Apostles from the Sainte-Chapelle

These sculptures in the "classic" Gothic style are remnants of the interior ornamentation of the Sainte-Chapelle.

The twelve statues of Apostles from inside the Sainte-Chapelle were deposited during the Revolution. Six of them, three of which are entirely preserved, were sent to the Musée de Cluny.

St John is recognizable for his youthful face. The two other, unidentified apostles are known as the Apostle “with the head of a philosopher” and the “melancholic” Apostle. These designations highlight the work on individualization and the interest in ancient art that can be seen in their faces.

The sculptor’s talent is also expressed through the monumental treatment of the bodies, enveloped in dynamic drapery, broken up with V-shaped folds or falling in great vertical lengths. These are remarkable examples of the “classical” Gothic style that flourished in the time of St Louis.