to Herod’s messengers.—Baptism of Christ.—St. John preaching in the wilderness.
The very fine medallions on the basement complete the story of the saint.
The mausoleum (by Blasset) of Canon Antoine de Baillon backs up against one of the pillars of the first of the two bays. He is shown kneeling before Ecce Homo (13 on plan). It will be noticed that the features of this Christ recall those of the Louis XIV. period, and in no way resemble the face usually attributed to Christ in the Middle Ages.
The finest sculpture is in the south aisle.
The first bay (9 on plan—photo p. 30) portrays in four main scenes the life of St. Firmin.
These are (from the left to right):—
1. Arrival of the saint at Amiens.
2. Preaching the Gospel to the inhabitants.
3. Baptising the people of Amiens.
4. Arrest and decapitation.
At the back of the four niches, a panoramic view has been painted of Amiens, as it was at the end of the 15th century. Judging from the perspective of the Cathedral, which appears in the fourth group, this painting is very true to life.
To the right and left of the carvings are statues of the donor, Adrien de Henencourt, and St. Firmin.
In the centre of the basement, in a niche at the bottom of which is a painting of the twelve Apostles, a reclining statue of Ferry de Beauvoir, Bishop of Amiens, should be noticed. On each side there are remarkable paintings of two angels lifting a red cloth, and two canons with cope and cassock holding a pall decorated with the figure of Agnus Dei and the symbols of the four Evangelists.