If our pilgrim in going south from Bourges to Clermont-Ferrand passed
through Nevers, this slight detour has brought Moulins right upon his
road. In this event he must avail himself of the opportunity to visit
the cathedral, because its glass, although not of sufficient importance
to demand breaking a railway journey, is distinctly worth seeing if he
is passing the door. Besides, the sacristy of this church contains the
splendid fifteenth century triptych, so long attributed to Ghirlandajo,
but now conceded to have been the work of an unknown Moulins painter
who, for want of more particular information, is called the Master of
Moulins. Around the choir ambulatory there are a few canopy windows of
the fifteenth century. Most of them are good, but one on the north side
is quite remarkable and should be particularly noticed. The scene
depicted is the Crucifixion and the background seems to be of a deep
ruby. Closer inspection shows it to consist of a multitude of tiny red
angels so crowded together as to give the effect, when viewed from a
little distance, of a richly damasked surface. The result is as
satisfactory as the method of obtaining it is original. There are also
some good sixteenth century windows around the choir which are easily
distinguishable because the architecture of their canopies is so
obviously Renaissance and so far removed from Gothic.
As the automobilist or bicyclist passes through this town, he will be
struck by the attractive local feature of large diamond-shaped patterns
in black or dark bricks on the red brick walls of the houses. The effect
is most decorative.