Cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris

La Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris

North Rose Window

Dating from 1270 and retaining much more original glass and design than the others

South Rose Window

Two drastic restorations have caused a fairly random dispersal of the original imagery and design cohesion. For example the second restoration masterminded by Viollet-le-Duc in the mid 1880s involved "rotating" (= rebuilding) the whole wheel by 10 - 20 degrees so that a load bearing spoke was at right angles to the base. One of the 1880s restorers had a large collection of salvaged medieval stained glass windows, and seems to have incorporated this randomly into the gaps caused by breakage and decay. So just enjoy and don't look too closely for meaning!

16 prophets are shown in the lancet windows under the rose. The four "senior prophets" in the centre each has an evangelist sitting on his shoulder, bringing to mind the words of Sir Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727 (85)) in a letter to another great English scientist, Robert Hooks: "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants".

West Rose Window (originally 1220, but much repaired)

(the next two photos are from the cathedral guide to its stained glass - right)

The view of the West Rose window suffers from the disadvantage of being significantly obstructed by the cathedral's organ pipes (even more than shown in this photo if you are standing at the nave floor level). Which is a particular shame because it contains a full set of Zodiac signs and labours of the month, as well as juxtapositioned vices and virtues.

Link to Paradoxplace page on representations of labours of the months and Zodiac signs

The "wedge" below below shows cowardice v fortitude (upper row) and Capricorn plus a December dinner à deux (lower band). There are 12 "wedges" to accomodate 12 Zodiac signs, 12 monthly labours, 12 vices and 12 virtues - keyed in to 12 scroll bearing prophets surrounding the Virgin Mary and Child.

Clockwise from centre: a prophet, cowardice, fortitude, December dinner for two, Capricorn

There is also a collection of monthly labours and Zodiac signs on the door jams of the Coronation (north) Portal (above - aka the Portal of the Virgin) in the west front of the cathedral. The photos below come from the excellent coffee table book shown below right.