The Chapel,
a small apartment, with roof sustained by a single pillar. Good niches,
now destitute of their saints; church furniture of the Middle Ages, much
of which deserves close attention. (708) Fine wooden altar-piece,
Flemish, 15th century: centre, the Mass of St. Gregory, with Christ
appearing bodily in the Holy Sacrament; beneath it, adoring angels; L
wing, Abraham and Melchisedek, frankly mediæval; R wing, the Last
Supper; an excellent specimen. Other objects are: (726) Stiff early
wooden Madonna. (723) Crucifix, Auvergne, 12th century. (727) St. John.
End wall, Annunciation, with the Madonna separated, as often, from the
Angel Gabriel by a vase of lilies.
The staircase in the corner leads out to the =Garden=, where are several
fragments of stone decoration. Pass through the door, and traverse Room
VI; the opposite door leads to
Les Thermes,
the remains of the old Roman palace. The scanty remnant, as its name
indicates, consists entirely of the baths attached to the building. The
masonry is massive. Fragments of Roman altars and other remains found in
Paris are arranged round the room. The descriptive labels are sufficient
for purposes of identification.
If this brief survey of Cluny has succeeded in interesting you in
mediæval art, buy the official catalogue, come here often, and study it
in detail.
B. THE HILL OF STE. GENEVIÈVE
(PANTHÉON, ST. ÉTIENNE-DU-MONT.)
[“High places” are always the first cemeteries and holy
sites—as at Montmartre and elsewhere. But the nearest rising
ground to Old Paris is the slight elevation just S. of Cluny,
now crowned by the colossal dome of the Panthéon. In Frankish
times, this hill lay quite outside the city; but on its summit
(just behind his Palace of Les Thermes), Clovis, after his
conversion by Ste. Geneviève, is said to have erected a church
to St. Peter and St. Paul. Here =Ste. Geneviève= herself was
buried in 512; and the chapel raised over her tomb grew into a
church—the favourite place of pilgrimage for the inhabitants of
Paris. The actual body of the patron saint was enclosed, in 550,
in a magnificent shrine, executed by St. Éloy, the holy
blacksmith. Throughout the Middle Ages this church and tomb of
Ste. Geneviève, which occupied the site of the existing
Panthéon, nearby, were the objects of the greatest devotion. St.
Denis was the saint of the kings and nobles; but Ste. Geneviève
was, and still remains, the saint of the people, and especially
of the women. Miracles were constantly performed at her shrine,
and her aid was implored at all moments of national danger or
misfortune. A great (Augustin) abbey grew up in time behind the
church, and was dedicated in honour of the holy shepherdess. The
wall of Philippe Auguste bent abruptly southward in order to
include her shrine and this powerful abbey.
In the twelfth century, when the old church of St. Stephen (in
French, St. Étienne), on the site of Notre-Dame, was pulled down
in order to make room for the existing cathedral, the relics of
St. Stephen contained in it were transferred to a new
edifice—=St. Étienne-du-Mont=—which was erected by the monks,
close to the Abbey of Ste. Geneviève, as a parish church for
their servants and dependents. In the sixteenth century this
second church of St. Stephen was pulled down, with the exception
of its tower, which is still standing. The existing church of
St. Étienne was then begun on the same site in the Gothic style,
and slowly completed with extensive Rennaissance alterations.
Later still, the mediæval church of Ste. Geneviève, hard by,
having fallen into decay in the middle of the eighteenth
century, Louis XV determined to replace it by a sumptuous domed
edifice in the style of the period. This building, designed by
Soufflot, was not completed till the Revolution, when it was
immediately secularised as the =Panthéon=, under circumstances
to be mentioned later. The remains of Ste. Geneviève, which had
lain temporarily meanwhile in a sumptuous chapel at St.
Étienne-du-Mont (the subsidiary church of the monastery) were
then taken out by the Revolutionists; the mediæval shrine, or
reliquary (which replaced St. Éloy’s), was ruthlessly broken up;
and the body of the patroness and preserver of Paris was
publicly burned in the Place de Grève. This, however, strange to
say, was not quite the end of Ste. Geneviève. A few of her
relics were said to have been preserved: some bones, together
with a lock of the holy shepherdess’s hair, were afterwards
recovered, and replaced in the sarcophagus they had once
occupied. Such at least is the official story; and these relics,
now once more enclosed in a costly shrine, still attract
thousands of votaries to the chapel of the saint in St.
