Looking at my friend Sue's photos, I realize I need to go back to Blois, and very soon. When we were there last week, I tried to park the Peugeot near the Eglise Saint-Nicolas so we could go inside and have a look around.
I couldn't find a parking space. Time was short. Sue was leaving to return to California the next day. This was her chance to see the interior of this grand church building. I'd never been inside before, but I could wait. And wait I did, with the car, which was parked illegally, but not impeding the flow of traffic. Sue went into the church for a few minutes to take some pictures.
I admit I did quickly duck into the church and look around for about two minutes. I thought that glance would put Sue's photos into some kind of architectural or cultural context. It did that. But now I want to see — and take photos of — more of the windows in the church. CHM tells me that a lot of them were done by maître-verrier Max Ingrand after the Second World War.
I will need a clear, sunny day. That makes the interior of the church light enough so that the camera can capture good images. And it makes the stained-glass luminous. I want to take photos of more of the church's windows. These and others replaced 19th century windows that were blown out when a bomb landed near the church in 1940. (I wonder what windows were there before the 19th century...)
That's what I love about living here. Walt and I moved to Saint-Aignan 15 years ago. Sometimes I get the impression I've seen everything there is to see here in the Loire Valley, and often more than once. And then I suddenly realize that I've hardly started exploring at all. That realization keeps me wide-eyed.
Up to WWII, stained-glass windows were telling stories from the Bible. When a lot of them were blown out by faits de guerre, in most cases they were replaced by very colorful informal ones like those by Max Ingrand with no specially obvious religious meaning. I like those very much.
ReplyDeleteDon't you think St-Nicolas ever had medieval- or renaissance-era stained-glass windows?
DeleteHow beautiful! I hope you go back soon, Ken :-)!
ReplyDeleteI do plan to go soon. There's always some shopping to be done in Blois in addition to the sightseeing and photography.
DeleteLooking forward!
DeleteMax Ingrand got a lot of work after the war. I see his work all over the Touraine. Not always abstract, btw. Often religious.
ReplyDeleteA hidden treasure so near your home. There must be parking somewhere.
ReplyDeleteThese "contemporary" windows are lovely. They make a nice contrast to the Gothic arches.
ReplyDeleteI like stain glass very much and the windows you have been showing lately are magnficent! Such wonderful colours.
ReplyDeleteI think I prefer the religious ones simply because I recognise something familuar
All the windows are beautiful; thanks for showing us.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see more!
ReplyDelete