The Chapels of the Choir. On the south side are the following chapels:—
Chapelle Saint-Denis. The chief object of interest here is a statue, by Auguste de Bay, of Archbishop Affre, who is represented at the moment when he made his heroic appearance on the barricade of the Faubourg Saint Antoine with an olive branch. This was on June 25th, 1848, during the Commune. The Archbishop was struck by a ball and killed.
Chapelle Sainte-Madeleine. This chapel contains the grave of the Papal nuncio Garibaldi, Archbishop of Myra, who died in 1853. Archbishop Sibour, who was murdered in the church of St. Etienne du Mont on Jan. 8th, 1857, by a priest, is commemorated by a kneeling statue in marble by Dubois.
Chapelle Saint-Guillaume. The statue of the Virgin seated, with the Child Jesus in her arms, is attributed to Bernini, who came from Rome to Paris during the reign of Louis XIV. to make alterations and additions to the Louvre. The Mausoleum of Henri-Charles d’Harcourt, Lieutenant-general of the armies of the King, who died in 1769, is a pretentious and theatrical work which was once highly esteemed. It is by the sculptor Pigalle, and is of white marble. The widow who kneels by the tomb and appears to be calling her husband is warned away by a figure of Death. The genius of War is represented lamenting, and the whole is completed by trophies of arms.
Chapelle Saint-Georges. Amongst the elaborate mural decorations of this chapel is a picture by Steinheil of St. George and the Dragon. The statue of Archbishop Darboy is by Bonnassieux. The prelate is represented falling amidst the bullets of the Communists, whom he blesses as he dies. This tragic incident took place in the prison of La Roquette, on May 27th, 1871. Close by is a kneeling statue of Archbishop Morlot (d. 1862) by Lescorné. The chapel also contains a statue of St. George by the same artist.
The following are the chapels on the north side of the choir:—
La Chapelle de Notre Dame des Sept Douleurs, or La Chapelle du Petit Chœur. The bas-reliefs over the altar represent the angel appearing to the Virgin Mary, the Descent from the Cross, and the Entombment. The statue in wood of Notre Dame des Sept Douleurs is by Corbon. The compositions, in six panels, by Perrodin, represent: Jesus bearing the Cross; Christ on Calvary; the Descent from the Cross; the Communion of the Virgin; and the Death of the Virgin. The nine carved wood stalls are of the same period as those of the choir. They were possibly part of the original series, which, as we have seen, was reduced in number. At all events, the details indicate that the same designer and craftsmen were employed on them. This chapel contains the only important fragment of the original polychromatic decoration with which the walls of the cathedral were anciently embellished. It consists of a mural painting dating from the fourteenth century. In the centre is represented the Virgin enthroned with the Child. To the right is St. Denis, and on the left Bishop Simon Matiffas de Buci, who built the three chapels on the left of the apse. Beneath the picture was formerly the Bishop’s tomb. Below the representation of the Virgin and Child is a curious design representing angels bearing away a human soul. This painting was unfortunately restored by M. Maillot the elder, and has consequently lost much of its antiquarian interest.
Chapelle Saint-Marcel. Pierre Deseine’s enormous monument to Cardinal de Belloy fills a large part of this chapel. The cardinal is represented giving alms to two orphan girls. St. Denis looks on, and records the cardinal’s name on a list of the bishops of Paris noted for their charity. Close by is the tomb, with reclining figure, of Monseigneur de Quelen, by De Chaume. Amongst the mural decorations of this chapel the chief is a large painting by Maillot the younger. The subject is the “Translation of the relics of St. Marcel from the old Church of St. Marie to the Church of Notre Dame by Bishop Eudes de Sully.” The personages represented are portraits of the officials of the diocese, and include Archbishop Darboy and the Abbé la Place. In the vaulting is a design representing the Coronation of St. Marcel.
Chapelle Saint-Louis. This chapel has six statues in wood by Corbon, representing Christ, the Virgin, St. John, St. Denis, St. Rustiguex, and St. Eleutherius. The kneeling statue of Archbishop Louis-Antoine de Noailles, who died in 1729, is by De Chaume.
Chapelle Saint-Germain. Tomb of Archbishop Leclerc de Juigné (died 1811), a kneeling figure in relief. The tomb was repaired by Viollet-le-Duc, who modified its original design.