Étienne-du-Mont.
The Panthéon, standing in front of the original church, is now a
secular burial-place for the great men of France. The remains of
Ste. Geneviève still repose at St. Étienne. Thus it is
impossible to dissociate the two buildings, which should be
visited together; and thus too it happens that the patroness of
Paris has now no church in her own city. Local saints are always
the most important; this hill and Montmartre are still the
holiest places in Paris.]
* * * * *
Proceed, as far as the garden of the Thermes, as on the excursion to
Cluny. Then continue straight up the Boulevard St. Michel. The large
edifice visible on the R of the Rue des Écoles to your L, is the new
building of the Sorbonne, or University. Further up, at the Place du
Sorbonne, the domed church of the same name stands before you. It is the
University church, and is noticeable as the earliest true dome erected
in Paris. The next corner shows one, R, the Luxembourg garden, and L,
the Rue Soufflot, leading up to the =Panthéon=.
The colossal domed temple which replaces the ancient church of Ste.
Geneviève was begun by Soufflot, under Louis XV, in imitation of St.
Peter’s, at Rome. Like all architects of his time, Soufflot sought
merely to produce an effect of pagan or “classical” grandeur, peculiarly
out of place in the shrine of the shepherdess of Nanterre. Secularised
almost immediately on its completion, during the Revolution, the
building was destined as the national monument to the great men of
France, and the inscription, “Aux Grands Hommes la Patrie
Reconnaissante,” which it still bears, was then first placed under the
sculptures of the pediment. Restored to worship by the Restoration, it
was again secularised under the Third Republic in order to admit of the
burial of Victor Hugo. The building itself, a vast bare barn of the
pseudo-classical type, very cold and formal, is worthy of notice merely
on account of its immense size and its historic position; but it may be
visited to this day with pleasure, not only for some noble modern
paintings, but also for the sake of the reminiscences of Ste. Geneviève
which it still contains. Open daily, free, from 10 to 4, Mondays
excepted.
The =tympanum= has a group by David d’Angers, representing France
distributing wreaths to soldiers, politicians, men of letters, men of
science, and artists.
The =interior= is in the shape of a Greek cross (with equal arms).
Follow round the walls, beginning from the R. In the R Aisle are
paintings (modern) looking like frescoes, and representing the preaching
of St. Denis, by Galand; and =*=the history of Ste. Geneviève—her
childhood, recognition by St. Germain l’Auxerrois, miracles, etc.,
delicate and elusive works, by Puvis de Chavannes. The paintings of the
South Transept represent episodes in the early history of France.
Chronologically speaking, they begin from the E. central corner. Choir,
Death of Ste. Geneviève, by Laurens, and Miracles before her Shrine.
Apse of the tribune, fine modern (archaic) mosaic, by Hébert,
representing Christ with the Guardian Angel of France, the Madonna,
Jeanne d’Arc, and Ste. Geneviève. Stand under the dome to observe the
proportions of the huge, bare, unimpressive building. L, or Northern
Transept, E side, the history of Jeanne d’Arc; she hears the voices;
leads the assault at Orleans; assists at the coronation of Charles VII
at Rheims; and is burnt at Rouen. W. side, St. Louis as a child
instructed by Blanche of Castille; administering justice in the Palace;
and a captive among the Saracens. N. aisle, history of Ste. Geneviève
and St. Denis (suite). The building is thus at once the apotheosis of
patriotism, and the lasting memorial of the part borne by Christianity
in French, and especially Parisian, history.
As you descend the steps of the Panthéon, the building that faces you to
the L is the Mairie of the 5th Arrondissement; that to the R, the École
de Droit. Turn to the R, along the N side of the Panthéon. The long, low
building which faces you is the Bibliothèque Ste. Geneviève. Nothing now
remains of the Abbey of Ste. Geneviève except the tall early Gothic
tower seen to the R, near the end of the Panthéon, and rising above the
modern buildings of the Lycée Henri IV. The singularly picturesque and
strangely-mingled church across the little square is =St.
Étienne-du-Mont=, which we now proceed to visit.
