In the medieval times, incredibly beautiful and awe-inspiring cathedrals were built in Europe as vast monuments dedicated to the glory of God. Notre Dame of Paris and Notre Dame of Chartres (the Chartres Cathedral) are among the most famous cathedrals, both these magnificent constructions are also among the earliest and the finest examples of Gothic architecture.
Gothic architecture was first worked out and defined in France in the first quarter the twelfth century. It is a grand and imposing style of architecture prominently characterized by such features as pointed arches, flying buttresses, ribbed vaults, the use of stained glass (especially in large windows), and lavish artistic detail. Although palaces, castles, town halls and universities employed Gothic architecture, this religiously-inspired architectural style is particularly suitable for ecclesiastical edifices since it is an artistic approach that seeks to invoke the power of the divine in stone and glass. It is in cathedrals that Gothic architecture fully blossomed and reached it highest potential. Today, gothic architecture is readily associated mostly with cathedrals, and a study of gothic architecture largely amounts to a study of cathedrals.
Chartres is located about 80 km southwest of Paris. The Cathedral of Notre Dame, built in the 12th and 13th centuries, is the epicenter of this town. The Chartres Cathedral is celebrated as the high point in Gothic architecture and also as a testament to the artistic creativity and engineering ingenuity of the Middle Ages.
History of the cathedral and some of its salient features
The humble beginnings of the Chartres Cathedral date back to the fourth century when the first Christian church was built on a druidic site. In 743, the original church was razed down by an invading duke. A new Church of St. Mary was then built on this spot. In the ninth century, this church acquired a holy relic, a tunic supposedly worn by St. Mary when she gave birth to Jesus. It is preserved to this day in the cathedral treasury. This church was destroyed by Danish Vikings, but was rebuilt soon thereafter. However this too was destroyed in two major fires. In 1020, there was a massive initiative to build the church again and on a larger scale. It was commissioned by Bishop Fulbert, and was built in the Romanesque style. Some parts of the present-day structure date back to this period before the first crusade (Adams 62).
Around the 11th and 12th centuries, the town of Chartres developed into a hub of learning and thought. It became one of the active centers of the phenomenon known today as twelfth-century renaissance. This cultural efflorescence forms the backdrop from which the great cathedral came to be.
In 1134, a conflagration ravaged the whole town, and a considerable part of the cathedral too was devoured in the flames. Rebuilding began in 1145. Many extant structures of the cathedral date back to this period. In 1194, the cathedral was once again subjected to devastation by fire. But once again it rose from the ashes. The work on it was almost completed by 1235. The cathedral was consecrated in 1260. The Chartres Cathedral as we know it today essentially belongs to the 12th and 13th centuries, even though minor work continued on it sporadically until as late as 16th century.
Among other things, the Cathedral of Chartres is noted for its iconography as seen in its imagery-laden windows and the porches adorned with fine sculptures. It has to be noted though that the vast iconography embedded in stained glass and sculpture was meant to be much more than an embellishment. In general, medieval church art had the purpose of instructing people in religious matters.
There are three large rose windows, the one in the west is dedicated to the theme of the apocalypse and the Last Judgment, the one on the north-side portrays Virgin Mary and the Old Testament prophets, and the south window is devoted to Jesus Christ and the stories of the New Testament.
A plethora of statues populate the portals and the porches. The most prominent of these portals is the Royal Portal on the west faade. It has sculptures that depict New Testament stories and various motifs from them such as infant Jesus in Marys lap and Christs ascension to heaven. Below these statues based on religious themes are the statues of various historical kings and queens, which is what gives the portal its name. The implication of placing the royal statues below the religious statues is that there is a divine connection between the Ruler of the world and its rulers.
History and the layout of the portals
Chartres has three triple portals or totally nine portals in all, a triple portal on the western facade, a triple portal on each of the northern and the southern transepts. The three portals of the west front, which constitute the Royal Portal or Portals, are the most famous. The transepts have three sculptured portals each along with large rose windows and flanking towers. The triple-portal layout is unique to Chartres, although the design of the rose-windowed transepts as well as some of the iconography at the Royal Portal was based on the cathedral of St. Denis built earlier at Laon which was mostly destroyed during the reformation.
