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| photo: Gésbi: Le style et la matière |
The location of the Basilique St Denis to the north of Paris is not the most inviting place. I hadn't been since my first year in France so long ago!
But, once in the door, the guide was fascinating and the artifacts are rich, so there was much to appreciate despite the creeping cold through my not-so-thin soles in this lovely month of March.
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| photo: Gésbi: Le style et la matière |
To see the royal sepulchers, it is the place to go.
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| photo: Gésbi: Le style et la matière |
Was it just that day, or is it a place more solemn than sacred? Even that feeling was reduced by sassy little putti who preened and taunted. Oh, the vanity of men - and when those men are kings and queens -
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| photo: Gésbi: Le style et la matière |
- very earthly all the same.
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| photo: Gésbi: Le style et la matière |
A replica of the faudesteuil Dagobert is under the crucifix. (I've written about it before here.) What is this throne, ancestor of the fauteuil and kin to the Roman curule doing here behind the altar?
Dagobert reigned for ten years from 603-639. He was the first king buried in the basilica and is considered the founder of the St Denis Abbey. In th 13th century, before Saint Louis ordered the first 16 recombant figures to inaugurate the royal necropolis, a colorful tomb of exceptional dimensions was already concecrated to Dagobert. The original throne was part of the cathedral's treasure and is today in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Napoleon was seated on it for the distribution of the very first legions d'honneur.
Dagobert reigned for ten years from 603-639. He was the first king buried in the basilica and is considered the founder of the St Denis Abbey. In th 13th century, before Saint Louis ordered the first 16 recombant figures to inaugurate the royal necropolis, a colorful tomb of exceptional dimensions was already concecrated to Dagobert. The original throne was part of the cathedral's treasure and is today in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Napoleon was seated on it for the distribution of the very first legions d'honneur.
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| photo: Gésbi: Le style et la matière |
Then, behold, a message :
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| photo: Gésbi: Le style et la matière |
For anyone who exerces his capacity to reflect, the appearances of beauty become representations
of an invisible harmony.
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite
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| photo: Gésbi: Le style et la matière |
Patterns.
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| photo: Gésbi: Le style et la matière |
A very interesting question – Was it just that day, or is it a place more solemn than sacred? – and one that has set me thinking about my last few experiences in chapels.
ReplyDeleteThe photograph of the sarcophagi with the bare feet is wonderfully evocative of the coldness of churches.
Altogether a very, very interesting post, philosophically speaking.
Gesbi, the church of St. Denis is so beautiful. Even the tile floor. Thank you for giving us a look in Paris.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Blue. You cannot be in the UK or France without visiting churches, they are so much part of the landscape (history and culture, of course), if not part of everyone's lives any more.
ReplyDeleteAlso to ponder, how very quickly various rites and beliefs have been forgotten, without any formal transfer like Paganism to Christianity. Obviously, art and objects are experienced differently.
Donna, thank you for your comment. I'm glad you appreciate small details. I don't much like trying to give a comprehensive report on such an enormous place, but there are links if you wish to see more!
ReplyDeletethose feet are so lifelike, i want to grab or toe, or tickle them!
ReplyDeleteApropos "without any formal transfer like Paganism to Christianity" should one still bow or curtsey to the full moon?
ReplyDeleteMlle: Yep, but they were even colder than my tootsies. They belong to Francois I and Claude de France as sculpted by Philibert Delorme.
ReplyDeleteBlue, I'm all for raising my cup to her. Prepare the sacred libations - it's the full moon tonight! I'll beat you to it in my part of the world, but please don't howl about it.