Stand in the left-hand corner of the Place to examine the _façade_. The
church was begun (1517) as late Gothic; but before it was finished, the
Renaissance style had come into fashion, and the architects accordingly
jumbled the two in the most charming manner. The incongruity here only
adds to the beauty. The quaintly original Renaissance portal bears a
dedication to St. Stephen the Protomartyr, beneath which is a relief of
his martyrdom, with a Latin inscription, “Stone destroyed the temple of
the Lord,” _i.e._, Stephen, “Stone rebuilds it.” R and L of the portal
are statues of Sts. Stephen and Geneviève, whose monograms also appear
on the doors. In the pediment is the usual representation of the
Resurrection and Last Judgment. Above it, the rose window, on either
side of which, in accordance with Italian rather than with French custom
(showing Italian Renaissance influence) are the Angel of the
Annunciation and the Madonna receiving his message. In the third story,
a gable-end. Singular tower to the L, with an additional round turret, a
relic of the earlier Gothic building. The whole _façade_ (17th century),
represents rather late Renaissance than transitional architecture.
The =interior= is the most singular, and in some ways the most
picturesque, in Paris—a Gothic church, tricked out in Renaissance
finery. The nave is flanked by aisles, which are divided from it by
round pillars, capped by a singular balustrade or gallery with low, flat
arches, simulating a triforium. The upper arches are round, and the
decorations Renaissance; but the vaulting, both of nave and aisles, with
its pendant keystones, recalls the Gothic style, as do also most of the
windows. Stand near the entrance, in the centre of the nave, and look up
the church. The most striking feature is the beautiful Renaissance
_jubé_ or =**rood-loft= (the only one now left in Paris) which divides
the Choir from the body of the building. This rood-loft still bears a
crucifix, for the reception of which it was originally intended. On the
arch below are two charmingly sculptured Renaissance angels. The
rood-loft is flanked by two spiral staircases, which are wholly unique
architectural features. Notice also the exquisite pendentive of the roof
at the point of intersection of the nave and short false transepts.
Now walk up the Right Aisle. The first chapel is the Baptistery,
containing the font and a modern statue of the boy Baptist. Third
chapel, St. Antony of Padua. The fourth chapel contains a curious Holy
Sepulchre, with quaint life-size terra-cotta figures of the 16th
century. Fifth chapel, a gilt _châsse_. Notice the transepts, reduced to
short arms, scarcely, if at all, projecting beyond the chapels. From
this point examine the exquisite Renaissance tracery of the rood-screen
and staircases. Then pass under the fine Renaissance door, with lovely
decorative work, into the =ambulatory=. The Choir is in large part
Gothic, with late flamboyant tracery. The apparent triforium is
continued round the ambulatory. The splendid gilded shrine in the second
choir-chapel contains the =remains of Ste. Geneviève=, or what is left
of them. Candles burn perpetually around it. Hundreds of votaries here
pay their devotions daily to the Patroness of Paris. The shrine,
containing what is alleged to be the original sarcophagus of the Saint
(more probably of the 13th century) stands under a richly-gilt Gothic
tabernacle, adorned with figures legibly named on their pedestals. The
stained-glass window behind it has a representation of a processional
function with the body of the Saint, showing this church, together with
a view of the original church of Ste. Geneviève, the remaining tower,
and adjacent houses, historically most interesting. The window beyond
the shrine also contains the history of Ste. Geneviève—her childhood,
first communion, miracles, distribution of bread during the siege of
Paris, conversion of Clovis, death, etc. Indeed the long sojourn of the
body of Ste. Geneviève in this church has almost overshadowed its
dedication to St. Stephen, several memorials of whom may, however, be
recognised by the attentive visitor—amongst them, a picture of his
martyrdom (by Abel de Pujol) near the entrance to the choir. The
Protomartyr also stands, with his deacon’s robe and palm, in a niche
near the door of the sacristy, where L and R are frescoes of his
Disputation with the Doctors, and his Martyrdom. The chapel immediately
behind the high altar is, as usual, the Lady Chapel. The next contains a
good modern window of the Marriage of the Virgin. Examine in detail all
the windows; one of the mystic wine-press is very interesting. Votive
offerings of the city of Paris to Ste. Geneviève also exist in the
ambulatory. Curious frescoes of the martyrdom of the 10,000 Christians
on Mount Ararat on the N side. The best view of the choir is obtained
from the N side of the ambulatory, opposite the shrine of Ste.
