Images of Medieval Art and Architecture

France: Benedictine Abbey Church of Saint-Denis

Floor Mosaics

Originally, the entire chevet of St. Denis was paved with tiles. Only a few fragments remain in the Chapel of St Firmin. To learn more about them, see "The Mosaic Pavement of the Saint Firmin Chapel at Saint-Denis:Alberic and Suger", by Xavier Barral i Altet in Abbot Suger and Saint-Denis: A Symposium edited by Paula Gerson (New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1986).

Location

Design

General View of the Chapel of Saint-Firmin

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Floor Diagram

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Green- lost medallions showing the labours of the months
Yellow- Lost medallions showing "the Four Elements"
Extant Fragments shown in place

Details

Picture of a Kneeling Monk, hands raised in a gesture of prayer.

Two inscriptions: QUI TE DEVOTUS OROL CUI SERVIO TOTUS / MARTYR SANCTE dEI/ QUAESO MEMENTO MEI

and

HOC PIUS ALBERICUS NOBILE FECIT OPUS

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Mosaic of fantastic beasts

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Labour of the month"
October: Wine being poured into a barrel

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Labour of the month"
October: Wine being poured into a barrel

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Large "archive image"

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SAINT-DENIS MAIN PAGE	FRANCE	INTRODUCTION

Last updated by:JV Date: November 18, 2006