MAHAUT, COUNTESS OF ARTOIS 



Scelleur, of Paris, a carver of combs and toilet 

 articles as well as of crucifixes and Virgins, is 

 named as her principal craftsman. Mention is 

 made of a Cross carved by him in cedar-wood 

 with an ivory figure of the Christ, and of two 

 ivory figures of the Virgin, one under a canopy, 

 and the other with the Holy Child poised upon 

 the hip, that sublime motive belonging more 

 especially to the thirteenth century. The chapel 

 itself was beautified with carved work in stone. 

 Over the Altar, and in front of it, were painted 

 panels, enriched with gold, and translucent 

 enamel over colour. If we could picture to 

 ourselves the manner of the sculptor's work we 

 may recall the " Vine-Capital " in Rheims 

 Cathedral, where the very stone itself seems 

 to have been metamorphosed into tender foliage 

 by the unknown artist. 



Of wood-carving, the accounts tell of Choir- 

 stalls, presses for vestments and various vessels 

 and ornaments, and also of Angels, gilded and 

 painted and bearing the emblems of the Passion, 

 for standing round the High Altar. These are 

 described as being raised on slender columns, 

 connected by a bar on which were laced fringed 

 silk curtains, thus forming a recess for the Altar. 

 We can get some idea of the simple beauty of 

 this arrangement from a drawing, still preserved 

 in the sacristy of Arras Cathedral, of the High 

 Altar in the old Cathedral, and fortunately made 

 before the latter, with all its contents, was 

 destroyed in the sixteenth century. It accords 



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