The 1134 fire destroyed the town and the west front of the then existing cathedral. When reconstruction on it began over a decade later, a new west faade was raised. The design of two flanking towers along with a tri-partite portal zone full of beautiful sculptures and a rose window above it is based on the model of an earlier church elsewhere but whereas the three portals were distinctly separated from one another in the earlier model, in Chartres the three doorways can be considered to form a unified structure, being connected by a frieze of sculptures and reliefs running across all the portals. The work on the west faade and its sculptures was most probably carried out between 1145 and 1150.
The fire of 1194 destroyed most of the town and the cathedral, but it almost miraculously spared the recently erected west faade. Although at first the citizens of Chartres considered the repeated fires that were destroying their cathedral as a sign of the divine wrath, the majestically standing west faade inspired them to look at the issue in a positive light, and they then thought they received a divine message in the form of the fire to build a bigger and better cathedral that matches the grandness of the west faade (Kleiner 343). Within the next 25 to 30 years, most of the new cathedral was completed. The magnificent new structure included the 3-aisled nave, the 5-aisled choir and its adjacent chapels and the transepts. The porches of the twin transepts were furnished with lavish friezes and sculptures. The high nave is supported by three-tier flying buttresses on the outside.
A closer look at the portals
The north portal is mostly dedicated to themes from the Old Testament, the south portal is dedicated to themes from the New Testament, and the Royal Portal is dedicated to the glorification of Christ and Mary.
North Portal This was constructed in the third decade of the 13th century. Christians view the prophets of the Old Testament to be precursors of the Christ and many of the happenings in OT to be preparations to lay the groundwork for the coming of the Christ. This is the view that is conveyed in the sculptures of the north portal. Here, Virgin Mary also features prominently (Janson Janson). The central portal has the statue of St. Anne with infant Mary in her hands. The central statue was probably a token of honor to a relic of St. Anne received by Chartres from Constantinople.
Some of the statues in the north porch are those of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Elijah, Simeon, John the Baptist and St. Peter. Moses and other figures from the Pentateuch do not feature, though there are a few statues depicting Adam and the story of creation.
Isaiah is the most famous of the prophets of Israel. He declared that there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots (Isaiah 111). Here he is shown as holding the flowering stem, although the actual flowering stem has disappeared. There is also a small figure of Jesse below him.
Jeremiah spoke about things which could be interpreted to be references to the Passion of Christ. Here he is depicted as holding a Greek cross and has listener beneath his feet.
Simeon is not a character from the Old Testament but a priest in the temple to whom infant Jesus was presented. He is depicted as holding the infant in his arms.
John the Baptist of the New Testament forms the immediate background from which Christ arose. He consciously paved the way for Christ to come. He is depicted as a thin figure, presumably emaciated from fasting and practicing asceticism, with a camel hair tunic. He is pointing in the direction of a medallion which is engraved with the Lamb of God. There is a dragon beneath his feet.
Then there is Peter the apostle, but dressed as a pope. He is supposed to be holding a chalice and a set of keys, but this part of the imagery is lost.
Elijah is one of the most interesting characters of the Old Testament. Reportedly he was abducted to heavens in a fiery chariot. Some researchers believe that this is a veiled reference to a UFO encounter. Here he is shown standing on the wheels of his chariot with his disciple, Elisha, catching his mantle from below.
Among the other statues are those of King Solomon, appearing corpulent, and Holy Modesta, a smiling female figure. Also, a conceptual depiction of the origin of mankind, which shows Adam emerging from behind the head of God the divine idea and the image of God molding Adams head into shape as a sculptor moulds clay.
South Portal The south portal was carved between 1224 and 1250. It is based on the themes of the New Testament, with a focus on the Last Judgment. There is the central image of Christ which has come to be known as the Beau-Dieu, the beautiful God, because Jesus appears mild and charming. There are the sculptures of the martyrs on the left bay, and images of other saints known as confessors (implying those saints who were not martyred) on the right side.
