MedievalArt.org.uk - Photographs by Stuart Whatling

Tours Cathedral (Saint-Gatien) - the Medieval Stained Glass

Plan of Tours Cathedral choir, showing the windows
photographed so far.

100 - The Virgin and Child
101 - St Peter, St Jude, St Paul
103 - St James, St Philip, St Simon

200 - The Passion
201 - St Maurice and the Theban Legion
202 - Tree of Jesse and the Infancy of Christ
203 - Life of St Peter
204 - Life of St Martin
207 - The Book of Genesis
208 - Life of St Martial
209 - Life of St Nicholas
210 - Life of St James
211 - Lives of St Denis and St Vincent
212 - Lives of St John the Evangelist and St John the Baptist
213 - Lives of St Thomas the Apostle and St Stephen
214 - Life of St Eustace

Overview:

I photographed most of the surviving 13th century windows in the triforium and clerestory of Tours Cathedral on one interminably long, cold day in March 2009 (many thanks to the custodians for letting me carry on for a while after closing time).

This is among the least well known of all the major French stained glass ensembles. The scale of the glazing programme is remarkable - the windows photographed so far encompass some 330 separate panels, covering most of the clerestory. These clerestory windows were all made in the 1260's and show a clear influence from the Ste Chapelle in Paris. Sadly I didn't have time to photograph the various non-narrative windows (including the fascinating windows 205 and 206 showing the bishops of Tours and Canons of Loche.) Nor did I have time to photograph the chapel windows, most of which were originally in other churches in the city.