THE STYLE OF LOUIS XV. 



405 



enriched pointed cupola. This strange composition is, however, quite 

 exceptional. 



CHURCH FITTINGS. The churches of this period exhibit the 

 various rococo types of decoration in their embellishments and 

 fittings. Something of their character may be judged from the fittings 

 of the chapel of Versailles, especially its organ case (Fig. 388), and of 

 the choir of Notre Dame (Fig. 381), both of which date from the first 

 quarter of the century, and are exquisite examples of the transition from 

 the Louis XIV. to the Louis XV. style. Specimens of fully developed 

 Louis XV. wood fittings may be seen in the stalls of Verdun Cathedral, 

 and a church (now Protestant) at Dijon, and in the pulpits at St 

 Maximin. Louis XV. altars with baldacchinos are frequently to be 

 met with, for instance 

 in the cathedrals of 

 Angers and Cambray ; 

 the church of St Bruno 

 at Lyons contains a 

 very fine example de- 

 signed by Soufflot. 

 The design reproduced 

 in Fig. 389 is a typical 

 one. There was a 

 tendency to replace 

 architectural reredoses 

 and baldacchinos by 

 compositions made up 

 chiefly or entirely of 

 "glories" of sun-rays 

 and clouds mingled 

 with figures of saints 

 and angels with flutter- 

 ing draperies, as at St 

 Maclou at Rouen and 

 Chartres Cathedral. 



A strong desire was 

 manifested at this time 

 for having churches 

 with clear, uninter- 

 rupted vistas, which 

 accounts for the prefer- 

 ence for iron screens, 

 many examples of 

 which are extant, e.g., 

 in Nancy, Amiens, 389. DESIGN FOR ALTAR (c. 1730). 



