Description
The Miracles of the Virgin Window
Delaporte no. 9, Deremble-Manhes no. 38
Fifteen panels at the top of this window are modern replacements. This is particularly unfortunate because this window depicted the worship of the Virgin at Chartres. If intact, it would have shown us a great deal about the interaction of architecture, art, ritual and faith at Chartres. This window served both to record and to encourage the devotion (and donations) of the pilgrims who made Chartres an important destination. Manhes-Deremble points out that there is nothing like this window in any other cathedral (p. 112).
The Virgin was especially important at Chartres, because the cathedral was dedicated to her, and because its most important relic was the garment she supposedly wore at the Nativity.
Delaporte suggests that this window was based on the text of the collection of the Miracles of the Virgin of Chartres, but the extant versions of this miracle collection and its manuscript copies are later than the window. However earlier writers such as William of Malmesbury and Wace related miracles of the Virgin in the context of sermons and poetry (Manhes-Deremble, p. 112).
There are many other images of the Virgin Mary at Chartres. Several are narratives centered on the Virgin. There are two large narrative windows devoted to her Life (Delaporte no. 16, Deremble-Manhes no. 28b), and her Coronation (Delaporte no. 7, Deremble-Manhes no. 42). The Life of the Virgin is in part synonymous with the Infancy of Christ, found on the west façade Infancy window, in the Belle Verrière window, on the west façade south portal tympanum, the west façade frieze, the north portal left tympanum. The Death and Coronation of the Virgin are depicted on the north portal central tympanum and in the Life of the Virgin window. Devotional images also depicted the Virgin.
Location: this is the easternmost window on the south side of the nave.
Donors: the Butchers.
8.11 by 2.38 meters.
Armature: four quatrefoils made up of 5 circles (one in the center) between the quatrefoils are semi-circular lateral panels.
Extensively Restored. Fifteen panels destroyed in 1816, replaced by Charles Lorin in 1876. One of the donor panels vandalized in 1908 and heavily restored. Other restorations by Gaudin in 1908-9 and Lorin in 1920. Later in the 1920's, the three top quatrefoils were donated by the American banker, Mr. Sachs and created by Ch. Lorin. The new glass was put in in 1928.
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.
