[296] Congrès Archéologique, 1907, p. 64, Pierre de Truchis; Abbé Bouzerand, Mémoirs sur l’église Notre Dame de Semur, 1864; ibid., Histoire générale de Semur-en-Auxois; Ledeuil, Notice sur Semur-en-Auxois (Semur-en-Auxois, 1886); Taylor et Nodier, Voyage pittoresque et romantique dans l’ancienne France. Bourgogne (Paris, Didot, 1863), folio; Max Quantin, Répertoire archéol. du département de l’Yonne (Paris, 1908); Eugène Lefèvre-Pontalis, “Les caractères distinctifs des écoles gothique de la Champagne et de la Bourgogne,” in Congrès Archéologique, 1907, p. 546.
[297] Congrès Archéologique, 1850, p. 22; and 1907, p. 167, Charles Porée; p. 599, Camille Enlart, on the sculptured doors of Auxerre Cathedral: Camille Enlart, La cathédrale d’Auxerre (Collection, Petites Monographies), (Paris, H. Laurens): A. Chérest, La cathédrale d’Auxerre. Conferences d’Auxerre (Auxerre, 1868); Émile Lambin, “La cathédrale d’Auxerre,” in Revue de l’art chrétien, 1897, vol. 47, p. 383; Charles Porée, “Le chœur de la cathédrale d’Auxerre,” in Bulletin Monumental, 1906, vol. 70, p. 251; Louise Pillion, “Sculpture de la cathédrale d’Auxerre,” in Revue de l’art chrétien, 1905, p. 278; Viollet-le-Duc, Dictionnaire de l’architecture, vol. 4, p. 131, on construction; vol. 9, p. 447, on vitrail; Victor Petit, “Description des villes et campagnes du département de l’Yonne” (Auxerre, 1876). In the Annuaire de l’Yonne, earlier studies on Auxerre are, 1841, p. 38, F. de Lasteyrie; 1843, p. 128, V. Petit; 1846, p. 207, and 1847, p. 141, Challe; 1872, p. 161, and 1873. p. 3, Daudin; André Philippe, “L’architecture religieuse au XIe et au XIIe siècle dans l’ancien diocèse d’Auxerre,” in Bulletin Monumental, 1904, vol. 68, passim. Other notices on Auxerre in the Bulletin Monumental are, 1847, vol. 13, p. 153, and 1849, vol. 15, p. 145, Victor Petit; 1872, vol. 38, pp. 494, 744, Victor Petit; Abbé Lebeuf, Histoire d’Auxerre; E. Moulton, La guerre au XVIe siècle (Paris, H. Laurens).
[298] St. Germain’s abbatial is less pure Gothic than the cathedral’s choir. Beneath its sanctuary are two superimposed crypts, the lower one of the IX century, and that above it belonging to the XIII-century reconstruction of the abbey church. Conflagrations wiped out several early churches of the monastery. In the XII century rose the Romanesque tower—one of the best in France; until 1820 it was attached to the nave. A total reconstruction of the abbatial was necessary in 1277, but after the upper crypt and the choir were undertaken there came a pause. The abbot here (1309-39), who erected the crenelated inclosure walls of the monastery, resumed the church as Rayonnant Gothic. Urban V, the greatest of the Avignon patrons of art and letters, had been abbot of St. Germain (1352), and his arms were cut on a keystone of the new nave, to which he contributed, as did his successor, Gregory XI. Soon after the church was completed it was pillaged during the religious wars. Napoleon turned the establishment into a hospital, which it still is. Congrès Archéologique, 1907, p. 182, C. Porée; p. 627, Jules Tillet; Abbé V. B. Henry, Histoire de l’abbaye de St. Germain d’Auxerre (Auxerre, Gallot, 1853); Victor Petit, “Les cryptes de St. Germain d’Auxerre,” in Bulletin Monumental, 1872, vol. 38, p. 494; Viollet-le-Duc, Dictionnaire de l’Architecture, vol. 3, p. 377.
[299] At her trial in Rouen Jeanne spoke of Auxerre Cathedral: “En route, je traversai Auxerre, où j’entendis la messe dans la principale église.... Alors, j’avais fréquemment mes voix.” Marius Sepet, Au temps de la Pucelle, récits et tableaux (Paris, P. Téqui, 1905).
