The stained glass displayed here depicts the Saint Benedict's ascension to heaven. Constructed between 1140 and 1144, it comes from the abbey church of Saint-Denis.
This panel comes from a bay in the church ambulatory. This bay was dedicated to the life of Saint Benedict, the founder of the Benedictine Order. The depiction of St. Benedict in Saint-Denis is due to the fact that this church is Benedictine.
The scene, which was set at the top of the glass roof, represents the final episode of the saint’s life: his ascent to heaven.
Two monks, identifiable by their tonsure and their cowl, lift their heads towards heaven. The lettering on the left, in Latin, indicates what they are searching for with their gaze. It means: "This is the path by which the blessed Benedict, the beloved of the Lord, ascended to heaven". This quote reflects the legendary words spoken by an angel at the saint's death, who was likely depicted facing the two monks.
The elongated proportions of the figures, the stylised folds of the garments (parallel, shaped like "V"s slotted into each other, or in concentric curves), and the defined, regular features of the faces are characteristic of the style that flourished during the building of Saint-Denis.
The interplay of colours is subtle: the vibrant blue of the sky complements the green and purple of the draping, along with the rich touches of red, yellow, and white that bring the decorative elements of the border to life.
The stained glass window depicting the Ascension of Saint Benedict was created as part of the expansion of Saint-Denis at the beginning of the 12th century by Abbot Suger (1122-1151). This major project of emerging Gothic art allowed stained glass to take on a prominent role. The Saint-Denis stained-glass windows thereby represent an essential step towards the creation of the stained-glass windows in the Sainte-Chapelle de Paris, built between 1241 and 1248.
This stained glass comes from the abbey church of Saint-Denis
Acquired in 1958
