legendary story. Saint Eustace, whose
name was Placidas, commanded the guards of the Emperor Trajan. One
day he went out hunting with huntsmen and hounds, as the legend in
the lower panel of the window begins; a pretty picture of a stag
hunt about the year 1200; followed by one still prettier, where the
stag, after leaping upon a rock, has turned, and shows a crucifix
between his horns, the stag on one side balancing the horse on the
other, while Placidas on his knees yields to the miracle of Christ.
Then Placidas is baptized as Eustace; and in the centre, you see him
with his wife and two children--another charming composition--
leaving the city. Four small panels in the corners are said to
contain the signatures of the Drapers and Furriers. Above, the story
of adventure goes on, showing Eustace bargaining with a shipmaster
for his passage; his embarcation with wife and children, and their
arrival at some shore, where the two children have landed, and the
master drives Eustace after them while he detains the wife. Four
small panels here have not been identified, but the legend was no
doubt familiar to the Middle Ages, and they knew how Eustace and the
children came to a river, where you can see a pink lion carrying off
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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