The pavement of the choir is of pieces of marble of various colours, which together form a geometrical pattern. As one looks at it, one laments the magnificent tombs with bronze effigies which were formerly the glory of this part of the church.
Photo
[Ed. Hautecœur, Paris.
THE CHOIR FROM THE SOUTH TRANSEPT.
The Sanctuary is approached by four steps of Languedoc marble, and three additional steps of the same material lead to the high altar. The High Altar still retains most of the leading features of the arrangement of Louis XIV. It was begun in 1699, and finished in 1714. The pseudo-classical architecture by means of which the great pillars of the apse were hidden has of course been swept away. The principal group of sculpture, representing the Descent from the Cross, is by Nicolas Coustou, who was born at Lyons in 1658. He was a pupil of Coysevox, his uncle, who at that time was director of the Academy of Painting and Sculpture at Paris. He obtained the grand prix, and went to study at Rome, where he was profoundly influenced by the work of Michael Angelo. Coustou’s output on his return to France was enormous. The “Descent from the Cross,” at Notre Dame was doubtless inspired by the famous group by Michael Angelo in St. Peter’s at Rome. It cannot be said that Coustou has approached the greatest of the Italians in the profundity of his pathos or in tragic solemnity, but the group at Notre Dame is not without decided merit, although it leans towards the melodramatic and artificial.
On one side of the altar is a kneeling statue of Louis XIII. by Guillaume Coustou, and on the other a similar statue of Louis XIV. by Antoine Coysevox. Guillaume Coustou was the younger brother of Nicolas, and like him studied at Rome. He represents Louis XIII. offering his crown and sceptre, which he holds in his hands, to the Virgin. The statue of Louis XIV. suggests the accomplishment of his father’s vow. Coysevox, from whose chisel it came, was the leading French sculptor of his time. He was born at Lyons in 1640, and died in 1720. The statues of angels bearing the instruments of the Passion are by various sculptors. The angel with the crown of thorns and that carrying the reed are by Corneille Van Clève. The angel with the nails is by Claude Poirier; that with the sponge by Simon Hurtrelle; that with the scroll by Laurent Magnier; and that with the lance by Anselme Flamen. The bas-relief in bronze-gilt in front of the altar represents the Entombment, and is by Van Clève. The cross and candelabra formerly belonged to the cathedral of Arras. The lectern of sculptured bronze is dated 1755, and has on its base the name of Duplessis, founder to the King. A superb example of Gobelins tapestry, the gift of Napoleon I., is used on great festivals to cover the floor of the sanctuary. The pavement is partly in mosaic, and has a representation of the arms of France.
The comparatively new stained glass of the choir and apse is not so bad as one might expect. It is by Maréchal of Metz. The central window of the apse is devoted to the Visitation. To the right are Eudes de Sully and St. Marcel; St. Augustine and St. Jerome; St. Luke and St. John; Daniel and Jeremiah; David and Abraham; St. George and St. Martin; Charlemagne and Pope Leo. III.; and St. Hilaire and St. Irénée. To the right the subjects are St. Denis and Maurice de Sully; St. Gregory and St. Ambrose; St. Mark and St. Matthew; Ezekiel and Isaiah; Aaron and Melchisedec; St. Stephen and St. Laurent, St. Louis and St. Gregory VII., and St. Remi and St. Martin. The small rose windows of the choir, like those of the transept, are filled with glass by Steinheil. The choir, more perhaps than any other part of the cathedral, has suffered from the wholesale destruction of glass which has already been described. Visitors to the cathedral of Chartres can estimate the value of mediæval glass in a Gothic cathedral. It is unfortunate that the great windows of the clerestory at Paris were filled up before the notable revival in the art of stained glass, which commenced in England, and has now extended to France.
We must now return to the Ambulatory and the adjacent chapels. It is in this part of the church that Viollet-le-Duc’s decorations are most profuse, and it is not possible to consider them successful. It is quite probable that no such scheme of decoration could be open to fewer objections than that of Viollet-le-Duc. The truth is that the colour confuses our appreciation of the fine lines of the architecture, and it is frequently restless and irritating where it should be most reposeful.