Royal Portal The Royal Portal on the west front was carved by 1150, it is the earliest and the most intricate of the Chartres portals (Hearn 197). The central theme is Mary and Jesus, but the recesses of the portal are adorned with statues of kings, queens and figures from the Old Testament. These statues have expressive faces, their attitude could be interpreted as a form of condescension for the visitor. At some places here one can also clearly discern the transition from Romanesque architecture to Gothic. For example, the emotive faces belong more to the latter tradition, while some kind of elongation of the figures is part of the earlier style.
The central Royal Portal presents the theme of the Last Judgment. The Christ in the tympanum is surrounded by the four beasts of the Apocalypse. There is an almond-shaped halo (known as a mandorla) around the Christ, his right hand is raised in blessing, and in his left hand there is the the Book of Life. The image of the Christ here stands out of the rest of the cathedral sculpture for its central position and intrinsic beauty. It is especially known for subtly bringing together the divine (Christ) and the human (Jesus) in Jesus Christ.
To the left of the central portal, friezes on the capitals reflect the life of Mary. There are also the images of Anne and Joachim, Marys parents. To the right, scenes depict the life of Christ.
The left doorway features the Ascension of the Christ. The Christ is standing on a cloud, flanked by two angels. There are four more angles below and further below are ten seated men, the apostles, with scrolls in their hands and looking up at Christ. The archivolts present signs of the zodiac.
The right-hand portal depicting the descent of Christ unto the earth complements the Ascension on the other side. The bottom register shows scenes from Marys life, including the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, and the Annunciation to the Shepherds. The middle register depicts Presentation at the Temple. The upper one has the Virgin and the Child seated between two angels. The inner archivolt contains angels, and the outer archivolt has two signs from the zodiac and some other secular symbols.
The Cathedral of Chartres is one of the foremost architectural wonders of the world. It perfectly captures splendor and sublimity of the Gothic style. But it is more than a work of art and a marvel of engineering. Being the epitome of the Gothic cathedrals, Notre Dame de Chartres
encodes a far-reaching shift in the way medieval thinkers perceived their relationship with their world. For the first time, they began to believe in an orderly, rational world could be investigated and understood. This change marked the beginning of Western science and also the start of a long and, indeed, unfinished struggle to reconcile faith and reason. (Ball, front flap)
In other words, the entire Cathedral of Chartres can be seen as a grand ancient portal to the Age of Enlightenment and the modern times.
Gothic architecture was first worked out and defined in France in the first quarter the twelfth century. It is a grand and imposing style of architecture prominently characterized by such features as pointed arches, flying buttresses, ribbed vaults, the use of stained glass (especially in large windows), and lavish artistic detail. Although palaces, castles, town halls and universities employed Gothic architecture, this religiously-inspired architectural style is particularly suitable for ecclesiastical edifices since it is an artistic approach that seeks to invoke the power of the divine in stone and glass. It is in cathedrals that Gothic architecture fully blossomed and reached it highest potential. Today, gothic architecture is readily associated mostly with cathedrals, and a study of gothic architecture largely amounts to a study of cathedrals.
Chartres is located about 80 km southwest of Paris. The Cathedral of Notre Dame, built in the 12th and 13th centuries, is the epicenter of this town. The Chartres Cathedral is celebrated as the high point in Gothic architecture and also as a testament to the artistic creativity and engineering ingenuity of the Middle Ages.
History of the cathedral and some of its salient features
The humble beginnings of the Chartres Cathedral date back to the fourth century when the first Christian church was built on a druidic site. In 743, the original church was razed down by an invading duke. A new Church of St. Mary was then built on this spot. In the ninth century, this church acquired a holy relic, a tunic supposedly worn by St. Mary when she gave birth to Jesus. It is preserved to this day in the cathedral treasury. This church was destroyed by Danish Vikings, but was rebuilt soon thereafter. However this too was destroyed in two major fires. In 1020, there was a massive initiative to build the church again and on a larger scale. It was commissioned by Bishop Fulbert, and was built in the Romanesque style. Some parts of the present-day structure date back to this period before the first crusade (Adams 62).
Around the 11th and 12th centuries, the town of Chartres developed into a hub of learning and thought. It became one of the active centers of the phenomenon known today as twelfth-century renaissance. This cultural efflorescence forms the backdrop from which the great cathedral came to be.
