FRQ: Church of Sainte Foy and Chartres Cathedral

Chartres Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Chartres) Visual

cruciform (Latin cross) plan
groin vault is over the crossing square
intersection of transept and nave
flying buttresses used to increase support and stability of the walls and arches
Gothic churches have thinner/lighter walls with higher arches and more windows than Romanesque
outside has 2 towers, built 50 years apart
rose window on the outside
rose window uses plate tracery because it has more stone





Great Portal of West Facade has jambs with actual statues
center shows Christ and a mandorla
a mandorla is a full body halo
jamb statues are kings from the Old Testament
barrel vault on the inside
Mary is holding baby Jesus, both have a nimbus
she is wearing blue, associated with her
blue stained glass is unique to this area only
triforium is space between clerestory and arcade
arcade is made of columns and arches
arches are more pointed, Gothic style
clerestory = windows

Chartres Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Chartres) Contextual

series of churches were built here but
were damaged by fire, last fire was in 1194
rose windows are typical of Gothic churches
some use bar tracery, some use plate tracery which has more stone
bar tracery has more glass
ribs of arches on top are visible, typical of Gothic style churches
stained glass was not invented in Gothic period, but is very characteristic of Gothic art
Abbot Suger developed Lux Nova, means new light
he designed one of the first Gothic cathedrals at St Denis, used stained glass for light



believed that God’s presence comes through the light of the stained glass window (sacred light) that would enrich religious experience of people
colored light of stained glass creates a mystical atmosphere and enhances spiritual experience
cathedral and glass window Notre Dame de la Belle Verrière are designated to Mary
contains relic, aka the tunic that Mary wore at the birth of Jesus
Mary was compassionate and good woman
during the Gothic period, many are paying for religious art

Church of Sainte-Foy (Church) Visual

church had small windows, engaged buttresses, and Roman arches
church had a cruciform plan
radiating chapels are on the sides of the apse in semicircles
radiating chapels held the relics (bones) of martyrs and saints
barrel vaulted nave (center of the church)
barrel vault and groin vault
groin vault is 2 barrel vaults at perpendicular angles
they entered the west portal and circulated around the church towards the apse to visit the radiating chapels
floor plan regulated traffic in church
bay is space between 2 columns/pilasters in a church, including the vaulting/ceiling between them




portal is an entrance
tympanum is half circle above lintel and trumeau
trumeau divides the door
jambs are on both sides of door
plain jambs

Church of Sainte-Foy (Church) Contextual

many pilgrimage churches built in Romanesque period
churches often had heavy stone walls
churches also had engaged buttresses, extra stone put on the outside of the wall for more support
Romanesque churches have a cruciform plan, small windows, radiating chapels, and Roman arches
pilgrims traveled to churches to get closer to God and heaven, pilgrimages bring in money to the city of churches, good for business

Church of Sainte-Foy (Last Judgment) Visual

Last Judgment is where Jesus judges the goodness of the dead to determine if they go to heaven or hell
right hand is pointing upwards, aka Heaven
left hand is pointing down towards Hell
on Christ’s right, there is Mary and Peter (disciple)
Peter is always shown with a key, a symbol for Peter
Peter has keys to kingdom of God
right of Christ is God’s hand beckoning Sainte Foy
below God’s hand and the saints is Paradise
Abraham is seen in Paradise’s center
on other side shows angels opening the graves where the dead’s souls will rise and be judged





there are demons on the other side
mouth of hell is under Christ
devil sits in judgment, opposite of Abraham
there is a man hanging by a rope by the devil, aka Judas
he killed himself after betraying Christ
heavily stylized figures shown frontally or in a composite pose

Church of Sainte-Foy (Last Judgment) Contextual

the Last Judgment is right by the door to make pilgrims have fear of punishment
they should act more faithfully

Church of Sainte-Foy (Reliquary of Sainte Foy) Visual

Reliquary of Sainte Foy is found in radiating chapel
a container for the remains of a holy person, aka Sainte Foy
her head is from a Roman statue of a child, aka spolia
she is covered in gold and gemstones donated from pilgrams

Church of Sainte-Foy (Reliquary of Sainte Foy) Contextual

Sainte Foy was a Christian living in Roman-occupied France
she refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods, and so she was martyred and killed
Sainte Foy is a martyr who died for her religion
her relic brought wealth into the town
the gemstones were added onto the relic as donations by pilgrims
they wanted to get to Heaven

Chartres Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Chartres) Period

Gothic Europe

Chartres Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Chartres) Dates

1145-1155 CE original construction, 1194-1220 reconstructed

Chartres Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Chartres) Culture

Chartres, France

Chartres Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Chartres) Material

Limestone and stained glass

Church of Sainte-Foy Period

Romanesque Europe

Church of Sainte-Foy Dates

Church in 1050-1130 CE, Reliquary of Sainte Foy in the 9th century with later additions

Church of Sainte-Foy Culture

Conques, France

Church of Sainte-Foy Material

Stone (architecture); stone and paint (tympanum); gold, silver, gemstones, and enamel over wood (reliquary)