Chartres Cathedral Windows

Chartres Cathedral Windows

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Les vitraux legendaires de Chartres: Des recits en images

This pocket sized guide (in English) to Chartres Cathedral is the best detailed guide we have come across. It covers almost every window scene and individual statue inside and outside the cathedral, even including archivolt cycles.

The book on the left is the reference work for the stained glass of Chartres. Photos, layout plans and descriptive narrative (in French) for all the Chartres windows worth talking about!

Following a couple of days of photography in September 2007, we have a large stock of close up photos of most panels in the following windows
St Thomas Becket	Joseph
Ste-Marguerite & Ste-Catherine	Life of Mary
Charlemagne	Mary Magdalene
Saint James	Good Samaritan
Zodiacs and Monthly Labours	Blue Virgin
Eustace
West Rose and West Lancet Windows - Passion, Incarnation, Jesse
Incarnation Window	North Rose and Lancet Windows
For further information email afletch at paradoxplace dot com

THE BLUE VIRGIN

The famous "Blue Virgin" window was one of the four windows rescued from the old cathedral after the disastrous fire of 1194 (the other three are in the west facade). Here the early sun and shadows have a dramatic highlighting impact.

The Incarnation Window (1100s) detail left to right from bottom: Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity, Angels appear to Shepherds, Herod meets the Magi (2 panels), Adoration of the Magi, departure of Magi and the dream of the magi (on the next row, not shown here).

THE INCARNATION WINDOW - CENTRAL WEST LANCET WINDOW

LINK TO PHOTOS OF ALL THE FRAMES IN THE INCARNATION (LIFE OF CHRIST) WINDOW

Tree of Jesse - North side west lancet window

Zodiac / Labours of the Month Window

February man warms his feet in the Zodiac window, first half of the 1200s, which shows all the signs of the zodiac and the typical activity at that time of year. In addition to this there are two sculptured Zodiac / Labours of the Month cycles - one in the West Porch, the other in the North Porch.

THE ZODIAC WINDOW

LINK TO PHOTOS OF THE CHARTRES ZODIAC / LABOURS OF THE MONTH WINDOW

There are nearly 200 medieval stained glass windows in Chartres Cathedral, most dating from the 1200s with various restorations and some glass replacement over the years. However many photos you take there are always going to be plenty of opportunities still on the table for the next visit! In most cases the narrative windows should be read 'line by line' left to right starting at the bottom.

There is a great map of all of the window locations in Holly Hayes' Sacred Destinations

While you are there don't miss the outstanding photos of the Noah window which Team Paradox left till next time!

THE NORTH ROSE

Maximum Nikon Grunt gave us this photo of King David sitting on top of a circle of 12 Kings of Judah, assorted minor prophets and angels, all centred on their relative, the Virgin Mary and her Child. And that's just the Rose part of the 1230s North Rose - underneath it are 5 huge lancet windows also dating from 1230ish.

LINK TO MORE PHOTOS OF THE NORTH ROSE ENSEMBLE

STORY OF SAINT THOMAS BECKET - PHOTOS OF ALL THE SCENES IN THE CHARTRES BECKET WINDOW

This is the top frame of the window, first half of the 1200s, showing the murder of Saint Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canteerbury, in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170

STORIES OF CHARLEMAGNE - LINK TO MORE PHOTOS

The Charlemagne window and the St-James window next to it date from the 1200s and are amongst the most beautiful in a church packed with beautiful windows, particularly because of the quality of the blue colouring.

At the base - the Charlemagne Window was donated by the Furriers

Charlemagne Window - Chartres Cathedral

Charlemagne Window - the most beautiful blues of them all

St-James Window - Chartres Cathedral

St-James Window - second in the blue stakes to Charlemagne

The Furriers and Drapers Guild, Donors of the St-James Window

STORIES OF SAINT JAMES

The frames above and below are at the bottom of the Saint James' window, and are messages from and about the window's donors - the furriers and drapers guild.

The Furriers and Drapers Guild, Donors of the St-James Window

STORY OF JOSEPH

This is the third of the four sections of the Joseph window, 1200s. The whole window, donated by the bankers' guild, is shown below.

Joseph Window

Good Samaritan Window

STORY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN

Scenes in the story of the Good Samaritan, 1200s. After this lower panel the window moves on to Adam and Eve. The whole window, which was donated by the shoemakers' Guild, is shown above right.

Les vitraux legendaires de Chartres: Des recits en images

This pocket sized guide to Chartres Cathedral (in English) is the best detailed guide we have come across. It details almost every window scene and individual statue inside and outside the cathedral, even including archivolt cycles.

The book on the left is the reference work for the stained glass of Chartres. Photos, layout plans and descriptive narrative (in French) for all the Chartres windows worth talking about!

Links to other Paradoxplace pages

All original material © Adrian Fletcher 2000-08 - The contents may not be hotlinked, or reproduced without permission.