Jamb of Chartres Cathedral

J is hard. I searched and searched for a town or a place we visited that began with J but had no luck. But there is a place, or more specifically a thing that takes up space that starts with J: the door jamb of Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France.

The western facade of Chartres cathedral

Way back in the mid to late 90’s I was an Art History student at the University of Minnesota, and I specialized in Gothic architecture and sculpture. Chartres Cathedral is lousy with amazing sculptures and the door jambs have some amazing religious and royal statues adorning them. I love their long, ethereal bodies and uplifted faces.

Five figures of the Old Testament. The second from the left is Abraham about to sacrifice his son Isaac.

Kings of France

An ethereal depiction of St. John the Baptist.