The Churches of Paris, from Clovis to Charles XBeale, Sophia
History
The Churches of Paris, from Clovis to Charles X
Beale, Sophia
Church buildings -- France -- Paris; Paris (France) -- Buildings, structures, etc.
This chapel is decorated with the arms of the city of Paris, the
ship[68]; and upon each of the others will be found the arms of the
founders.
The chapel of Calvary was founded by the Counts of Castille, and was
originally dedicated to S. Peter. It contains a crucifix, _souvenir_ of
a mission preached in 1825, and was the burial-place of François and
Nicolas de Castille, _conseillers du roi_, who died in 1630 and 1634
respectively. In the chapel of S. Cecilia may be seen a little fresco in
a very good state of preservation, representing the titular Saint
holding the sword of her martyrdom, and S. Leonard. Sold in 1604 to
Claude de Montescot, treasurer _des parties casuelles_, it was
originally known by the name of S. Claude. Buying a chapel seems to
have been the custom; and we find that of the Holy Innocents costing
1,100 _livres_ to the Chantereau-Lestang family. The fresco was painted
in 1850 by M. Barre, and relates to S. Joseph, to whom the chapel was
dedicated some twenty years ago. The sculptures are of the time of Louis
XIII.
In the chapel Des Ames du Purgatoire, founded by the Gentian family in
honour of the Holy Sepulchre, reliquaries may be seen containing a
portion of the Sepulchre, and of the column upon which Our Lord was
bound during the flagellation--so said Cardinal Patrizzi, who has
authenticated the relics. More beautiful, and at least as authentic, are
the frescoes by M. Margimel, representing the _Descent into Hades_.
Moses and David are seen with other Old Testament worthies, the group of
Adam and Eve with their children being particularly happy in its
treatment. Below, of course, are purgatorial flames and a bruised
serpent, with the inscription _Ecce agnus Dei, qui tollit peccatum
mundi_. The opposite picture is less satisfactory, it is a conventional
reading of the Eternal Father pitying the sufferings of the Son, who is
attached to the pillar between weeping Angels. The elegant Renaissance
re-table, and a statue by Chartrousse of a mother clasping a cross, with
the text: _Bienheureux ceux qui pleurent, parce qu'ils seront consolés_,
complete the contents of this chapel. The vaulting is very graceful, and
is supported by corbels. The altar is a carved wood representation of
_Christ upon the Mount of Olives_. The founder of this chapel or chantry
was a descendant of Jean-Jacques Gentian, who saved the life of Philippe
le Bel at the battle of Mons in 1304, for which act Gentian was allowed
to incorporate the lilies into his arms. He died in 1305, and was buried
on this spot in the old church; his descendant, a master merchant, was
buried in the chapel in 1578.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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