Amiens Before and During the War 3

Amiens Before and During the War 3

South Lateral Façade

 

At the foot of the south tower is St. Christopher's door (_plan p. 22_),

and to the right a statue of this saint carrying the child Jesus on his

shoulder.

 

The buttresses separating the lofty, broad windows of the chapels of the

nave, added in the 14th century, are decorated with superposed statues.

 

The gable of the south transept (_photo opposite_) is remarkable.

 

The upper portion of the great rose window is surrounded by a "wheel of

fortune" (14th century).

 

On one side eight beardless youths climb up the wheel, while on the

other side eight old men with beards descend with it.

 

In the middle is seated a figure with crown and sceptre.

 

[Illustration: GABLE OF SOUTH TRANSEPT.

 

(_facing the Rue Robert de Luzarches_).]

 

[Illustration: DIVIDING PILLAR OF SOUTH DOORWAY.

 

(_facing the Rue Robert de Luzarches_).

 

THE "GILDED VIRGIN"]

 

 

Doorway of the South Transept

 

(_"Gilded Virgin" Door_)

 

This door was dedicated to the saints of Picardy, but especially to St.

Honoré, who was one of the first bishops of Amiens. It is also sometimes

called the St. Honoré Door.

 

The statuary dates back to the end of the 13th century, with the

exception of the large statues on the jambs, which were executed at the

time the doorway was built, _i.e._, about 1230. These eight statues

represent six saints and two angels.

 

On the dividing pillar is the celebrated statue of the Gilded Virgin

(_photo above_) standing with the Child Jesus on her left arm, on which

side the hip slightly protrudes. It is one of the earliest examples of

this _irregularity of outline_, and was destined to inspire the Virgins

of the 14th and 15th centuries, in which this characteristic became

increasingly marked.

 

A comparison of this statue with that of the south door of the west

façade (_photo p. 14_), furnishes a striking example of the evolution

which statuary had undergone in three-quarters of a century. The Gilded

Virgin (end of 13th century) is represented as a gracious young mother

tenderly regarding her child, while the "Mother-of-God" gravely bears

the "King of the World."

 

* * * * *

 

On the tympanum (_photo p. 19_) are:

 

* * * * *

 

(_a_) On the lintel: Twelve exceedingly fine, 13th century statues of

the Apostles.

 

The latter converse with animation in pairs. The __EXPRESSION__ of their

faces is quite different from that of the Apostles on the central

doorway, the appearance of the latter being solemn and almost godlike

(_photo p. 13_).

 

* * * * *

 

(_b_) The upper four sections represent the life of St. Honoré:

 

1ST SECTION:

 

_To the left_, consecration of St. Honoré;

 

_To the right_, the voice of Lupicin reveals the shrines of the martyrs.

 

2ND SECTION:

 

_To the left_, St. Honoré celebrating mass; a divine hand blesses the

elements;

 

_To the right_, the blind receive their sight.

 

[Illustration: SOUTH DOORWAY.

 

(_facing the Rue Robert de Luzarches_).

 

ON DIVIDING PILLAR, "GILDED VIRGIN."]

 

3RD SECTION:

 

Procession bearing the remains of St. Honoré.

 

4TH SECTION:

 

A crucifix, between the Virgin and St. John, reminds the faithful that

the crucifix of a church, before which the procession passed, bowed its

head as the remains of St. Honoré were carried by.

 

The arches comprise four borders with statues representing angels with

crowns or censers, the sixteen patriarchs of the Mosaic law, the sixteen

prophets and, lastly, sixteen figures of Apostles, evangelists, and holy

women.

 

[Illustration: APSE

 

(_Cliché LL._)]

 

 

=The Apse= (_photo above_)

 

Built after the nave in 1240-1269, the apse is especially remarkable for

the elegance and simplicity of its lines.

 

At the end are seven chapels, the central one being much deeper than the

others. All are of open construction, the lofty windows being separated

by heavily projecting buttresses. These chapels are noteworthy for their

harmonious proportions and purity of style.

 

The distance to be spanned by the flying buttresses being too great, the

latter were made in two parts, equipoised on an intermediate tambour;

and whereas this arch, which is hollowed out by a series of small

open-work ornamental arcades, is single in the lower flight, it became

necessary, in the 15th century, to strengthen the upper flight below the

arcades, with a second arch, on account of the pressure from the vaults.

 

Abutting on the south side of the apse is the Chapel of the Maccabees,

so called because it formerly adjoined the cloister of the Cathedral, on

whose walls was painted the Dance of Death. It now serves as a vestry.

 

The octagonal spire which rises above the intersection of the transept

should be viewed from behind the apse.

