Rheims and the Battles for its PossessionPneu Michelin (Firm)
History
Rheims and the Battles for its Possession
Pneu Michelin (Firm)
Reims (France) -- Guidebooks; World War, 1914-1918 -- Battlefields -- Guidebooks
Beginning at the bottom, the figures represent: _on the first tier_, the
beheading of St. Nicaise by the Vandals and the Baptism of Clovis by St.
Remi; _on the second_, St. Remi, as a child, restores sight to Montanus
and, as a man, exorcises the demons who had set fire to Rheims; _on the
third_, the story of Job; _on the fourth_, the restoring to life of a
young Toulouse girl, and the miracle of the cask filled with wine by St.
Remi; _on the fifth_, Christ between two angels.
[Illustration: LEFT-HAND DOOR OF THE NORTHERN TRANSEPT: THE LAST
JUDGMENT
_The dead rise from their graves._]
=The Left-Hand Door of the Northern Transept=
This door, which has long been walled up, is called _The Doorway of the
Last Judgment_, on account of the carving on the tympanum.
In the upper part, Christ is supported on one side by the Holy Virgin,
and on the other by John the Baptist. Below (_two rows_) the dead rise
from their graves (_photo above_). Lower down, on one side are _The
Virtues_, represented by seated women; on the other, _The Vices_,
mutilated in 1780 on account of their realism. On the lowest tier, _to
the left_, angels carry souls to Abraham's bosom: _on the right_, Satan
leads a chain of damned souls to Hell (_photo below_), amongst whom are
a king, a bishop, and a monk.
In the arching are three rows of angels carrying books or blowing
trumpets, and the wise and foolish virgins.
Backing up to the dividing pillar is an exceedingly fine 13th century
statue, which recalls the "_Beautiful God_" of Amiens Cathedral (_see
the Michelin Guide: Amiens Before and During the War_); Jesus blessing
with His right hand, holds the globe of the world in His left (_see
photo p. 45_).
This statue was decapitated by a shell which struck the doorway in 1918,
also taking off the head of the first statue on the left-hand portion of
the doorway.
[Illustration: LEFT-HAND DOOR OF THE NORTHERN TRANSEPT: THE LAST
JUDGMENT
_Satan drags a chain of damned Souls to Hell._]
On the plinth of the dividing pillar is a bas-relief, remarkable for its
delicate carving.
According to local tradition, this plinth was erected at the expense of
a dishonest master-draper, convicted of selling by false measure.
_On the left_, the merchant is seen in his shop. In front of the
counter, customers of both sexes look at the outspread stuffs, while
clerks write in books.
_On the right_, the merchant kneels before a statue of the Virgin in
penance.
Near-by, burgesses talk together and seem to judge the delinquent's
conduct severely.
The six statues against the walls represent the apostles: _on the
right_, St. John, St. James and St. Paul; _on the left_, St. Andrew, St.
Peter and St. Bartholomew.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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