BURGUNDY - France 2014 - page 1275

is mercy, the sword is judgment, the rainbow promises salvation, and the jeweled globe at
Jesus'feetsymbolizestheuniversalityofChristianity'smessage.Asfourangelsblowtheir
trumpets, St. Michael the archangel—very much in control—determines which souls are
heavy with sin. Mary and the apostles pray for the souls of the dead as they emerge from
their graves. But notice how both Michael and Jesus are expressionless—at this point, the
cries of the damned and their loved ones are useless. In the back row are real people of the
day.
The intricate detail, painted with a three-haired brush, is typical of Flemish art from
this period. While Renaissance artists employed mathematical tricks of perspective, these
artists captured a sense of reality by painting minute detail upon detail. (The attendant is
dying to be asked to move the magnifying glass— le loup —into position to help you ap-
preciate the exquisite detail in the painting.) Stare at Michael's robe and wings. Check out
John's delicate feet and hands. Study the faces of the damned; you can almost hear the
gnashing of teeth. The feet of the damned show the pull of a terrible force. On the far left,
notice those happily entering the pearly gates. On the far right, it's the flames of hell (no,
this has nothing to do with politics).
Except for Sundays and holidays, the painting was kept closed and people saw only
the panels that now hang on the right wall: Nicolas and Guigone piously at the feet of St.
Sebastian—invoked to fight the plague—and St. Anthony, whom patients called upon for
help in combating burning skin diseases.
The unusual 15th-century tapestry A Thousand Flowers, hanging on the left wall,
tells the medieval story of St. Eligius.
More Sights in Beaune
Collégiale Notre-Dame
Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, during the transition from Romanesque to Gothic ar-
chitecture, Beaune's cathedral was a “daughter of Cluny” (built in the style of the Cluny
Abbey, described on here ) . The church features a mix of both styles: Its foundation is de-
cidedly Romanesque (notice the small windows and thick walls), while the 14th-century
front-porch addition is Gothic.
Enter the second chapel on the left to see frescoes depicting the life of Lazarus, and
then, behind the altar, find five vibrant, 15th-century tapestries illustrating the life of the
Virgin Mary (buy the €2 English explanation for frame-by-frame descriptions).
Cost and Hours: Free, tapestry open daily 9:30-12:30 & 14:00-17:00, until 19:00
during high season.