[300] The abbey church at St. Eusèbe is of archæological interest. The octagonal tower over its altar, forming internally a lantern, is of the XII century, as are the piers and their arches. A pause came between the making of the nave’s lower and upper parts, for the church did not follow the usual custom of advancing bay by bay, but was constructed story by story. The west front is full Gothic, and the ambulatory of the XIII century. The original choir was in large part replaced by the present well-built Flamboyant Gothic one, finished by 1530. What used to be the episcopal palace of Auxerre is to-day the Prefecture. It shows, in its wall on the river side, the Romanesque gallery built by Bishop Hugues de Châlons (1116-36). Its hall, with pignons alike at both ends, was erected by Bishop Guillaume de Mello (1247-70). Congrès Archéologique, 1907, p. 188; Corberon, Auxerre, ses monuments; Lescuyer, “Notice sur l’église de St. Eusèbe,” in l’Annuaire de l’Yonne, 1839, p. 318; 1845, p. 103, “St. Eusèbe,” Max Quantin.
[301] The west apse of Nevers’ Cathedral, dedicated to St. Juliette, mother of the child martyr, St. Cyr, formed, with its crypt and transept, part of the XII-century Romanesque edifice. Late in the XIII century was built a Gothic nave, which was reconstructed after a fire in 1308, and again its outer walls were reconstructed in the Flamboyant Gothic day. The present choir dates from the XIV century. The fine tower at the transept’s southern façade was built 1506 to 1528. Nevers’ former ducal palace, of the XV century, stands on a park overlooking the Loire. The Romanesque abbey church of St. Étienne, founded, tradition says, by St. Columbanus, combines the schools of Auvergne and Burgundy, and is important to archæologists because the date of its building, 1063 to 1097, is certain. The expense of constructing it caused the Count of Nevers to forego the First Crusade. Bishop Ives of Chartres consecrated the church in 1097. Congrès Archéologique, 1913, p. 300, Louis Serbat; Gaston Congny, Bourges et Nevers; J. Locquin, Nevers et Moulins (Collection, Villes d’art célèbres), (Paris, H. Laurens); Monseigneur Crosnier, Monographie de la cathédrale de Nevers (1854); Abbé Sery, Les deux apsides de la cathédrale de Nevers (1899); Morellet, Barat, et Bussière, Le Nivermois (1840), 2 vols.; Paul Meunier, Nevers historique et pittoresque (1901).
[302] “Because the pearly white surfaces of the grisaille would make the adjacent colored surfaces appear heavy and opaque, they introduced, into these latter, limpid blues and yellows, very light reds, whites with a greenish or rosy tint. In the high windows of the cathedral of Auxerre they first tried this method, and here the grisaille is chased with a large and firm design that offsets the transparency of the colorless surfaces. Notice how the pedestal and the canopy, both very light, bind together the bands of grisaille on either side, while the latter is heavily painted with a trellis and rich ornaments. In Auxerre, the grisaille is found only in the lateral windows which are seen obliquely. The apse windows, meant to be seen, in face and from a distance, are filled with color. The lateral windows are sufficiently opaque to prevent the solar rays which pass through them from lighting the colored windows on the reverse side. At certain hours the luminous rays throw a pearly light on the colored windows, imparting to them a transparency of tone and a delicacy impossible to describe. The opalescent light from the lateral windows makes a sort of veil of extreme transparency under the lofty vaults, and is pierced by the brilliant tones of the apse windows, producing the sparkle of jewels. Solid outlines then seem to waver like objects seen through a sheet of limpid water. Distance changes values and gains a depth in which the eye loses itself. Hourly during the day these effects are modified, and always with new harmonies of which one never wearies trying to understand.”
—Viollet-le-Duc, Dictionnaire de l’architecture, vol. 9, p. 447.
[303] John Mason Neale, translator of “The Rhythm of Bernard of Morlaix” (e. 1140), in Collected Hymns, Sequences, and Carols (London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1914), p. 19.
[304] “Je donne la palme à Jacques Amyot sur tout nos écrivains français.”—Montaigne.