CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY OF CHARTRES
CATHOLIC, CHARTRES, FRANCE
The West Rose window (top) is the largest of the cathedral’s three rose windows, measuring 15.42 metres in diameter. It dates from c. 1215 CE and depicts scenes from the Last Judgement with Jesus Christ, represented as the judge of humanity, dominating the central panel. • The North transept rose window (above left), with a diameter of 10.15 metres, dates to c. 1231 CE and has the theme of the Old Testament prophecies being fulfilled with Mary as their instrument. • The South rose window (above right) illustrates the first vision in the Book of Revelation (4:1–11). At the window’s centre is Christ in Majesty. The first circle shows the four living creatures of a lion, a bull, a man and an eagle – symbols of the Four Evangelists, interspersed with censing angels. The next two circles show the twenty-four elders, with quatrefoils with the Dreux family coat of arms between these two circles. This window was a donation of the Mauclerc family, the Counts of Dreux-Bretagne; they are depicted with their arms in the bases of the lancets below. [Photo Credits in order from the top: Wikipedia ‘Micheletb’; Wikipedia MOSSOT; Wikipedia MOSSOT; Wikipedia Robin Poitou; Wikipedia Fab5669; Flickr Larry Koester]