Geneviève. In the north aisle notice St. Louis with the Crown of Thorns.
Stand again in the centre of the nave, near the entrance, and observe
the curious inclination of the choir and high altar to one side—here
particularly noticeable, and said in every case to represent the droop
of the Redeemer’s head on the cross.
Go out again. As you emerge from the door, observe the cold and bare
side of the Panthéon, contrasted with the internal richness of St.
Étienne. Curious view of the late Gothic portion of the church from the
little Place on the N side. Return by the Rue Cujas and Rue St. Jacques,
passing the Lycée Ste. Barbe, Lycée Louis-le-Grand, University, and
other scholastic buildings, which give a good idea of the character of
the quarter.
III
RENAISSANCE PARIS (THE LOUVRE)
[PARIS, which spread rapidly Southward at first, was somewhat
slower in its =Northward= development. Nevertheless, by the time
of Philippe Auguste, the Town =La Ville=—the commercial portion
N of the river—more than equalled the learned district on the S
side. This central northern region, however, containing the
Hôtel de Ville, St. Eustache, and some other important
buildings, I purposely postpone to the consideration of =the
Louvre= and its neighbourhood, which, though later in date, form
the heart and core of Renaissance Paris—the Paris of François
I^{er} and his splendour-loving successors.
Most of the buildings we have hitherto considered are mediæval
and Gothic. The Louvre introduces us at once to a new world—the
world of the =Renaissance=. The transition is abrupt. In Italy,
and especially in Florence, the Renaissance was _a natural
growth_; in France it was A FASHION. It came in, full-fledged,
without history or antecedents. To trace its evolution, one must
follow it out in detail in Florence and Venice. There, it grows
of itself, organically, by gradual stages. But in France, Gothic
churches and mediæval _châteaux_ give place at once, with a
bound, to developed Renaissance temples and palaces. The reason
for this fact is, that the French kings, from Charles VIII
onward to Henri IV, were thoroughly Italianate. They fought,
travelled, and married in Italy, to parts of which they laid
claim; and being closely allied with the Medici and other
Italian families,—husbands of Medici wives, sons of Medici
mothers,—they introduced at once into France the developed
products of the Italian Renaissance. At the same time the
increased and centralized power of the Crown enabled them to
build magnificent palaces, like the Louvre and Fontainebleau;
and to this artificial impulse is mainly due the sudden outburst
of art in France under François I^{er} and his immediate
successors.
It is impossible to characterize the =Renaissance= in a few
short sentences. In one aspect, it was a return from =Gothicism=
to =Classical usage=, somewhat altered by the new conditions of
life. At first you will probably only notice that in
architecture it substituted round arches for pointed, and
introduced square doors and windows; while in other arts it
replaced sacred and Christian subjects and treatment by
mythological and secular. But, in contrast with mediævalism, it
will reveal itself to you by degrees as essentially =the dawn of
the modern spirit=.
The =Louvre= is the noblest monument of the =French
Renaissance=. From the time of St. Louis onward, the French
kings began to live more and more in the northern suburb, the
town of the merchants, which now assumed the name of La Ville,
in contradistinction to the Cité and the Université. Two of
their chief residences here were the Bastille and the Hôtel St.
Paul, both now demolished—one, on the Place so called, the
other, between the Rue St. Antoine and the Quai des Célestins.
But from a very early period they also possessed a _château_ on
the site of the Louvre, and known by the same name, which
guarded the point where the wall of Philippe Auguste abutted on
the river. François I^{er} decided to pull down this picturesque
turreted mediæval castle, erected by Philippe Auguste and
altered by Charles V. He began the construction in its place of
a magnificent Renaissance palace, which has ever since been in
course of erection. Its subsequent growth, however, is best
explained opposite the building itself, where attention can be
duly called to the succession of its salient features. But a
visit to the exterior fabric of the Louvre should be preceded by
one to =St. Germain l’Auxerrois=, the parish church, and
practically the chapel, of the old Louvre, to which it stood in
somewhat the same relation as the Ste. Chapelle to the home of
St. Louis. Note, however, that the church was situated just
within the ancient wall, while the _château_ lay outside it. The
visitor will doubtless be tolerably familiar by this time with
some parts at least of the exterior of the Louvre; but he will
do well to visit it now =systematically=, in the order here
suggested, so as to gain a clear general idea of its history and
meaning.]