In 1134, a conflagration ravaged the whole town, and a considerable part of the cathedral too was devoured in the flames. Rebuilding began in 1145. Many extant structures of the cathedral date back to this period. In 1194, the cathedral was once again subjected to devastation by fire. But once again it rose from the ashes. The work on it was almost completed by 1235. The cathedral was consecrated in 1260. The Chartres Cathedral as we know it today essentially belongs to the 12th and 13th centuries, even though minor work continued on it sporadically until as late as 16th century.
Among other things, the Cathedral of Chartres is noted for its iconography as seen in its imagery-laden windows and the porches adorned with fine sculptures. It has to be noted though that the vast iconography embedded in stained glass and sculpture was meant to be much more than an embellishment. In general, medieval church art had the purpose of instructing people in religious matters.
There are three large rose windows, the one in the west is dedicated to the theme of the apocalypse and the Last Judgment, the one on the north-side portrays Virgin Mary and the Old Testament prophets, and the south window is devoted to Jesus Christ and the stories of the New Testament.
A plethora of statues populate the portals and the porches. The most prominent of these portals is the Royal Portal on the west faade. It has sculptures that depict New Testament stories and various motifs from them such as infant Jesus in Marys lap and Christs ascension to heaven. Below these statues based on religious themes are the statues of various historical kings and queens, which is what gives the portal its name. The implication of placing the royal statues below the religious statues is that there is a divine connection between the Ruler of the world and its rulers.
History and the layout of the portals
Chartres has three triple portals or totally nine portals in all, a triple portal on the western facade, a triple portal on each of the northern and the southern transepts. The three portals of the west front, which constitute the Royal Portal or Portals, are the most famous. The transepts have three sculptured portals each along with large rose windows and flanking towers. The triple-portal layout is unique to Chartres, although the design of the rose-windowed transepts as well as some of the iconography at the Royal Portal was based on the cathedral of St. Denis built earlier at Laon which was mostly destroyed during the reformation.
The 1134 fire destroyed the town and the west front of the then existing cathedral. When reconstruction on it began over a decade later, a new west faade was raised. The design of two flanking towers along with a tri-partite portal zone full of beautiful sculptures and a rose window above it is based on the model of an earlier church elsewhere but whereas the three portals were distinctly separated from one another in the earlier model, in Chartres the three doorways can be considered to form a unified structure, being connected by a frieze of sculptures and reliefs running across all the portals. The work on the west faade and its sculptures was most probably carried out between 1145 and 1150.
The fire of 1194 destroyed most of the town and the cathedral, but it almost miraculously spared the recently erected west faade. Although at first the citizens of Chartres considered the repeated fires that were destroying their cathedral as a sign of the divine wrath, the majestically standing west faade inspired them to look at the issue in a positive light, and they then thought they received a divine message in the form of the fire to build a bigger and better cathedral that matches the grandness of the west faade (Kleiner 343). Within the next 25 to 30 years, most of the new cathedral was completed. The magnificent new structure included the 3-aisled nave, the 5-aisled choir and its adjacent chapels and the transepts. The porches of the twin transepts were furnished with lavish friezes and sculptures. The high nave is supported by three-tier flying buttresses on the outside.
A closer look at the portals
The north portal is mostly dedicated to themes from the Old Testament, the south portal is dedicated to themes from the New Testament, and the Royal Portal is dedicated to the glorification of Christ and Mary.
North Portal This was constructed in the third decade of the 13th century. Christians view the prophets of the Old Testament to be precursors of the Christ and many of the happenings in OT to be preparations to lay the groundwork for the coming of the Christ. This is the view that is conveyed in the sculptures of the north portal. Here, Virgin Mary also features prominently (Janson Janson). The central portal has the statue of St. Anne with infant Mary in her hands. The central statue was probably a token of honor to a relic of St. Anne received by Chartres from Constantinople.
Some of the statues in the north porch are those of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Elijah, Simeon, John the Baptist and St. Peter. Moses and other figures from the Pentateuch do not feature, though there are a few statues depicting Adam and the story of creation.
Isaiah is the most famous of the prophets of Israel. He declared that there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots (Isaiah 111). Here he is shown as holding the flowering stem, although the actual flowering stem has disappeared. There is also a small figure of Jesse below him.
