Life of St Sylvester stained glass window, Chartres

Constantine has been ordered by doctors to bathe in the fresh blood of 3000 children. A soldier holds a young boy in the basin while another stands guard with his sword and a queue of naked children. A messenger arrives on the left with word from Constantine that the children are to be spared. Section of the preparation for bloodshed, from the Life of St Sylvester stained glass window, 1210-25, in the ambulatory of Chartres Cathedral, Eure-et-Loir, France. St Sylvester was Pope 314-35 AD during the reign of Constantine the Great (306-37). Chartres cathedral was built 1194-1250 and is a fine example of Gothic architecture. Most of its windows date from 1205-40 although a few earlier 12th century examples are also intact. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Picture by Manuel Cohen

Picture No

13426884

Media ID

45094386

Size

3934px x 3630px (7.7MB)

Credit

Manuel Cohen / Mary Evans

Source

Photograph by Manuel Cohen