Photos of the Amazing Gothic Statues of Chartres Cathedral

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The Amazing medieval Gothic Statues of Chartres Cathedral are some of the most important Gothic art of the medieval world. So much so that Chartres is a UNEACO World Heritage Site. Black & white monotone art photos by photographer Paul E Williams.

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Wall Art Photos of the Amazing Gothic Statues of Chartres Cathedral

One of the great Gothic Cathedrals of the Christian world is Chartres Cathedral which was constructed in 1194. Nearly 1000 years later almost all of the original stained glass windows and sculptures survive in this wonderful Gothic masterpiece. The design of Chartres is uncompromisingly Gothic. After a fire damaged the previous cathedral in 1194, construction started on the present building. The Cathedral was built quickly over 26 years without any alterations since.

Last Judgement

Both the North and Southern porches are as richly decorated with sculptures and bas reliefs depicting scenes from the Last Judgement. These narratives would have been very familiar to the medieval pilgrims as they passed through the portals into the Cathedral.

Chartres Sculpture Design Style

The statues of Chartres have a very distinctive style being slightly elongated. The faces on the statues are also full of character and the flowing garments testify to the skill and creativity of the unknown craftsmen that were responsible for their creation.

We have got used today to seeing stone decorations on the great Gothic churches so it hard to image them in their original painted state. The statue of Chartres still have paint fragments that show that they were once painted in bright colours. The use of colour outside and inside these great Cathedrals goes against the dark picture historians paint of the middle ages.

Creative Medieval Artists

The sculptures of Chartres shows what a creative and inventive mind the Medieval artist had. His world was full of vibrant saints, apostles and strange mythical animals. The medieval world may have been a dangerous place but the imagination of the medieval man was not intimidated by worldly fears, and his passion for the glorification of God can be seen quite clearly in Chartres. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.