Jeremiah spoke about things which could be interpreted to be references to the Passion of Christ. Here he is depicted as holding a Greek cross and has listener beneath his feet.
Simeon is not a character from the Old Testament but a priest in the temple to whom infant Jesus was presented. He is depicted as holding the infant in his arms.
John the Baptist of the New Testament forms the immediate background from which Christ arose. He consciously paved the way for Christ to come. He is depicted as a thin figure, presumably emaciated from fasting and practicing asceticism, with a camel hair tunic. He is pointing in the direction of a medallion which is engraved with the Lamb of God. There is a dragon beneath his feet.
Then there is Peter the apostle, but dressed as a pope. He is supposed to be holding a chalice and a set of keys, but this part of the imagery is lost.
Elijah is one of the most interesting characters of the Old Testament. Reportedly he was abducted to heavens in a fiery chariot. Some researchers believe that this is a veiled reference to a UFO encounter. Here he is shown standing on the wheels of his chariot with his disciple, Elisha, catching his mantle from below.
Among the other statues are those of King Solomon, appearing corpulent, and Holy Modesta, a smiling female figure. Also, a conceptual depiction of the origin of mankind, which shows Adam emerging from behind the head of God the divine idea and the image of God molding Adams head into shape as a sculptor moulds clay.
South Portal The south portal was carved between 1224 and 1250. It is based on the themes of the New Testament, with a focus on the Last Judgment. There is the central image of Christ which has come to be known as the Beau-Dieu, the beautiful God, because Jesus appears mild and charming. There are the sculptures of the martyrs on the left bay, and images of other saints known as confessors (implying those saints who were not martyred) on the right side.
Royal Portal The Royal Portal on the west front was carved by 1150, it is the earliest and the most intricate of the Chartres portals (Hearn 197). The central theme is Mary and Jesus, but the recesses of the portal are adorned with statues of kings, queens and figures from the Old Testament. These statues have expressive faces, their attitude could be interpreted as a form of condescension for the visitor. At some places here one can also clearly discern the transition from Romanesque architecture to Gothic. For example, the emotive faces belong more to the latter tradition, while some kind of elongation of the figures is part of the earlier style.
The central Royal Portal presents the theme of the Last Judgment. The Christ in the tympanum is surrounded by the four beasts of the Apocalypse. There is an almond-shaped halo (known as a mandorla) around the Christ, his right hand is raised in blessing, and in his left hand there is the the Book of Life. The image of the Christ here stands out of the rest of the cathedral sculpture for its central position and intrinsic beauty. It is especially known for subtly bringing together the divine (Christ) and the human (Jesus) in Jesus Christ.
To the left of the central portal, friezes on the capitals reflect the life of Mary. There are also the images of Anne and Joachim, Marys parents. To the right, scenes depict the life of Christ.
The left doorway features the Ascension of the Christ. The Christ is standing on a cloud, flanked by two angels. There are four more angles below and further below are ten seated men, the apostles, with scrolls in their hands and looking up at Christ. The archivolts present signs of the zodiac.
The right-hand portal depicting the descent of Christ unto the earth complements the Ascension on the other side. The bottom register shows scenes from Marys life, including the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, and the Annunciation to the Shepherds. The middle register depicts Presentation at the Temple. The upper one has the Virgin and the Child seated between two angels. The inner archivolt contains angels, and the outer archivolt has two signs from the zodiac and some other secular symbols.
The Cathedral of Chartres is one of the foremost architectural wonders of the world. It perfectly captures splendor and sublimity of the Gothic style. But it is more than a work of art and a marvel of engineering. Being the epitome of the Gothic cathedrals, Notre Dame de Chartres
encodes a far-reaching shift in the way medieval thinkers perceived their relationship with their world. For the first time, they began to believe in an orderly, rational world could be investigated and understood. This change marked the beginning of Western science and also the start of a long and, indeed, unfinished struggle to reconcile faith and reason. (Ball, front flap)
In other words, the entire Cathedral of Chartres can be seen as a grand ancient portal to the Age of Enlightenment and the modern times.
No comments:
Post a Comment