The Virgin Mother, holding the child Jesus on her knees, sits enthroned
in a niche of the gable, whilst two archangels cense. The square pillars
continue the main thesis, and carry on one side the twenty-four elders
of the Apocalypse and their instruments of music, and, on the other
side, the twelve Vices and twelve corresponding Virtues, in accordance
with which the Last Judgment is decided. Here, then, we have once more,
as on the north porch, Faith and her cross opposed to Idolatry and her
idol, Hope to Despair, Charity to Avarice; Chastity, with her curious
symbol, the Phœnix, confronts Luxury, Prudence, Folly, Humility,
Pride. These appear on the western and southern sides of the left
pillar; the series is continued on the one opposite. Docility, with an
ox, faces, on the south side, Intractability, Mildness, Anger, Strength,
Cowardice; and, on the east face, Perseverance, Inconstancy, Temperance
with a camel, Drunkenness, Concord, Discord.
The left or western bay is entirely concerned with the noble army of
martyrs, of whom the eight most honoured at Chartres, resting on storied
bases, and beneath rich canopies of the kind called heavenly Jerusalem,
adorn the walls. They are, on the left, S. Laurence, S. Clement, S.
Stephen, and S. Theodore. The latter is clad in a coat of mail, of the
time of S. Louis and the Crusaders. The statue is beautifully modelled
and splendidly wrought, and forms a noble counterpart to the
magnificent portrait of S. George opposite, who, likewise accoutred for
battle, is trampling on the wheel of his martyrdom. The other martyrs on
the right-hand wall are S. Vincent, S. Denis, and the S. Piat of whom we
have spoken above (p. 44), and the outside of whose chapel, with the
beautiful staircase connecting it with the main body of the Cathedral,
we can see beyond the apse on our right.
[Illustration: S. GEORGE
(_From the South Porch_)]
The story of S. Stephen is retold in the tympanum and the first row of
the vaulting; in the next five rows are twenty-eight statuettes,
representing the hierarchy of martyrs; in the sixth, the parable of the
wise and foolish virgins reappears, and in the gable is S. Anne seated,
holding a vase, in which is a lily, the symbol of purity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account