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Paradoxplace South West France Photo and History Pages Paradoxplace France Photo & History Pages Links to French Cathedral and Abbey Photo Pages in Paradoxplace
L'Église Notre Dame la Grande de Poitiers
Link to Maps of the Pilgrimage Roads of France
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L'Église Notre Dame la Grande - Romanesque feast and famine - Outside of the wonderful facade and associated structures, the church is almost completely devoid of any Romanesque bits and pieces such as carved corbels, the only exception being a bit of stuff on the main tower.
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The meta (as they say) story on the facade is .... Bottom Tier (the most interesting): Jesus is announced by the prophets and born - some of these scenes are shown below. Middle Tier: The word of God is spread by the 12 apostles and 2 local saints - Hilary and Martin. Top Tier: Jesus, surrounded by the symbols of the 4 evangelists, encased in an originally mandorla shaped frame, is glorified (see below).
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Here are details of the bottom row from the left to right (in differing lights) .....
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On the left of the facade - our old friends Adam and Eve
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An interesting comparison - A moustachioed God and Adam plus Eve in the 1100s Puerta de las Platerias (Goldsmiths' Portal) - the only Romanesque portal left in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
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Next is a new player in these pages - the Prophet King Nebuchadnezzar - accompanied by Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaiah and Moses
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Next to the prophets are the Annunciation, Jessé (ancestor of David) and his tree, and what was possibly David playing his harp.
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Annunciation detail
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Tier I A: Not all the spectators have been there since the beginning, one suspects, but so what ?
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The Visitation - Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth
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Finally, on right side of Tier I, Jesus is born and gets his first wash whilst Joseph looks on, and underneath peace and justice indulge in a cautious embrace (truly, but we wouldn't bet on this relationship lasting)
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Detail above: Mary rests with the infant Jesus being quietly nuzzled by animals in the manger.
Detail below: A mature looking Jesus is given a bath by rolled up sleeved nurses, whilst Joseph wonders what the future may bring
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Top Tier Mandorla: Bottom left - the Lion of Mark, then clockwise the Angel of Matthew, the Eagle of John and the Calf of Luke.
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Inside - a riot of decorator colour Romanesque - a (1800s ?) feature of many of the churches of west and south-west France, which are the subject of regular repaints so that the impact never fades.
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The impressive old columns surrounding the altar / apse are also typical of several regional churches, though in this case thankfully not painted.
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Links to other pages in Paradoxplace
All original material on this site © Adrian Fletcher 2000-08 - The contents may not be hotlinked, or reproduced without permission
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