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.
Much of the old glass has gone, the central portion of each window
having been taken away, to throw more light upon the marbled stucco.
What remains is in good 16th century style, the work, probably, of
Héron, Jacques de Paroy, Chamu, and Jean Nogare, whom Levieil records to
have been the artists employed. The subjects are from the history of SS.
Peter, Joseph, John the Baptist, and Francis of Assisi; but it is most
difficult to follow the designs, as not only are there the gaps of plain
glass, but what was taken out has been used for repairing the other
windows. Still a few subjects can be traced; the Raising of Lazarus; an
Angel bringing food to the Virgin as she works in the temple; the
Magdalen preaching to the people from a pulpit; the Beheading of S.
John. In one of the chapels the history of Susannah figures--also Joseph
and Jacob, and other Old Testament worthies. Three persons, identical in
form and features, represent the Holy Trinity; they hold each other's
hands in a circle, upon which is inscribed, _Ego sum alpha et omega,
primus et novissimus_. On another window are the Sybils carrying the
emblems of the Nativity and the Passion, the Cradle, a lantern, the
Scourge, and the Cross.
The church possesses a very curious holy-water stoop of the time of
Louis XII. It is about three feet high, more like a baptismal font than
a stoop in size; it is octagonal, and stands upon a pedestal with a
square base. The upper part is decorated with the arms of France and of
Bretagne, and the instruments of the Passion. A small amount of carved
woodwork of the Renaissance period remains--fragments of sculptured
columns, pilasters, children, birds, and trophies. But a most
remarkable picture of the 16th century arrests the visitor's attention
as he saunters round the aisles, _S. Geneviève_ sitting in a sort of
Druidical circle surrounded by her flock of sheep--a rare combination of
mystic Paganism and Christian legend.
A mosaic tablet of the _Virgin and Child_ now in the Hôtel Cluny (No.
1795) was formerly in this church. It was given by Jean de Ganay, first
president of the Parliament. Piganiol de la Force gave the continuation
of the inscription as "_Opus magistri Davidis_, Florentini, Anno
M.CCCC.LXXXXVI." Jean de Ganay went to Italy with Charles VIII., and
took part in the campaign of 1494 and 1495, and for some time he was
chancellor of the kingdom of Naples; but as he was not first president
until 1505, the mosaic must have been sent to Paris subsequently to his
sojourn in Italy. His epitaph runs thus:
CY GIST LE CORPS DE NOBLE CHEVALIER
JEAN DE GANNY DE FRANCE CHANCELIER
ET ZELATEUR DE LA CHOSE PUBLIQUE.
TARDIF À NUIRE ET PREST À CONSEILLER
DU BIEN DAUTRUY CAR CESTOIT LE PILLIER,
PHILOSOPHAL VRAY ARISTOTILIQUE,
POURTANT HUMAINS UN CHACUN SE APPLIQUE
PRIER JESUS PAR MESSES ET PAR DITS
QUIL LUY PARDONNE ET DONNE PARADIS.
OBIIT ANNO 1512.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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