Bay 214 - The Life of St Eustace
(All images © Dr Stuart Whatling)
Index to panels:
First Register:A1 - Placidus hunting a stag (1/2)
B1 - Placidus hunting a stag (2/2)
C1 - Christ speaks to Placidus through the stag's mouth (1/2)
D1 - Christ speaks to Placidus through the stag's mouth (2/2) Second Register:
A2 - Placidus is baptised and takes the name 'Eustace' (1/2)
B2 - Placidus is baptised and takes the name 'Eustace' (2/2)
C2 - Eustace and his family flee their home
D2 - Eustace negotiates passage on a ship to Egypt Third Register:
A3 - The sailors cast Eustace ashore and kidnap his wife
B3 - Eustace decides to head for Alexandria with his sons
C3 - Both his sons are snatched away by wild animals
D3 - The boys are separately rescued by local villagers Fourth Register:
A4 - Emissaries come seeking the former General (1/2)
B4 - Emissaries come seeking the former General (2/2)
C4 - His former comrades persuade Eustace to return
D4 - The Emperor places Eustace in command of his army Fifth Register:
A5 - Eustace leads the army into battle
B5 - Eustace crushing the enemy
C5 - After the battle, Eustace's sons recognise each other
D5 - Eustace discovers his long lost wife Sixth Register:
A6 - Eustace refuses to sacrifice to the pagan gods (1/2)
B6 - Eustace refuses to sacrifice to the pagan gods (2/2)
C6 - The Emperor has Eustace and his family boiled alive (1/2)
D6 - The Emperor has Eustace and his family boiled alive (2/2) Upper section:
E - Foliar motif (Not photographed)
F - Foliar motif (Not photographed)
G - Unidentified bishop saint
Overview:
Direction of reading follows a simple left to right, bottom to top pattern.
For other tellings of the ever-popular St Eustace story, see the windows at
Chartres,
Le Mans and
Sens.
For a detailed discussion of the Eustace story from the standpoint of narrative theory, see chapter 8.c of my PhD Thesis, page 222ff.
For a detailed discussion of the Eustace story from the standpoint of narrative theory, see chapter 8.c of my PhD Thesis, page 222ff.