The Churches of Paris, from Clovis to Charles X — John Shaqi
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.
None of the monuments of the early kings are anterior to the 13th
century; consequently, even the original portions of the effigies which
remain cannot be looked upon as in the slightest degree portrait
statues. On the other hand, the magnificent tombs in bronze, and the
brasses which adorned them, erected to the memory of Philippe Auguste,
S. Louis, and his father, and which were destroyed centuries ago, were
most probably as valuable as contemporary portraits as they were for
their workmanship; likewise the 13th century effigies which remain are
remarkable for the beauty of their workmanship. Louis IV. was the last
prince who was laid under a simple stone monument. The last tomb erected
was that of Henri II., the sovereigns who followed him having had no
memorials. They were laid together in one great crypt, and when
disturbed by the Revolutionists for the sake of the lead of their
coffins ("of the coffins of our old tyrants let us make bullets to hurl
at our enemies"), there were fifty-four bodies arranged upon iron
trestles side by side, Henri IV.[22] heading the list, and the Dauphin,
elder son of Louis XVI., ending it. The monuments now occupy the same
position that they did before the Revolution; and if we stand upon the
raised platform of the apse behind the High Altar we can gaze down upon
what may be called the history of France, from the artistic point of
view, during four or five centuries. On the left, the 13th century tomb
of Dagobert stands erect; beyond it, the Renaissance mausoleum of
Francis I., one of the _chefs-d'œuvres_ of that grand sculptor,
Philibert Delorme. On the right, the enamelled brasses of the children
of S. Louis and the tomb of Henri II. A mosaic effigy of Frédégonde, the
Orléans monument, and the tomb of Louis XII. by the brothers Juste, of
Tours, complete the list of important works, while all about are
recumbent figures upon arcaded monuments. The resting-places of the
abbots were simply marked by inscriptions or flat slabs. The historian
of the Abbey, Dom Michel Félibien, records the number of thirteen stones
of grand priors with effigies, besides the abbots' tombs.
Among the distinguished men buried at S. Denis were the following:--
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