Description
The Apostles Window
Delaporte no. 34, Deremble-Manhes no. 0
Panel 2: Donors: Bakers - a man buying bread
This scene takes place in an interior- there is an arcade with carved capitals in the background. At center is a table or counter displaying round loaves of bread- A basket on the floor in front contains more loaves. At right stands a beardless, bare headed man in a short tunic. On his back is a cloth sling which holds five or more loaves. (Compare with the sling holding bread on the socle of the trumeau figure on the central portal of the south porch). The man is handing a coin to a bearded man standing at right, who wears a cap and a long garment. With one hand he takes the coin, in the other he holds a small round loaf of bread.
Williams points out that the loaves are small and are marked with a cross within a circle. She contends that these are loaves called échaudés or oubliés (p. 63) which were given to the poor. Williams also questions whether the bakers would have been prosperous enough to make such a donation. (pp 41-2). She contends that bread is shown in this location because it had important economic, iconographic and liturgical meanings (pp 63-8).
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.