 

It was built in 1529-1533 of horse-chestnut wood covered with thick

sheet lead. 350 feet in height, it is only supported by four massive

pillars at the intersection of the transept. The lower portion comprises

two storeys of open construction ornamented with tall lead statues of

saints.

 

 

North Lateral Façade

 

The doorway of the northern arm of the transept, also known as the door

of St. Firmin the Confessor, is of the same construction as that of the

southern arm, but is unadorned with sculpture. The dividing pillar alone

is ornamented with a 13th century statue of a bishop.

 

In the tympanum is a glazed, packed wall which dates from the beginning

of the 14th century; the nerves represent an enormous spider.

 

The upper portion is unfinished; the rose window is bare of any

 

[Illustration: STATUES ON NORTH TOWER BUTTRESS:

 

(_on left_) CHARLES V.

 

(_on right_) THE DAUPHIN.]

 

ornamentation, and there is no stone gable.

 

As in the case of the south façade, the chapels of the nave are

separated on the outside by buttresses ornamented with 14th century

statues.

 

The two chapels nearest the principal façade were the last to be built

(1373-1375), and it was Jean de la Grange, then Bishop of Amiens, and

afterwards Cardinal and Financial Comptroller to Charles V., who bore

the expense of the building. A massive buttress was built to strengthen

the north tower, which these later constructions had weakened.

 

Two of the sides of the buttress and the dividing pillar between the two

chapels are ornamented with three superposed statues of considerable

interest, both from an historical and artistic point of view.

 

Considered downwards they represent:

 

On the north side of the buttress: _St. John the Baptist_, _the Dauphin

Charles_ (_later Charles VI.--photo above_) and _Bureau de la Rivière_,

Counsellor to Charles V. and VI.

 

On the west side of the buttress: _The Virgin_, _King Charles V._

(_photo above_), and _Cardinal Jean de la Grange_.

 

On the dividing pillar between the two chapels: _St. Firmin the

Confessor_, _Louis of Orleans_ (_second son of Charles V._) _and a

Counsellor of the King_.

 

 

Flying Buttresses

 

(_photo opposite_)

 

 

The flying buttresses of the nave are characteristic of the great Gothic

period.

 

Built of massive masonry, each consists of two superposed arches, one

above and the other below the point of abutment of the ogival arches of

the great nave.

 

These flying buttresses provide a counter-thrust which partly annuls

that of the vault.

 

The remainder is taken by the massive buttresses surmounted by pinnacles

and turrets, the latter preventing them from giving way under the

continual thrust of the flying-buttresses.

 

[Illustration: FLYING BUTTRESSES OF NAVE WITH TWO SUPERPOSED ARCHES

(_Cliché LL._)]

 

[Illustration: PLAN OF CATHEDRAL.

 

NORTH DOORWAY

 

GREAT DOORWAY

 

ST. CHRISTOPHER'S DOOR

 

SOUTH DOORWAY (Gilded Virgin)]

 

KEY TO PLAN OF AMIENS CATHEDRAL

 

A. Great doorway; St. Firmin's Door.

B. " " ; St. Saviour's Door.

C. " " ; "Mother of God Door."

D. Chapels of the nave (14th century).

D1. Chapel of the Annunciation or Our Lady of Faith (Annunciation

by _Blasset_).

D2. Chapel of the Assumption (Assumption by _Blasset_).

D3. " " Our Lady of Help (altar screen by _Blasset_).

D4. " " St. Saviour (ancient crucifix).

D5. " " Our Lady of Peace (Virgin and child by _Blasset_).

E. Altar of Our Lady of Puy (1627-1628) by _Blasset_ (on altar screen:

painting of Assumption by _Francken_).

F. Altar of St. Sebastian (1634-1635), by _Blasset_.

G. Stalls.

H. Radiating chapels of the apse.

H1. Chapel of St. Eloi (The Prophetesses, paintings, 1506).

H2. " " the Virgin.

1. Tomb of Canon Pierre Burry (16th century).

2. Bronze tomb to Evrard de Fouilloy (13th century).

3. " " " Geoffroy d'Eu (13th century).

4. Monument to Jean de Sachy, by _Blasset_ (17th century).

5. Life of St. James the Less (stone carving, 16th century).

6. Jesus driving the buyers and sellers out of the Temple

(stone carving, 16th century).

7. Roman cistern (12th century).

8. Tomb of Cardinal Hémard de Denouville (1543).

9. Life of St. Firmin, enclosure of carved stone, painted and gilded

(end of 15th century), and

funeral statue of Feray de Beauvoír with 16th century paintings.

10. Continuation of the Life of St. Firmin, stone enclosure and

tomb of Adrien de Henencourt (16th century).

11-12. Life of St. John the Baptist, stone enclosure (1531).

13. Mausoleum of Ant. de Ballon, by _Blasset_ (17th century).

14. Recumbent statue of Cardinal Jean de la Grange (15th century)

and tomb of Canon Guilain

Lucas with Weeping Angel statue, by _Blasset_ (17th century).

 

 

Interior of Cathedral

 

The Cathedral has an inside overall length of nearly 440 feet and a

breadth of about 200 feet in the transept.

 

It comprises: The great nave, composed of six bays with aisles and

posterior chapels (14th century).

 

The transept with aisle and three bays in each arm.

 

The choir, composed of four bays and double aisle.

 

The seven-sided apsis with ambulatory, on which open out seven

pentagonal radiating chapels.

 

The most striking features of the interior are its great height, the few

points of support, and the simple character of the latter.

 

[Illustration: GREAT NAVE. (_height 140 ft._)

 

(_Cliché LL._)]

 

 

The Great Nave

 

(_photo opposite_)

 

The great nave, which is about 48 feet wide, is nearly 140 feet high,

and is the second highest Gothic vault in France (that of the choir of

Beauvais Cathedral is about 156 feet high).

 

Few edifices exist in which the solid parts have been so reduced in

favour of the spaces.

 

There are no walls; the cathedral may be said to consist of windows,

rose-windows, and "stone lace-work."

 

The strength of the whole structure depends upon a series of pillars and

arches which, according to the principles of Gothic construction, ensure

equilibrium, by dividing the pressures and opposing conflicting

stresses.

 

The triforium has lost that importance which it had in the early Gothic

edifices. Here it is a narrow gallery running right round the church. In

the nave it comprises, at each bay, two wide arches divided by two

slender columns.

 

The windows are 52 feet high and of the same width as the arcades on the

ground floor.

 

The original stained glass no longer exists.

 

According to the canons of Gothic art, all ornamental carving must be

inspired by Nature.

 

The typical ornamentation for capitals is the crocket, intermingled here

and there with other kinds of foliage.

 

The belt of foliage below the triforium represents plants grown

exclusively in Picardy, and is very finely executed.

 

At the entrance to the nave, with its back to the first pillar on the

right, is the early 16th century tomb of Canon Pierre Burry (1 _on

plan_). It is a fine, expressive statue of the canon kneeling, presented

by his Patron Saint, St. Peter, to an "Ecce Homo" of little note.

 

[Illustration: TOMB OF EVRARD DE FOUILLOY.

 

(2 _on plan_).]

 

On each side of the great nave, below the longitudinal arcades and

between the second and third pillars, are two bronze tombs supported by

lions. These are the tombs of the two bishops who founded the Cathedral,

and who are represented on large rectangular tablets, wearing chasuble

and mitre. Beautifully executed, they are practically the only remaining

specimens in France of early funeral sculpture.

 

_To the left_, is the tomb of Geoffroy d'Eu, deceased in 1230 (3 _on

plan_).

 

_To the right_ (2 _on plan_): that of Evrard de Fouilloy, who died in

1222 (_photo opposite_).

 

The pulpit of painted and gilded wood belongs to the end of the 18th

century. It backs up against one of the northern pillars and is carried

by three tall statues representing the virtues: Faith, Hope, and

Charity.

 

 

The Aisles

 

The aisles are extremely lofty, the keystones of the vaults being richly

sculptured.

 

Chapels added in the 14th century terminate the aisles.

 

Nearly all contain works of art by a local sculptor very well known in

Picardy: _Nicolas Blasset_ (1600-1659).

 

The following are of especial interest:

 

 

I. =South Aisle:=

 

Third chapel (Annunciation--_D1 on plan_); on the altar, bas-relief by

_Blasset_, representing _The Annunciation_;

 

Fourth chapel (Assumption--_D2 on plan_); on the altar, fine Virgin by

_Blasset_ (_The Assumption_).

 

 

II. =North Aisle:=

 

Second chapel (Our Lady of Help--_D3 on plan_); on the altar screen,

_Virgin and child trampling on serpent representing Death_ (_Blasset_);

 

Third chapel (St. Saviour's--_D4 on plan_): _tall Byzantine Christ_ of

wood known as "St. Saviour";

 

Fifth chapel (Our Lady of Peace--D5 _on plan_): _Virgin_ by _Blasset_.

 

Against the pillar which separates the fifth and sixth chapels is the

funeral monument of _Jean de Sachy_, Sheriff of Amiens, and his wife,

one of _Blasset's_ finest masterpieces. Both the deceased are

represented kneeling before the Virgin, to whom they are made known by John the Baptist.