Day 2
Let me introduce you.....Julie Sonveau, our guide.
Chartres
Medieval Meanderings......An Introduction to Chartres and the Cathedral
The cathedral is a near perfect representation of Gothic architecture. Begun in 1134, its architecture reflects the rise of the style. As an art history teacher, I challenged myself to identify the architectural elements of the Gothic church and was fascinated by the history of both the church and the surrounding town. Can you label each picture with the correct term?
One of the morning highlights was a lecture by Chartres cathedral expert, Malcolm Miller. An Englishman who has spent most of his adulthood studying the cathedral's history, Mr. Miller gave insights to the meanings of the stain glass and other symbolism found in the cathedral. A massive restoration is under way inside the cathedral and the noise was a little bothersome. But if you look past the scaffolding to the restored areas you could appreciate the cathedral in all its Gothic glory. Above is a sketch I did of the West portal.
International Stained Glass Center
During the afternoon we visited the stain glass center and had a tour and presentation about this medieval/Gothic art form. Learning the symbolism and the techniques was very interesting. After the tour we had the option of making a piece of stain glass using old world techniques.....Of course, I had to do that and I made myself the perfect Chartres souvenir! A small stain glass piece! The pictures below are from stain glass panels in the museum. The excellent local guide informed us of the techniques used to create these hallmarks of Gothic architecture.
String theory....Medieval madness! More from Day 2