Description
The Miracles of the Virgin Window
Delaporte no. 9, Deremble-Manhes no. 38
MODERN.
Panel 10: The Construction of the Cathedral: Planning
At center, a man with a cap sits at a table, using a compass to measure a floorplan of the Cathedral. On either side, stands a man. The one at left wears a long garment; the one at left holds a staff; the one at right holds a scroll (?).
The floorplan on the scroll on the table is not that of the 1194 rebuilding of the Cathedral. Perhaps it is a plan of an earlier Chartres cathedral.
Houvet identifies the seated figure as an architect. Actually, we do not know whether or not there was an architect during the construction of Chartres. John James contends that, rather than a single designer, there was a succession of mason/contractors who determined the design of the cathedral.
An early description by Pintard shows that the original subject of this panel was quite different from that in this replacement, which was made in 1928 (Delaporte, p. 193).
Subject
Cathédrale de Chartres--Pictorial works.;Church decoration and ornament--France--Chartres--Pictorial works.;Church architecture--France--Chartres--Pictorial works.;Christian art and symbolism--France--Chartres--Medieval, 500-1500--Pictorial works.
