Читать книгу Stained Glass Tours in France - Charles Hitchcock Sherrill - Страница 6

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The glass we have seen in Paris gives but a hint of the richness of this period exemplified elsewhere in France. How much or how little we shall see depends upon the reader. If he has time or inclination for but one example, he should visit Chartres. In giving this advice we solemnly warn him that if he has even a faint idea of seeing more than one, then he should defer Chartres until the last. It so far surpasses the others that they must be seen before it or they will suffer by comparison. If the reader can only visit a few towns, then he will doubtless wish to consider what else they contain besides glass, as these other features may influence him in making his selection. For example, if he is interested in tapestry it is clear that he will prefer Rheims and Angers to other churches equally important in their glass, but lacking such additional attractions. Then, too, nearness to Paris may decide him in favour of one cathedral instead of another requiring a longer journey. With each of our towns we will mention any such extra inducement as tapestry, paintings, etc. At the back will be found a table of distances, not only from Paris, but also from each town to the next. If the reader has plenty of time, we suggest three pilgrimages. If his time is in any way limited, he can either take one or more of them, or else make such adjustment of them as best suits his convenience. It must, of course, be understood that there is some thirteenth century glass which will not be visited by us, but any one who has followed these itineraries will have seen all of the best. When we reflect how fragile is a glass window, it is really marvellous that we shall find so much of this easily destroyed beauty after the stress of centuries. Only a few churches can show anything like a complete series of windows, and fewer still a series all glazed during the same period. Chartres, that treasure-house of glass, is the nearest approach to a perfectly complete example. Le Mans, perhaps, is next. Bourges is splendid in its thirteenth century glory, but there the hypercritical may find that the fifteenth century glazing of the nave chapels interferes with the earlier effect. The clerestory of Rheims Cathedral boasts row on row of gorgeous kings and bishops, but there we look in vain for the medallion windows to give us the usual glowing chapels below. These differences are not mentioned to criticise, but to point out that we shall find a variety and not a monotony of beauty. Now for the three itineraries:

(a) Our first tour is the longest, starts at the point most distant from Paris, and then works back to that city. We begin at Bourges, 4-¼ hours by railway, 227 kilometres by road. From Bourges we go to Poitiers, then to Tours, to Angers, to Le Mans, and end at Chartres. Chartres is only 1-¼ hours from Paris, 88 kilometres by road.

(b) Before starting on the second tour we must consult time-tables in order to make connections for Auxerre, which is 35 minutes beyond La Roche, a station on the main line to Lyons and the south. If we could take a through train from Paris, the journey would be under three hours. By automobile it is 168 kilometres, leaving Paris by the road to Fontainebleau. From Auxerre we come back to Sens, then to Troyes, to Chalons-sur-Marne, and lastly to Rheims, two hours from Paris (145 kilometres). If the time or inclination of the pilgrim makes it expedient that this trip be shortened, then, if he is a railway traveller, let him begin by Troyes and come around by Chalons and Rheims. If, on the other hand, he is travelling by automobile, he might as well see Sens just before Troyes, because by road Sens is not much off the line from Paris to Troyes and is well worth that small detour. The railway journey, however, between Sens and Troyes is a tedious one of more than two hours, because it is a branch line where there are no expresses.

(c) The last tour is most convenient to Paris, and although clearly secondary in importance as a glass pilgrimage, the scenery is so very attractive that it will particularly appeal to the automobilist and bicyclist. We begin by visiting Soissons, an hour and a quarter by train (95 kilometres by road), then Laon, next St. Quentin and last Amiens, an hour and a quarter by train (131 kilometres) from Paris. If he is “en automobile,” the pilgrim may return to Paris by way of Beauvais, for it is not much out of his way. If, however, he is travelling by railway, then he should omit Beauvais, for he will find only exasperatingly slow trains from Amiens to Beauvais. The thirteenth century glass there is unimportant, and, besides, we shall later visit it for that of the sixteenth century.

If the reader intends to take all of these three tours he should begin with (c), then take (b), and lastly (a). If he can take but two, then begin with (b) and end with (a). If there is time but for one, (a) is the best. The automobilist may unfold his maps and prepare a combination trip if he likes, for that is one of the licensed joys of automobiling. The old-fashioned traveller by railway will, however, find the order here set out the most convenient one.

There is a splendid series of medallion windows around the choir chapels of the Cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand, but it is too far out of our way to be properly included in any of the above tours. Rouen, too, has fine medallion work of this period in its cathedral, but the later glass there is so much more interesting that we will not include it in these groups. Both these towns will be visited later in their appropriate order, and we shall then have an opportunity to enjoy their delightful thirteenth century windows.