Basilica of St. Denis--page 4 (of ten pages): Valois porch, north transept

middle of the 13th century






The Gothic transept has a large rose window and dramatic buttresses. The kings of the Old Testament are depicted in the jamb statues. These are still column-like figures and part of the architecture. Only later Gothic sculpture will be more naturalistic.
 
 

Tympanum with the beheading of Saints Denis, Rusticus, and Eleutherius

Saint Gregory of Tours is the first authority for information about the deaths of the three martyrs, Saints Denis, Rusticus, and Eleutherius. Denis was sent by the Pope to France in about 250 CE along with five other missionaries. He was based near Paris and later captured, along with Rusticus, and Eleutherius. All three were beheaded. According to tradition, Saint Denis, the most famous of the three, carried his head several miles before expiring. Below he is the central figure holding his head.


Go to Saint Denis Index.

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© 2006 Mary Ann Sullivan. I have photographed (on site), scanned, and manipulated all the images on these pages. Please feel free to use them for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes.