St. Chapelle

St. Chapelle was a truly remarkable building. Constructed in an impressive seven year span of time this eight hundred year old chapel is famous for its stained glass windows. Despite the passage of time and two world wars the majority of the stained glass is original.

I had never been in a building that was so old before. Surrounded by handcrafted human ingenuity and creative expression. Something made of stone but not yet ruins. Still serving its purpose. Awestruck by the overwhelming detail and breathtaking scope of it all.

The commanding exterior.

The chapel actually consisted of two levels.

Details carved on the exterior.

The lower level.

The astonishing first view of the upper level. 

Even the floor, overlooked and well worn, was a vibrant testament to the extraordinary craftsmanship. 

The painted panels just above the balcony doors.

The elaborate carving of the balcony exterior.

A smaller but no less lovely stained glass window, boldly glowing with primary colors.

A close up of the wall, richly coated in detail and texture.

Exterior carvings.

A Picnic Along The Seine

A lovely street market.

Mom strutting with her new bag.

The Notre Dame Cathedral.

Perched on the steps for our picnic.

Musée de Cluny

Starting the day with a nice, fresh baguette.

The entrance to the Musée de Cluny, which houses a spectacular collection of medieval art. 

The museum also serves to protect the historic architecture on site. 

Featured works of painter and graphic artist Jean d’Ypres. He was active around 1500 but had only resently come out of anonymity. His works retained a surprisingly modern feel. 

The stained glass of Jean d’Ypres.

A delicate and beautifully crafted miniature book. Perhaps no more than three inches in length. 

A print side by side with its original wood block carving. 

Admiring the craftsmanship of this hand made book. The penmanship and detailed illustrations both works of art in their own right. 

“Hercule et le lion de Némée”, a beautiful tapestry attributed to Jean d’Ypres. 

A damaged portion of the wall revealing the many layers of contruction.

Perhaps most astonishing of all was the six panel tapestry piece called ”The Lady and the Unicorn”. Created at the crossroads between medieval and renaissance art, it celebrated the senses. 

The mysterious “Mon seul désir” panel (My Only Desire).

A close up of the extraordinary detail lavished on the tapestries. 

A detail of the “L’Ouíe” panel (Hearing).

”Le Goût” (Taste), a lady feeds treats to the bird perched on her hand. 

A detail of ”Le Toucher” (Touch).

Enjoying the cafe across the street from the museum.

The lovely park adjacent to the museum.