Dome

Side chapel, view of a window; Three significant areas of original glass remain in the rose windows of the west, north and south façades. The west rose is the earliest, dating from ca. 1205, and has representations of the Virtues and Vices, Labours of the Months and Signs of the Zodiac, a programme that, like the glass at Chartres, correlates with the iconography of the façade sculpture. The glass of the north transept rose (designed ca. 1250) is the best preserved of the three. The iconographic programme represents the Virgin surrounded by Old Testament characters, with 16 prophets in the inner circle of medallions and 32 judges and kings in the outer. The style of the glass painting recalls that of the Sainte-Chapelle, completed several years earlier. A number of panels in the south rose (begun 1258) come from other sources, notably a series depicting the Life of St Matthew (ca. 1180) and an Infancy of Christ series (ca. 1200-1250). The theme of the window is the Last Judgement with Christ in the centre (modern) surrounded by angels and images of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, accompanied by saints, Apostles, bishops, male and female confessors, deacons, female martyrs and knights. The style of the glass painting, albeit with significant colour differences, follows that of the north rose. Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.groveart.com/ (accessed 2/10/2008)